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Kingston Norman Rogers Airport

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Kingston Norman Rogers Airport or YGK Airport (IATA: YGK, ICAO: CYGK), also known as Kingston Airport, is the main airport serving Kingston, Ontario and its metropolitan area. The airport is named after former MP Norman McLeod Rogers (Kingston City 1935–1940), Minister of Labour and then National Defence in Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King's cabinet. Located 4.3 nautical miles (8.0 km; 4.9 mi) west of downtown Kingston, Ontario, in the west end of the city, it is the largest airport in the region, in 2019 it was reported that 70,000 people travel through the airport each year.[4]

Kingston Norman Rogers Airport
Norman Rogers Airport Terminal in 2023
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorCity of Kingston
OpenedDecember 1940; 83 years ago (1940-12)
Time zoneEST (UTC−05:00)
 • Summer (DST)EDT (UTC−04:00)
Elevation AMSL303 ft / 92 m
Coordinates44°13′35″N 076°35′48″W / 44.22639°N 76.59667°W / 44.22639; -76.59667
Websitewww.ygkairport.com
Map
CYGK is located in Ontario
CYGK
CYGK
Location in Ontario
CYGK is located in Canada
CYGK
CYGK
CYGK (Canada)
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
01/19 6,001 1,829 Asphalt
07/25 3,909 1,191 Asphalt
Statistics (2010)
Aircraft movements37,876

It is classified as an Airport of entry by Nav Canada and partnered with the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority. The airport was formally a military airbase and training school known as RCAF Station Kingston and as such the airport was originally built by Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), and is home to Royal Canadian Air Force Association 416 Wing Kingston. The airport was owned and operated by the RCAF until after the end of World War II when the Department of Transport assumed ownership of the site and leased the airport to the City of Kingston. The airport faced challenges in maintaining profitability until the City of Kingston purchased it completely in 1974.[5]

History

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Kingston Airport Harvard BC-1 Memorial

Before 1940, Kingston was served only by the Kingston Airfield, a grass strip just north of the city's downtown, which closed in 1942. In 1940, during the Second World War, an airfield was built to the west of Kingston to serve as a training station for the Royal Air Force's No. 31 Service Flying Training School (SFTS). The school provided advanced flight training in Battle and Harvard aircraft. In 1942 the school became part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP). The BCATP's No. 14 Service Flying Training School moved to Kingston in 1944 and merged with the RAF school. No. 14 SFTS used Harvards, Yales and Ansons. The airport's runway outline displays the classic BCATP triangle pattern. A decommissioned yellow Harvard aircraft now stands on a pedestal near the airport entrance to commemorate the airport's wartime role.

In 1953, naval air squadron VC 921 was formed as a tender to HMCS Cataraqui, and used the airport. The unit operated Harvards and one C-45D Expeditor until it was disbanded in 1959.[6]

The airport was transferred to city control in 1972.

 
Norman Rogers Airport Terminal in 2023

The airport was originally built with six 2,500 ft (760 m) runways; however, this was reduced to three, as they were all parallel runways. One can still see where some parts of the parallel runways were from the air. Later, runway 01/19 was extended northwards to a length of 5,000 ft (1,500 m) to handle larger aircraft, and it was later extended to 6,000 ft (1,800 m) (the prevailing wind is from the south off Lake Ontario). Runway 07/25 was extended northeastwards to a length of nearly 4,000 ft (1,200 m), with no plans to extend it, due to the requirements for certified airports on runways over a certain length. The remaining runway, 12/30, was decommissioned in 2003 and converted to a taxiway.

Kingston Airport became a part of the Southern Ontario Airport Network (SOAN), a newly formed airport alliance, in 2017.[7] This network comprises 12 commercial airports in Southern Ontario.[8]

In 2018, the city extended runway 01/19 from 5,000 ft to 6,001 ft. At the same time, the terminal was under construction with plans to expand the post security waiting area to accommodate larger aircraft such as a 737 or Q400. Construction is also underway at the departure and arrival areas to accommodate more passengers as well as a general renovation to make it more inviting and accessible.

Air Canada indefinitely suspended its operations at Kingston Airport in June 2020 because of the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.[9]

On August 31, 2020, FlyGTA Airlines announced that it would begin regular passenger service four days per week between Kingston and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport on September 10.[10] However, due to COVID, the airline stopped running this service on December 10, 2020.

On December 9, 2021, Pascan Aviation announced that it would begin regular passenger service between Kingston and Montréal–Trudeau International Airport starting March 14, 2022.[11]

On January 11, 2022, the City of Kingston announced that once again, it has partnered with FlyGTA Airlines to offer passenger service between Kingston and Toronto starting January 31, 2022.[12]

On August 30, 2022, at Norman Rogers Airport a press conference was hosted by Mark Gerretsen, the MP for Kingston and the Islands, concerning federal funding totaling $2.8 million through the Regional Air Transportation Initiative (RATI). This funding will be distributed among four airports in southern Ontario, including Kingston Airport, Cornwall Regional Airport, Huronia Airport, and Arnprior Airport.[13]

The City of Kingston, which manages Kingston Airport, will obtain a $1.3 million non-repayable investment aimed at enhancing safety protocols and formulating strategic plans to adapt the airport to the post-pandemic landscape. This financial support is expected to facilitate the return of over 18,000 passengers traveling between Kingston and Toronto through Kingston Airport.[14][15]

 
On approach to runway 25 in a Cessna C-150

On December 1, 2022, the City of Kingston announced that Pascan Aviation will be pausing their air service at YGK Airport as of January 6, 2023.[16] The pause in service means that Kingston will be losing its only regular passenger airline service, at least temporarily.[17]

In March 2023, Aron Winterstein, the manager of Kingston Airport, revealed that they are actively engaging in conversations with multiple airlines, with the aim of restoring passenger services at the airport.[18] Furthermore, Winterstein suggested that international flights could be a possibility in the future. Apart from commercial flights, the airport now accommodates a range of regular operations. Winterstein stated that the airport currently handles approximately 80% of the flights it did prior to the pandemic.[18] These operations include daily medical transfer flights from the Moosonee and James Bay areas to Kingston Health Sciences Centre hospitals, daily cargo flights, military operations, and private corporate flights. Despite this, the unavailability of some services has left a noticeable effect. The general public has expressed concern regarding the absence of open communication and a well-defined strategy for reinstating air services.[19]

 
Kingston Airport Pre 2018 Expansion

Airlines and destinations

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Cargo

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AirlinesDestinations
SkyLink Express Hamilton

Former

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AirlinesDestinations
Air CanadaToronto–Pearson (Service suspended in June 2020)
FlyGTA AirlinesToronto–Billy Bishop (Service paused in 2022)
Pascan AviationMontréal–Trudeau (Service paused in January 2023)

Frequencies

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Kingston Airport services two frequencies: ATIS (135.550 MHz) and radio (122.500 MHz). There is also guidance for private aircraft needing fuel or parking on Kingston Flying Club Advisory (122.800 MHz).

There is an instrument landing system servicing Runway 19, on the frequency 111.3 MHz.[20] Kingston also has a non-directional beacon (NDB) that transmits "YGK" in Morse code on the longwave radio frequency of 263 kHz.[21] YGK was decommissioned on November 30, 2023.

Operations

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Kingston Airport from the air

Kingston is a mandatory frequency airport with an operating flight service station. The airport also supports a large amount of general aviation traffic, including flight training and general recreational flying. As one of the only public airports to offer an ILS approach along the corridor between Montréal–Trudeau and Toronto–Pearson (along with Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier), the Kingston airport is an important alternate during poor weather conditions.

Kingston Flying Club, a flight school and charter operation, is located in hangar #5.

The airport is classified as an airport of entry by Nav Canada and is staffed by the Canada Border Services Agency. CBSA officers at this airport can handle aircraft with no more than 30 passengers.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Canada Flight Supplement. Effective 0901Z 16 July 2020 to 0901Z 10 September 2020.
  2. ^ Synoptic/Metstat Station Information Archived 2012-07-07 at archive.today
  3. ^ "Aircraft Movement Statistics: NAV CANADA Towers and Flight Service Stations: Annual Report (TP 577): Table 2-2 — Total aircraft movements by class of operation — NAV CANADA flight service stations". www150.statcan.gc.ca.
  4. ^ "Airport Expansion - About - City of Kingston". www.cityofkingston.ca. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  5. ^ "History - YGK Airport - City of Kingston". www.ygkairport.com. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  6. ^ Gimblett, Richard H.; Hadley, Michael L. (2010-11-16). Citizen Sailors: Chronicles of Canada's Naval Reserve, 1910-2010. Dundurn. ISBN 978-1-4597-0533-3.: 61 
  7. ^ "About us". Southern ontario airport network. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  8. ^ CBC News (2017). "New provincial alliance links 11 regional airports". CBC.ca.
  9. ^ Evans, Pete (June 30, 2020). "Air Canada cancels 30 domestic routes, closes 8 stations at regional airports". CBC News. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  10. ^ "Kingston Airport welcomes FLYGTA visitors". City of Kingston. August 31, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  11. ^ "Pascan Aviation to begin passenger service to Kingston". thewhig.
  12. ^ Soucy, Paul (January 11, 2022). "Air service to Toronto returns to Kingston airport". Global News Kingston. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  13. ^ "Regional airports get multimillion-dollar fed funding boost – Ottawa Business Journal". 2022-08-31. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  14. ^ Ontario, Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern (2022-08-30). "Southern Ontario airports to receive over $2.8 million from Government of Canada to maintain regional connectivity". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  15. ^ Stafford, Tori (2022-08-30). "Over $2.8M investment in 'regional connectivity' announced at Kingston Airport". Kingstonist News - 100% local, independent news in Kingston, ON. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  16. ^ Forestell, Michelle Dorey (2022-12-02). "Pascan Aviation service 'paused' at YGK Airport – Kingston News". Kingstonist News - 100% local, independent news in Kingston, ON. Retrieved 2022-12-19.
  17. ^ "Airline pauses service to Kingston amid customer service issues - Kingston | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2022-12-19.
  18. ^ a b "Kingston, Ont. working on bringing back passenger flights - Kingston | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  19. ^ "After $16M expansion, Kingston's airport traffic is low". thestar.com. 2023-03-26. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  20. ^ "ILS - Kingston/Norman Rogers Airport - Kingston, Ontario - Ground Based Air Navigation Support Structures on Waymarking.com". www.waymarking.com.
  21. ^ YGK Kingston - ourairports.com
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