Meridian Regional Airport

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Meridian Regional Airport Key Field
Main Hangar at Key Field
IATA: MEI – ICAO: KMEI
Summary
Airport type		Public
Operator		Meridian Airport Authority
Serves		Meridian, Mississippi
Elevation AMSL		297 ft / 91 m
Coordinates		32°19′58″N, 088°45′07″W
Website		MeridianAirport.com
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
Direction	ft	m	Surface
1/19	10,003	3,049	Asphalt
4/22	4,599	1,402	Asphalt

Meridian Regional Airport (IATA: MEI, ICAO: KMEI) is a public airport located on Key Field, a joint civil-military airfield located 3 mi (4.8 km) southwest of the city of Meridian in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, USA. The airport is served by one commercial airline, but is primarily used for general aviation and military traffic. At 10,004 feet, Key Field is home to the longest public use runway in Mississippi.^[1]

1 History
2 Airline
3 Military
4 General Aviation
5 External links
6 References

[edit] History

Meridian Regional Airport opened in November of 1930 with the completion of the terminal, hangar, powerhouse and a graded and packed dirt runway. With the onset of the Great Depression, the City of Meridian considered abandoning the airport because of the cost of maintenance.

Brothers Algene and Frederick Key, managers of the airport, devised a scheme to keep the airport operating. They hoped that by breaking the standing flight endurance record of 23 days they would focus worldwide attention on Meridian and its airport.

From June 4 until July 1, 1935, the brothers flew over Meridian; a total flight time of over 27 days. Key Field is named in their honor. The hangar and offices used by the Key brothers preceding and following the flight are still in use today and are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

[edit] Airline

Delta Air Lines
- Delta Connection operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines (Atlanta) [ends June 16; pending MDOT decision]

[edit] Military

Key Field is currently home to the Mississippi Air National Guard's 186th Air Refueling Wing (186 ARW). Opertionally gained by the Air Mobility Command (AMC), the 186 ARW operates a fleet of KC-135R Stratotanker aerial refueling and cargo aircraft.^[1]

Key Field is also home to the Mississippi Army National Guard's 185th Army Aviation Support Facility, Company G. The 185th operates a fleet of CH-47 Chinook helicopters, a multi-purpose transport/cargo helicopter capable of carrying 55 troops and gear or can also sling-load up to 25,000 pounds.^[1]

Navy T-45 Goshawk aircraft from nearby NAS Meridian and Air Force T-6A, T-1A and T-38C aircraft from Columbus AFB also frequently practice approaches and other procedures over Key Field.

Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) capabilites are provided by the Air National Guard. Due to their mission as an air refueling wing, the ANG ARFF assets provide the entire airport with firefighting capabilities that will rival any airport in the Southeastern United States.

According to the 2005 BRAC Report, the 186 ARW is to be reassigned per recommendation #97, distributing its KC-135R aircraft between the Air National Guard's 101 ARW, 128 ARW, and 134 ARW, in Maine, Wisconsin, and Tennessee, respectively. The BRAC Report also states that the 186 ARW's firefighting positions are to be reassigned to the Mississippi Air National Guard's 172nd Airlift Wing, an AMC-gained C-17 Globemaster III unit at Jackson International Airport. These transfers are to take place in 2010 and 2011.

In 2011, the same year that the 2005 BRAC realignments are to be completed, the 186th ARW is expecting to receive two new missions. According to Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and State Adjutant General Harold Cross, these missions are to be a new Joint Cargo Aircraft mission and an Air Force War Fighting Headquarters. [1] According to Tom Williams, CEO of Meridian Airport Authority, this will result in an increase in local jobs at Meridian's Air National Guard facility. [2]