Greenville Mid-Delta Airport
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Greenville Mid-Delta Airport (Template:Comma separated entries), operating as Mid Delta Regional Airport until 2011,[2][3] is a public use airport in unincorporated Washington County, Mississippi, United States.[4] It is located five nautical miles (6 mi, 9 km) northeast of the central business district of Greenville, the city that owns the airport.[5] It is served by one commercial airline, Contour Airlines, which is subsidized by the Essential Air Service program. Formerly, the facility was known as Greenville Air Force Base.
As per the Federal Aviation Administration, this airport had 6,310 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2008,[6] 6,290 in 2009, 6,609 in 2010,[7] 7,417 in 2011, and 5,181 in 2012.[8] The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 categorized it as a non-primary commercial service airport.[9]
Facilities and aircraft
Mid-Delta Regional Airport is the only commercial airport located in the Mississippi Delta.[10] Located approximately Script error: No such module "convert". north of central Greenville, MDRA is situated on Script error: No such module "convert". of land,[5] with a sizable portion in the Mid-Delta Empowerment Zone. A controlled airfield, MDRA has a control tower which is staffed from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., seven days a week.
The facility has two runways, the primary being 18L/36R which is composed of an asphalt surface Script error: No such module "convert". wide by Script error: No such module "convert". long. Runway 18L/36R is a precision approach runway with an Instrument landing System (ILS), medium approach lighting system with rails, (MALSR) approach lights and High Intensity Runway Lights (HIRLs). A parallel runway, 18R/36L, has an asphalt and concrete surface with a width of Script error: No such module "convert". and length of Script error: No such module "convert".. Runway 18R/36L is a non-precision runway with Medium Intensity Runway Lights, (MIRL). The runways are connected by six taxiways. Ramp space is abundant, with Script error: No such module "convert". of concrete ramp area.
For the 12-month period ending July 31, 2019, the airport had 22,974 aircraft operations, an average of 63 per day: 66% general aviation 28% military, 6% air taxi, and <1% scheduled commercial. At that time there were 7 aircraft based at this airport: 5 single-engine and 2 multi-engine.[5]
History
Historically, Greenville had scheduled passenger service provided by Southern Airways commencing during the early 1950s from the former Greenville Municipal Airport (Mississippi) operated with Douglas DC-3 prop aircraft flying daily round trip routings of Memphis - Greenville - Vicksburg - Jackson, MS - Natchez - Baton Rouge - New Orleans and Memphis - Greenville - Vicksburg - Jackson, MS - Laurel - Hattiesburg - Mobile.[11] Southern subsequently moved its service to Mid Delta Regional and in 1968 was operating six departures a day from the airport all with Martin 4-0-4 prop aircraft with three nonstop flights a day to its Memphis hub as well as three direct, no change of plane flights a day to New Orleans via various stops en route.[12] Southern subsequently began operating Douglas DC-9-10 jetliners from the airport on nonstop flights to Memphis with direct service to Baton Rouge and New Orleans via an intermediate stop in Monroe, Louisiana and also on a direct, one stop basis to Atlanta. Other DC-9 jet flights operated by Southern continued on direct, no change of plane routings to Chicago, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale. The July 1, 1978 Southern system timetable listed two nonstop DC-9 flights a day to its Memphis hub as well as one nonstop DC-9 flight a day to Monroe with this service continuing on to Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Fort Walton Beach (served via Eglin Air Force Base), Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, and one nonstop DC-9 flight a day to Jackson with this service continuing on to Atlanta which also served as a hub for Southern.[13][14]
Southern then merged with North Central Airlines to form Republic Airlines which in turn continued to serve Greenville.[15] According to the July 1, 1979 Republic system timetable, the airline was operating nonstop DC-9 jet service to Memphis where it was operating a hub as well as nonstop service to Monroe and was also operating direct, no change of plane DC-9 service to Atlanta (which also served as a hub for Republic), Baton Rouge, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Walton Beach via Eglin Air Force Base, Greenville/Spartanburg, SC, Huntsville/Decatur, AL, Miami, New Orleans, New York City via LaGuardia Airport, Orlando and Washington D.C. via Dulles Airport.[16][17] Republic subsequently ceased all flights from Greenville and had withdrawn from the market by 1986.[18][19]
On June 8, 1988, a USAF Lockheed C-130 Hercules of the 189th Tactical Airlift Group, Arkansas Air National Guard, on a training flight from its home station of Little Rock AFB, crashed 1.5 miles from Greenville Airport during an attempted approach. All 6 occupants were killed.[20]
In 1989, Northwest Airlink nonstop service from Alexandria, Louisiana, Memphis and Monroe was being operated on a code sharing basis by Express Airlines I on behalf of Northwest Airlines (which was operating a hub in Memphis at this time) with British Aerospace BAe Jetstream 31 and Saab 340 commuter turboprop aircraft.[21]
In May 2015, SeaPort Airlines announced that it planned to end service to and from the airport. After receiving proposals from four airlines, the Greenville city council unanimously chose Boutique Air as its next airline.[22]
In July 2017, The US Department of Transportation has approved Greenville’s choice for subsidized air service.[23] Boutique Air, which has been serving Mid Delta Regional Airport since 2015 would remain the carrier through 2021, with a caveat.[23]
On 3 June 2018, a storm system destroyed the hangar and most of the aircraft at the airport.
On 11 August 2021, Contour Airlines was announced as Greenville Mid-Delta Airport's (GLH) new federal Essential Air Service (EAS) air carrier, with daily service to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and five-times weekly service (every day except Tuesdays and Saturdays) to Nashville International Airport (BNA). Contour Airlines replaced Boutique Air at the airport from 1 October 2021 and currently operates Embraer ERJ-135 regional jets on its services.[24][25]
On 03 June 2025, Greenville Mid-Delta Airport announced a change in its Essential Air Service (EAS) provider, selecting Denver Air Connection to replace Contour Airlines. The decision was made by the Greenville city council following a competitive selection process that included presentations from three airlines and community input through surveys. Airport Director Levell Hawkins recommended Denver Air Connection based on residents' expressed preference for Atlanta access and concerns about Contour's lack of an established gate at Atlanta's airport. Denver Air Connection will offer 12 weekly flights split between Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), addressing community demands for reliable connectivity to major hubs. The airline change coincided with significant economic development in Washington County, including the construction of a new power plant and two pipelines, creating increased demand for dependable air transportation services.[26]
Airlines and destinations
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Statistics
| Year | 2009 [28] | 2010 [29] | 2011 [30] | 2012 [31] | 2013[32] | 2014[33] | 2015[34] | 2016[35] | 2017[36] | 2018[37] | 2019[38] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enplanements | 6,310 | 6,609 | 7,417 | 5,181 | 3,029 | 1,650 | 773 | 4,986 | 5,646 | 5,634 | 3,687 |
| Change | Decrease0.32% | Increase5.07% | Increase12.23% | Decrease30.15% | Decrease41.54% | Decrease45.53% | Decrease53.15% | Increase545.02% | Increase13.24% | Decrease0.21% | Decrease34.56% |
| Airline | Mesaba Airlines dba Delta Connection | Mesaba Airlines dba Delta Connection | Mesaba Airlines dba Delta Connection | Pinnacle Airlines dba Delta Connection | Silver Airways | Silver Airways | SeaPort Airlines | Boutique Air | Boutique Air | Boutique Air | Boutique Air |
| Destination(s) | Memphis | Memphis | Memphis | Memphis | Atlanta
Tupelo |
Tupelo | Memphis | Dallas-Ft. Worth
Nashville |
Dallas-Ft. Worth
Nashville |
Dallas-Ft. Worth
Nashville |
Atlanta
Dallas-Ft. Worth |
See also
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References
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- ↑ Accident description for 61-2373 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on July 27, 2023.
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Further reading
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- Essential Air Service documents (Docket OST-2008-0209 Template:Webarchive) from the U.S. Department of Transportation:
- Ninety-day notice (July 3, 2008) Template:Webarchive: from Mesaba Aviation, Inc. intent to discontinue unsubsidized service between Greenville, Mississippi and Memphis, Tennessee effective October 1, 2008.
- Order 2008-8-23 (August 25, 2008) Template:Webarchive: selecting Mesaba Airlines, Inc., d/b/a Northwest Airlink, to provide essential air service (EAS) at annual subsidy rate of $1,355,693 at Greenville, Mississippi, through September 30, 2010.
- Order 2010-7-12 (July 15, 2010) Template:Webarchive: selecting Mesaba Aviation, Inc., d/b/a Delta Connection, to provide essential air service at Greenville, Mississippi, at an annual subsidy rate of $1,606,662 thru September 30, 2011, or 180 days after Mesaba informs the Department of the retirement of the Saab aircraft Mesaba proposed for this service, whichever comes sooner.
- Ninety Day Notice (July 15, 2011) Template:Webarchive: from MESABA AVIATION, INC. and PINNACLE AIRLINES, INC. of termination of service at Greenville, MS.
- Order 2012-5-17 (May 22, 2012) Template:Webarchive: selecting Silver Airways, formerly Gulfstream International Airways, to provide Essential Air Service (EAS) at Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Greenville, Laurel/Hattiesburg, and Tupelo, Mississippi, and Greenbrier/White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia (Lewisburg), using 34-passenger Saab 340 aircraft, for a combined annual subsidy of $16,098,538.
- Order 2012-6-3 (June 6, 2012) Template:Webarchive: extending the Essential Air Service obligation of the two wholly owned subsidiaries of Pinnacle Airlines Corporation—Mesaba Aviation, Inc. and Pinnacle Airlines, d/b/a Delta Connection at the eight communities listed below (Muscle Shoals, AL; Alpena, MI; Iron Mountain/Kingsford, MI; Brainerd, MN; International Falls, MN; Greenville, MS; Laurel/Hattiesburg, MS; Tupelo, MS) for 30 days, through, July 9, 2012.
- Notice of Intent (April 9, 2014) Template:Webarchive: of Silver Airways Corp. ... to discontinue subsidized scheduled air service between Atlanta, Georgia (ATL) and each of Muscle Shoals, Alabama (MSL), Greenville, Mississippi (GLH), Laurel/Hattiesburg, Mississippi (PIB), and Tupelo, Mississippi (TUP). Silver Airways intends to discontinue this service on July 8, 2014 or such earlier date as permitted by the Department in any final order terminating the eligibility of any of these communities under the essential air service (EAS) program.
- Order 2014-4-24 (April 22, 2014) Template:Webarchive: prohibits Silver Airways Corp., from terminating service at Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Greenville, Laurel/Hattiesburg, Meridian, and Tupelo, Mississippi, for 30 days beyond the end of the air carrier's 90-day notice period, i.e. August 7, 2014. We are also requesting proposals from air carriers interested in providing Essential Air Service (EAS) at Muscle Shoals, Greenville, Laurel/Hattiesburg, Meridian, and/or Tupelo.
- Order 2014-4-26 (April 24, 2014) Template:Webarchive: directing interested persons to show cause as to why the Department should not terminate the eligibility ... under the Essential Air Service (EAS) program based on criteria passed by Congress in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (Public Law No. 112-95). We find that Greenville is within 175 miles of a large or medium hub, Memphis International Airport (MEM), a medium hub, and, thus, is subject to the 10-enplanement statutory criterion. We also find that during fiscal year 2013, Greenville generated a total of 5,836 passengers (inbound plus outbound). Consistent with the methodology described above, that results in an average of 9.3 enplanements per day, below the 10-enplanement statutory criterion necessary to remain eligible in the EAS program.
External links
- Mid-Delta Regional Airport at City of Greenville website
- Aerial image as of March 1996 from USGS The National Map
- FAA Airport Diagram (PDF), effective Error: Invalid time.
- FAA Terminal Procedures for GLH, effective Error: Invalid time.
- Resources for this airport:
- AirNav airport information for KGLH
- ASN accident history for GLH
- FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
- NOAA/NWS weather observations: current, past three days
- SkyVector aeronautical chart for KGLH
- FAA current GLH delay information