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Mobile Downtown Airport is an airport located 3 miles (5 km) south of Mobile, Alabama. Originally named Brookley Field, the airport was previously a U.S. Army Airforce supply base, employing around 17,000 civilians. In the late 1960's, the airport was turned over to the City of Mobile and re-named Mobile Downtown Airport, which is now operated by the Mobile Airport Authority.
Background
The site of the current airport, Mobile Downtown Airport, was originally the site of Mobile's first municipal airport (Bates Field). In 1938 the Army Air Corps took over the site establishing the Brookley Army Air Field (later Brookley Air Force Base). Bates Field was relocated about 10 miles to the west.
The military was attracted to the site because of the areas generally good flying weather and the airport's bay-front location, which would allow construction of docking facilities.
Brookley AFB evolved into two commands: a fighter overhaul and maintenance base, and an Air Material Command which supplied Air Force bases around the world from its sprawling warehouse complex using its own fleet of cargo aircraft and its purpose-built Arlington Pier for sea-going vessels. During this time, Brookley AFB was the areas largest employer.
In the late 1960's, the U. S. Air Force returned it to the City of Mobile. The airport is now operated by the Mobile Airport Authority which renamed it Mobile Downtown Airport. It is used by a mix of private, corporate, cargo (including FEDEX and UPS) and military aircraft. The airport has an annual traffic count around 90,000 operations. The warehouse area (also operated by the Airport Authority) is now an industrial/business park.
The airport has a Control Tower and a 9,600 foot runway and a 7,800 foot runway. Various instrument approaches to all runways are available including an ILS. It is served by a 24 hour Fixed Base Opereator (FBO), the Downtown Air Center.
A major aircraft repair, maintenance and overhaul facility (MRO), Mobile Aerospace Engineering (Now Mobile County's largest private employer), servicing large transport aircraft is located here.
EADS North America recently selected the airport for the location of an engineering facility employing about 250 jobs. Also, EADS and Northrop Grumman announced joint plans for facilities to assemble and modify the KC-30 airborne refueling tanker (based on the Airbus 330) that could eventually employ over 1,000 people. Implementation of this plan depends on an up-coming decision by the U.S. Congress which will award the tanker program to either Boeing or EADS/Northrop Grumman.
Cargo and Maintenance Hub
Mobile Downtown Airport houses four cargo carriers - it is a maintenance facility for Federal Express, US Airways, and United Airlines.
Cargo Carriers Scheduled Service
- Federal Express with three daily cargo flights from Memphis
- United Parcel Service with one daily cargo flight from Louisville through Albany, Georgia
External links
"Mobile Downtown Airport"