Provo Municipal Airport

Provo Municipal Airport (IATA: PVU, ICAO: KPVU, FAA LID: PVU) is a public-use airport on east shore of Utah Lake on the southwestern edge of Provo, in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is a small regional airport with domestic flights mainly to destinations in the western United States.

Provo Municipal Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerCity of Provo
ServesSalt Lake City metropolitan area
LocationProvo, Utah
United States
Operating base for
Time zoneMountain Time Zone (UTC-07:00 MST UTC-06:00 MDT)
Elevation AMSL4,497 ft / 1,370.7 m
Coordinates40°13′09.1″N 111°43′24.1″W / 40.219194°N 111.723361°W / 40.219194; -111.723361
Websitehttp://flyprovo.com
Map
PVU is located in Utah
PVU
PVU
PVU is located in the United States
PVU
PVU
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
13/31 8,603 2,622 Asphalt
18/36 6,628 2,020 Asphalt
Statistics (2022)
Total passengers264,000

Overview edit

In June 2011, Frontier Airlines began daily flights to Denver. Salt Lake City International Airport (about 40 miles (64 km) north) is the closest airport with numerous flights. (SkyWest Airlines flew to Provo in 1974–1975.)[2]

Frontier's flights to Denver ended in January 2013.[3] Allegiant Air began flights to Phoenix/Mesa in February 2013;[4] in March 2013, the airline announced twice-weekly flights to Oakland International Airport beginning June 7.[5] On July 4, 2013, it was announced that Allegiant Air would begin flying to Los Angeles International Airport beginning September 26, 2013.[6] In June 2016, Allegiant Air announced it would begin flying to San Diego International Airport beginning September 28, 2016.[7] Service to Oakland and San Diego was suspended in 2018. Service to Tucson International Airport began on Nov 16, 2018. In August 2020, Allegiant Air announced it would begin flying to Denver International Airport beginning November 19, 2020.[8] Later that year, it announced flights from Provo to Orange County, California, would begin in February 2021.[9] In May 2021, Allegiant Air announced that it would add service to St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport in Florida and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport as additional destinations from Provo, with flights beginning in October 2021.[10]

Utah based Breeze Airways added 5 routes from Provo in 2022 to San Francisco International Airport, Las Vegas Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, San Bernardino International Airport, and New York Westchester Airport.[11]

History edit

The airport's Air Traffic Control Tower opened in 2005; previously, the airport was uncontrolled. When the control tower opened, the nearby airspace became Class D airspace over a radius of 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) around the airport and up to 7,000 feet (2,100 m) MSL (2500 feet AGL), with a circular cutout in the southern portion surrounding nearby Spanish Fork Municipal Airport Woodhouse Field, which is not Class D.

 
Former terminal building in July 2017

In anticipation of airline service, a new terminal area was built in early 2011 to house Transportation Security Administration equipment for passenger screening. As of August 2012, a millimeter-wave full-body scanner is in use.[12] In November 2019, the airport broke ground on a new $40 million terminal. The new terminal would have four gates initially, with future expansion to ten gates in total. The terminal was completed in May 2022, with a full shift to the new terminal and gates planned for a later date.[13][14]

In 2022, the Allegiant Travel Company announced plans to invest $95 million to expand their presence in Provo and establish a four-aircraft base at the Provo Airport.[15] Additionally, Utah based Breeze Airways announced they would create the airline's Utah operating base at the airport with four airplanes, and five new routes.[11]

In 2020 Duncan Aviation, the US largest general aviation maintenance MRO finished a 328,000 sq/ft maintenance facility on the north end of the field.[16]

Facilities edit

Provo Municipal Airport covers 869 acres (3.5 km2) and has two runways:[17]

  • 13/31: 8,603 ft × 150 ft (2,622 m × 46 m), asphalt
  • 18/36: 6,628 ft × 150 ft (2,020 m × 46 m), asphalt

Airlines and destinations edit

AirlinesDestinations
Allegiant Air Austin, Chicago–Midway, Houston–Hobby, Las Vegas, Nashville, Orange County, Orlando/Sanford, Phoenix/Mesa, Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Portland (OR), San Diego
Breeze Airways Orange County, Phoenix–Sky Harbor, San Francisco

General aviation edit

General aviation (GA) also contributes to the overall operations of the Provo airport. There are two fixed base operators (FBO), Duncan Aviation and Signature Flight Support, on the field. Utah Valley University operates a flight school, as well as its Fire and Rescue program. Numerous privately owned aircraft and hangars are also based on the Provo airport property.[18]

Statistics edit

Busiest domestic routes from PVU
(March 2022 - February 2023)
[19]
Rank City Passengers Carriers
1 Phoenix/Mesa, Arizona 96,040 Allegiant
2 Santa Ana, California 25,010 Allegiant, Breeze
3 Phoenix-Sky Harbor, Arizona 19,870 Allegiant, Breeze
4 Houston–Intercontinental, Texas 16,740 Allegiant
5 Austin, Texas 15,970 Allegiant
6 San Francisco, California 14,550 Breeze
7 Las Vegas, Nevada 14,030 Allegiant
8 St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Florida 9,560 Allegiant
9 San Diego, California 7,830 Allegiant
10 Portland, Oregon 7,040 Allegiant

Annual traffic edit

Annual passenger traffic at PVU airport. See Wikidata query.
Annual passenger traffic at PVU[20]
Year Passengers Year Passengers Year Passengers
2016 151,000 2020 165,000 2024
2017 176,000 2021 145,000 2025
2018 155,000 2022 264,000 2026
2019 214,000 2023 2027

Accidents and incidents edit

There have been a total of 22 accidents and incidents in and around the Provo Airport since 1984.[21]

  • On November 21, 1995, a Cessna 152 impacted terrain east of Provo five minutes after departing the Provo Municipal Airport. The sole pilot on board was fatally injured. Witnesses reported that the aircraft did not make any sudden movements to avoid the terrain or make any unusual engine noises. It was later found the pilot was terrified of serving jail time after being convicted in a pyramid scheme court case and that he was building a new identity after becoming estranged from his father. The NTSB ruled the probable cause of the accident was pilot suicide.[22]
  • On July 16, 2001, a Diamond DA-20 collided with terrain following a loss of control during an aborted landing at Provo Municipal Airport. The sole student pilot on board was not injured. The probable cause was found to be an inadvertent stall induced by the pilot during the go-around attempt.[23]
  • On April 17, 2003, a Cessna 310 crashed while inbound to Provo. The three people on board were declared dead at the scene. Wreckage signified the aircraft nosedived into the ground instead of skidding first.[24]
  • On October 21, 2009, a Utah Valley University student was killed when the engine on his single-engine aircraft failed. The student was returning from Spanish Fork Municipal Airport Woodhouse Field when the accident occurred. The aircraft came to rest 500 feet short of the runway.[25]
  • On March 28, 2013, a Diamond DA-20 crashed after its wing impacted the ground on a hard landing attempt. The student pilot on board escaped uninjured.[26]
  • On August 16, 2019, a light sport aircraft's front nose gear collapsed on landing at Provo. Nobody on board was injured, and no runway damage was reported.[27]
  • On January 31, 2022, a Piper PA-44 Seminole operated by the Utah Valley University School of Aviation Sciences suffered a landing gear collapse while performing a touch-and-go. The plane reportedly touched down safely, but the gear collapsed before the aircraft was able to lift off again. Neither person on board was injured.[28][29][30]
  • On January 2, 2023, an Embraer Phenom 300 crashed shortly after takeoff. As of January 3, 2023, the cause of the accident is under investigation. The pilot was fatally injured, and one passenger was critically injured. The other two passengers received minor injuries. The airport was closed until January 4 due to the investigation.[31][32]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ United States Department of Transportation. "Bureau of Transport Statistics". Estadísticas de la Oficina de Transporte. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  2. ^ "SkyWest 35 Years". Archived from the original on 2011-09-27. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
  3. ^ Finley, Jeff (14 September 2012). "Frontier Airlines to suspend Provo airport flights". Deseret News.
  4. ^ "New Provo-to-Phoenix flights ease sting of lost route".
  5. ^ "Press Release - Investor Relations - Allegiant Air". ir.allegiantair.com.
  6. ^ "Allegiant Air plans a third route from Provo airport".
  7. ^ "Allegiant Air breaks into Newark as it adds 3 cities to route map". USA Today.
  8. ^ "Allegiant Adds Provo to Denver". Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  9. ^ Pugmire, Genelle. "Provo Airport lands Allegiant route to Orange County". Daily Herald. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  10. ^ Williams, Carter. "Allegiant Air announces new nonstop flights from Provo to Florida, Arizona". KSL. KSL. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  11. ^ a b "Breeze Airways announces five daily flights out of Provo". heraldextra.com. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
  12. ^ "Provo Airport gets TSA's advanced imaging". Daily Herald. Daily Herald (Utah). Retrieved 2012-08-04.
  13. ^ "Provo Airport launches $40 million terminal, expects 20 flights a day".
  14. ^ Pugmire, Genelle. "Provo Municipal Council receives airport terminal update". Daily Herald. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  15. ^ "Allegiant Air plans to invest $95M as it expands operations in Provo".
  16. ^ "Duncan Aviation History | Duncan Aviation". www.duncanaviation.aero. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  17. ^ FAA Airport Form 5010 for PVU PDF effective April 21, 2022
  18. ^ "AirNav: KPVU - Provo Municipal Airport". www.airnav.com. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  19. ^ "Provo, Utah". Bureau of Transportation Statistics. May 20, 2022.
  20. ^ "OST_R - BTS - Transtats". www.transtats.bts.gov.
  21. ^ "List of Utah plane crashes | PlaneCrashMap.com".
  22. ^ "N6392Q accident description". Plane Crash Map. Retrieved 2022-07-18.
  23. ^ "N981CT accident description". Plane Crash Map. Retrieved 2022-07-18.
  24. ^ "3 killed in Provo airplane crash". Deseret News. 18 April 2003. Retrieved 2022-07-18.
  25. ^ "Pilot killed in crash near Provo airport". Deseret News. 22 October 2009. Retrieved 2022-07-18.
  26. ^ "Student plane crashes at Provo Airport; pilot uninjured". KSL.com. Retrieved 2022-07-18.
  27. ^ "Small plane crash-lands on Provo airport runway; no injuries reported". Fox 13 Salt Lake City. 17 August 2019. Retrieved 2022-07-18.
  28. ^ "UVU plane's landing gear fails at Provo airport". KSL TV5. 31 January 2022. Retrieved 2022-07-18.
  29. ^ "Small plane crashes at Provo Airport". Gephardt Daily. 31 January 2022. Retrieved 2022-07-18.
  30. ^ "Piper PA-44-180 Seminole, N477UV: Incident occurred January 31, 2022 at Provo Municipal Airport (KPVU), Utah County, Utah". Kathryn's Report. Retrieved 2022-07-18.
  31. ^ "Top Nu Skin distributor killed in plane crash at Provo Airport". Deseret News. 2023-01-03. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  32. ^ "Provo Airport reopens following plane crash investigation". FOX 13 News Utah (KSTU). 2023-01-04. Retrieved 2023-01-05.

External links edit