downtown airport news

KC topics that don't fit anywhere else.
moderne
Oak Tower
Oak Tower
Posts: 5861
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2004 2:50 pm
Location: Mount Hope

Re: downtown airport news

Post by moderne »

Getting rid of the airport would present an opportunity to give the city center water recreation it lacks and a great environmental restoration. It would cost a lot to clear and remediate pollution on the site. We lack recreation on the river because the Army Corp channelized the river for navigation rather than lock and dam. In the early days pre reservoirs all over, ox bow lakes were popular for recreation--Bean Lake and Lewis & Clark Lake. The airport site could hold a 'C' shaped lagoon for canoes, kayaks, paddle boats, etc. Marsh land areas could be incorporated for wildlife and migratory waterfowl.Biking and walking paths could wind around with picnic pavilions, cafes, event spaces. Parking could be kept close to the highway and maybe apartments between the highway and parkland. All very accessible to DT thanks to the new Buck O'Neil bridge pedestrian sidewalk.
User avatar
GRID
City Hall
City Hall
Posts: 17762
Joined: Mon Sep 15, 2003 12:20 pm
Contact:

Re: downtown airport news

Post by GRID »

Getting rid of MKC would be a huge mistake. You would push even more of what's left of KC's business economy to Johnson County.

KC doesn't need all that land to have good urban recreation and it would cost a fortune to tear down MKC and build a proper park there. Money KC has proven it doesn't have.

How about KCMO spend a fraction of that and get Penn Valley Park up to par by removing Broadway or spend some money building trails on the levees or building an actual pedestrian bridge across the MO river.

KC could build a REALLY nice park across from downtown in the Harlem area and build a destination pedestrian bridge to it. Do that before leaving that area like it is and tearing down one of the best urban airports in the country.

Having said that, I'm fine with the city "threatening" to close it so the FAA gets their head out of their ass. The last thing downtown KC needs is another obstacle to development. It should be about as easy to get 99% of the projects approved by the FAA as it is to get approval to fly a drone downtown. It should take five minutes unless somebody is proposing a 600 foot tower west of Broadway.
kcjak
Penntower
Penntower
Posts: 2475
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 3:02 pm

Re: downtown airport news

Post by kcjak »

i realize there isn't much land to work with, but is it feasible (not taking $ into consideration) to reposition the runways to create different flight paths or do the height restrictions apply to a general radius no matter which way air traffic occurs?
User avatar
GRID
City Hall
City Hall
Posts: 17762
Joined: Mon Sep 15, 2003 12:20 pm
Contact:

Re: downtown airport news

Post by GRID »

kcjak wrote: Mon Sep 11, 2023 8:05 am i realize there isn't much land to work with, but is it feasible (not taking $ into consideration) to reposition the runways to create different flight paths or do the height restrictions apply to a general radius no matter which way air traffic occurs?
The current alignment has almost no impact on Downtown. The flight paths all go over the west bottoms and the NKC industrial districts. There is no reason a plane would fly directly over the downtown buildings on approach or departure. Even if the buildings were not there, they still wouldn't fly directly over downtown. The runways are fine the way they are. The shorter runway has a flight pattern right over downtown NKC. I'm surprised the FAA allowed that new apartment building in NKC. That should have been a much bigger issue than anything that has been proposed in downtown KCMO.

This whole thing with the FAA and all the proposals so far are stupid. The only parts of the Downtown loop where it would matter at all is like the Quality Hill area. And planes don't fly over that area to, they fly just to the west of that area. But I can see where a 30 story building in Quality Hill would be an issue. A ten story building in the River Market or crossroads or even a 50 story building in the CBD? Those should not even need to be approved by the FAA. They should get a quick rubber stamp at most.
bspecht
Western Auto Lofts
Western Auto Lofts
Posts: 602
Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2015 4:31 pm
Location: Washington, DC
Contact:

Re: downtown airport news

Post by bspecht »

Downtown developers should see the FAA as a part of the development process for now and until further guidance is given. The only way it would "kill" a project at the moment is for a developer to not be smart/aware enough to have it as a consideration (bad sign). Nearly every tower in Miami/South Florida goes through the FAA approval, even with their better guidance, often happening near the beginning of development process.
missingkc
Alameda Tower
Alameda Tower
Posts: 1351
Joined: Mon Oct 14, 2002 7:16 pm
Location: Charlotte, NC

Re: downtown airport news

Post by missingkc »

Travel and Leisure names the TWA museum second best aviation museum in US after Smithsonian.
User avatar
Cratedigger
Penntower
Penntower
Posts: 2316
Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2021 3:32 pm

Re: downtown airport news

Post by Cratedigger »

Council considering today changing the name of Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport to the Kansas City Downtown Airport – Wheeler Field
langosta
Broadway Square
Broadway Square
Posts: 2801
Joined: Mon May 27, 2019 4:02 am

Re: downtown airport news

Post by langosta »

Cratedigger wrote: Thu Dec 05, 2024 9:21 am Council considering today changing the name of Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport to the Kansas City Downtown Airport – Wheeler Field
It’s a more logical name for the airports national/international audience and it also prevents someone else from taking it (which is a concern).
dukuboy1
Alameda Tower
Alameda Tower
Posts: 1446
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2020 12:02 pm

Re: downtown airport news

Post by dukuboy1 »

read the article in KCBJ. Makes sense from a logistical standpoint to keep it consistent with the other airports in the Metro and their name structure. It also appears to follow a similar path with other cities on how they name things, which makes it easier for pilots, travelers, etc.
User avatar
KCPowercat
Ambassador
Posts: 34843
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2002 12:49 pm
Location: Quality Hill
Contact:

Re: downtown airport news

Post by KCPowercat »

I was in the same city as the Royals once who were flying out the same day, it was so weird to see "downtown kansas city airport" on the departure list for their charter. I was actually surprised they listed charters on their departure board.
User avatar
GRID
City Hall
City Hall
Posts: 17762
Joined: Mon Sep 15, 2003 12:20 pm
Contact:

Re: downtown airport news

Post by GRID »

Yeah, I don't get the backlash here. Wheeler is still in the name. The new name give the airport a better identity.

On a side note, it's amazing how many people go to the wrong airports here in DC. Mostly between IAD and DCA but even BWI gets mixed up.
User avatar
KCPowercat
Ambassador
Posts: 34843
Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2002 12:49 pm
Location: Quality Hill
Contact:

Re: downtown airport news

Post by KCPowercat »

is there backlash?
dukuboy1
Alameda Tower
Alameda Tower
Posts: 1446
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2020 12:02 pm

Re: downtown airport news

Post by dukuboy1 »

Not sure, but there may be a little I'm sure. However they are still keeping the Wheeler name with it. Not sure if it will be officially "Charles B. Wheeler Field" or just "Wheeler Field" after the Kansas City Downtown Airport part. I guess some folks could be unhappy the Charles B. would be left off. But those are folks who most likely can't stand any type of changes anyway :P . It will still have Wheeler's name to honor his legacy to the city.

I'm surprised they don't call it Howard Hughes Field since this was the birthplace of TWA
User avatar
FangKC
City Hall
City Hall
Posts: 19008
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 10:02 pm
Location: Old Northeast -- Indian Mound

Re: downtown airport news

Post by FangKC »

Spotter, an online magazine devoted to aviation, is reporting that the "Connie"--a prized exhibit--owned by the Kansas City Airline History Museum has been sold to actor John Travolta. The Super Constellation N6937C has been a favorite of local airline buffs as it was rescued and restored for the museum.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=11 ... 4650955443
User avatar
Highlander
City Center Square
City Center Square
Posts: 10485
Joined: Mon Jun 28, 2004 1:40 pm
Location: Houston

Re: downtown airport news

Post by Highlander »

FangKC wrote: Thu Jan 30, 2025 11:01 pm Spotter, an online magazine devoted to aviation, is reporting that the "Connie"--a prized exhibit--owned by the Kansas City Airline History Museum has been sold to actor John Travolta. The Super Constellation N6937C has been a favorite of local airline buffs as it was rescued and restored for the museum.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=11 ... 4650955443
Are the collections of museums for sale? Why would they sell there prized exhibit.
User avatar
TheLastGentleman
Hotel President
Hotel President
Posts: 3085
Joined: Tue Jun 13, 2017 9:27 pm

Re: downtown airport news

Post by TheLastGentleman »

It never reopened right? Maybe it’s being liquidated, which would be tragic
User avatar
FangKC
City Hall
City Hall
Posts: 19008
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 10:02 pm
Location: Old Northeast -- Indian Mound

Re: downtown airport news

Post by FangKC »

I'm not sure the Museum liquidated it. The airport operator locked them out of the building during the court dispute. That operator, or perhaps the court, might be liquidating the contents to empty the building for another use--or to pay back rent--which is contested in the lawsuit. I've not seen any news about the status of the court dispute lately.
Sani
New York Life
New York Life
Posts: 343
Joined: Thu Oct 19, 2006 5:22 pm
Location: Shawnee

Re: downtown airport news

Post by Sani »

Their website has the following at the top:
FAA Issues a Notice of Extension in case against the Kansas City Aviation Department
Deadline is now February 7, 2025

The Office of the Chief Counsel of the Federal Aviation Administration has issued a Notice of Extension in response to a Part 16 complaint filed by longtime aviation museum “Save-A-Connie,” dba The Airline History Museum of Kansas City. The FAA states that “additional time is necessary and appropriate for a fair and complete consideration of the matters before the agency.” The new date for a decision to be rendered is February 7th, 2025.

FAA Documentation can be found at https://www.regulations.gov/search?filter=16-24-04
Checking the docket, I don't see anything updated today, but I'll try to remember to check again next week.

It appears their Facebook page has been hacked and is now one of those AI bots sending out made-up movie posters and synopses for films that don't exist, for what it's worth.
langosta
Broadway Square
Broadway Square
Posts: 2801
Joined: Mon May 27, 2019 4:02 am

Re: downtown airport news

Post by langosta »

FangKC wrote: Thu Jan 30, 2025 11:01 pm Spotter, an online magazine devoted to aviation, is reporting that the "Connie"--a prized exhibit--owned by the Kansas City Airline History Museum has been sold to actor John Travolta. The Super Constellation N6937C has been a favorite of local airline buffs as it was rescued and restored for the museum.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=11 ... 4650955443
Travolta is a longtime friend of the Museum
Post Reply