The six general aviation airports operated by the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) in Minneapolis-St. Paul reported a total of 342,136 aircraft operations in 2022.
While total operations for all six GA airports were down about 3% compared to the 352,195 total operations in 2021, three of the airports — St. Paul Downtown Airport (KSTP), Crystal Airport (KMIC) in northwest Minneapolis and Airlake Airport (KLVN) in Lakeville — saw increases in their operations, according to MAC officials.
KSTP, the MAC’s primary business-focused general aviation airport, logged 41,592 operations for a 4.9% increase over 2021.
Flying Cloud Airport (KFCM) in Eden Prairie, the busiest reliever airport in the MAC system, had 122,281 total operations, a decline of 7% over 131,593 in 2021, which saw a surge in operations.
In 2021, MAC officials noted that “corporations began flying their business jets more often and the demand for flight training programs at our reliever airports has been off the charts.”
Meanwhile, operations at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (KMSP), grew 24% in 2022, with 310,235 total operations as the effects of the pandemic on commercial air travel diminished.
“General aviation activity in the Twin Cities has grown through the pandemic — even when commercial passenger travel dipped. Operations at our reliever airports last year was 7% greater than in 2019,” said Brian Ryks, CEO of the MAC. “We are continuing to invest in the MAC’s reliever system to meet projected demand and support our flying community and the many aviation businesses that operate at our airports.”
“There is significant momentum at our reliever airports with our commercial partners — flight training schools, charter operators, maintenance companies fixed-base operators and avionics firms — all reporting they are busier than ever,” added Joe Harris, director of reliever airports for the MAC. “The demand we are seeing at our relievers includes waitlists for flight training and aircraft maintenance activity, both of which are already scheduling out to late 2023.”
In the past five years, MAC has invested more than $50 million in its GA airports.
One of the latest projects was the completion of a new 3,500-foot runway at Lake Elmo Airport (21D), which opened to air traffic in July 2022. It is 650 feet longer than the previous runway, which will be converted to a taxiway later this year, according to MAC officials. Improved instrument approaches will also be implemented this year at Lake Elmo as part of the multi-year project to improve airfield infrastructure and provide safer operations, officials noted.
MAC’s GA airports generate an estimated $756 million annually for the area economy. They also support more than 3,600 jobs and house nearly 1,300 aircraft in 850 hangars.