Middle Bass Island Airport

41°41′19″N 82°48′31″W / 41.68866°N 82.80863°W / 41.68866; -82.80863

Middle Bass Island Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerPut-in-Bay Township Port Authority
LocationMiddle Bass Island, Ohio
Built2000
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (-5)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (-4)
Elevation AMSL579 ft / 176 m
Map
3T7 is located in Ohio
3T7
3T7
Location of airport in Ohio
3T7 is located in the United States
3T7
3T7
3T7 (the United States)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
10/28 1,852 564 Asphalt
Statistics (2021)
Aircraft operations6,500

Middle Bass Island Airport (FAA LID: 3T7) is a public airport located on Middle Bass Island in Ottawa County, Ohio, United States. It is owned by the Put-in-Bay Township Port Authority.[1]

History[edit]

The airport opened in the early 2000s but was faced with years of construction delays before becoming operational.[2] The airport is considered a vital lifeline for island residents, who use airplanes to access mainland Ohio as well as surrounding islands.[3]

The airport received a $22,000 grant in 2021 to provide economic relief funds for costs related to operations, personnel, cleaning, sanitization, janitorial services, debt service payments, and combating the spread of pathogens.[4]

Airlines and destinations[edit]

AirlinesDestinations
Griffing Flying Service Charter: Kelleys Island, North Bass, Pelee Island, Put-in-Bay, Rattlesnake Island[5]

Facilities and aircraft[edit]

Facilities[edit]

Middle Bass Island Airport has one asphalt paved runway (10/28) measuring 1,852 x 75 ft. (564 x 23 m).

The airport does not have a fixed-base operator, nor does it have any fuel available.[6]

In 2021, $3 million were allocated to upgrade facilities both at Middle Bass Island and South Bass Island. Middle Bass Island received funds to rehabilitate a general aviation apron, its runway, and a taxiway.[2][7]

The airport got another $100,000 in funding in 2023.[8]

Aircraft[edit]

For the 12-month period ending August 27, 2021, the airport had 6,500 aircraft operations, an average of 125 per week: 62% air taxi and 39% general aviation. For the same time period, four aircraft were based at the airport, all single-engine airplanes.[1]

Facilities and aircraft[edit]

  • On July 10, 2004, a Griffing Flying Service aircraft experienced a bird strike while flying from Put-in-Bay to Middle Bass Island. The pilot was bloodied in the incident and received medical attention upon landing at Middle Bass.[9]
  • On December 27, 2012, a Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six was damaged while landing at Middle Bass Island Airport. The airplane touched down short of the runway threshold during landing. When the airplane's landing gear contacted the edge of the paved runway, the right main landing gear separated from the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right main wing spar. The probable cause of the accident was found to be the pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point during landing, which resulted in impact with the edge of the runway surface.[10]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c FAA Airport Form 5010 for 3T7 PDF, effective 2023-11-30
  2. ^ a b "Grants awarded for airport construction". sanduskyregister.com. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  3. ^ "Islanders Worry Airstrip Delays Could Isolate Them". Cleveland19. 2002-06-25. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  4. ^ "Lake Erie Island airports get $66,000 in grants - The Beacon". www.thebeacon.net. 2021-08-18. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  5. ^ "Daily Charter Service to the Lake Erie Islands | Griffing Flying Service". flygriffing.com. 2023-03-10. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  6. ^ "Middle Bass Island Airport Overview and FBOs (Middle Bass Island, OH) [3T7]". FlightAware. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  7. ^ "Kaptur Applauds $3.5 Million Federal Award for Erie, Ottawa County Airports | Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur". kaptur.house.gov. 2021-08-24. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  8. ^ "Local airports receive $746,000 in Airport Infrastructure Grant funds". The News-Messenger. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  9. ^ Bardwell, Brian (2004-07-10). "Passenger helps keep plane in air". Morning Journal. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  10. ^ "Piper PA-32-301 crash in Ohio (N428S) | PlaneCrashMap.com". planecrashmap.com. Retrieved 2024-01-19.

External links[edit]