Niagara Central Airport

Niagara Central (Dorothy Rungeling) Airport Welland/Niagara Central Aerodrome
IATA: none – ICAO: none – TC LID: CNQ3
Summary
Airport type	Public
Operator	Niagara Central Airport Commission
Location	Welland, Ontario
Time zone	EST (UTC−05:00)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC−04:00)
Elevation AMSL	585 ft / 178 m
Coordinates
Website	www.centralairport.ca
Map
CNQ3 Location in Ontario
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 05/23 3,493 1,065 Asphalt 16/34 2,663 812 Asphalt
Statistics (2010)
Aircraft movements 23,341
Source: Canada Flight Supplement Movements from Statistics Canada.

Centrally located in the world-renowned Niagara Region, the Niagara Central (Dorothy Rungeling) Airport is a Registered aerodrome operated by a Commission. In July, 2012, the Niagara Central Airport came under the management of David Devine after a public RFP (request for proposal) process that began in 2011. In 2012, a new wheelchair accessible Administration Office was placed adjacent to the main hangar. Airport operations are handled through this building, which houses the manager's office, a meeting/common room, special events kitchen, patio deck, and utility rooms. The building was donated by Adrian and Hortense Verburg. In January 2015, the airport Commission, and subsequently the municipal councils, approved a process to move forward with a renaming of the airport to the Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport, in honour of the contributions Mrs. Rungeling has made to aviation in Canada. Mrs. Rungeling is a centenarian resident of Pelham. The Private Members Bill was passed unanimously at Queens Park by all parties after the third reading on June 4th, 2015.

Niagara Central Airport, or Welland/Niagara Central Aerodrome, (TC LID: CNQ3), is a registered aerodrome located 3.5 nautical miles (6.5 km; 4.0 mi) west of Welland, Ontario, Canada. The airport accommodates a skydive centre (Niagara Skydive Centre Inc.), RADAR R&D (Accipiter Radar Systems), flight school (St. Catharines Flying Club), aircraft rentals (St. Catharines Flying Club), aircraft repairs (Tarczy Aircraft), aerial photographers, and local and itinerant aircraft. The airport is also the home of the 87th Eagle Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets, who utilize a training and administration building. The Southern Ontario Gliding Centre (SOGC) of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets also utilize the airport for spring and fall familiarization flights for the cadets. COPA (Canadian Owners and Pilots Association) Flight #149 is based at Niagara Central airport, and utilizes the meeting room of the Administration Office or a private hangar for monthly meetings. COPA 149 previously used the lobby of Hangar #1 for many years. The principal anchor tenant at Niagara Central Airport is Niagara Skydive Centre Inc., Ontario’s tandem skydive specialists.

Jet-A with PRIST and 100LL fuels are available, and the airspace is covered by a Unicom (ATF). The airport had two paved runways (RW05-23 at ~3493 x 100 and RW16-34 at ~2663 x 50, surveyed in 2014 for Transport Canada by David Devine) and a currently abandoned runway. Night flights are possible with the automated triple-intensity ARCAL system activated in the air by pilots. The airport is in a new development phase, subsequent to a decline prior to 2012. On the ramp are 32 slots for aircraft tie-downs, including 9 new places created in the spring of 2013. There are also 5 privately owned hangars, and 2 hangars owned by the Niagara Central Airport Commission, as well as the Royal Canadian Air Cadet hall, which is the home of the renowned 87th Eagle Squadron. As of fall 2015 there are 4 approved applications for additional hangars. The recently accepted Economic Impact (November 2014) prepared by Archbold Leclerc Consulting Inc. indicates the airport does now make a very positive financial contribution to the region - currently a conservatively estimated $4.5 million per year, and this is projected to rise to over $8 million by 2019. A nested-T hangar is slated for construction in late spring, 2016, providing 8 additional private inside hangars. Recognizing the importance of the airport, in 2015 the Federal Conservative Government granted up to $100,000.00 for infrastructure repairs.

The Niagara Central Airport began its life during the early years of the Second World War, and assisted with the training of R.C.A.F. pilots. For many years after the war, the "Welland Airport" trained private pilots and became the home to recreational and commercial fliers and flight training. In 1976, The Welland - Port Colborne Airport Act set the airport in a new direction. Years later, in 2001, Royal Assent was received which changed the name of the airport to The Niagara Central Airport, and established the current configuration of the Airport Commission.

The runways at the airport follow the classic British triangle layout. One runway, 11 - 29, has since been abandoned as a result of disrepair, but is still clearly visible from the air. Gliders have frequently use both the hard surface and the turf adjacent to this runway when winds were favourable. Police services and research organizations have also used the abandoned runway for various activities. While the possibility of rehabilitating this runway remains, it is more conceivable that the runway could be brought back to life as a turf runway. The airport is an important transportation asset for the Niagara Region, and has increased in its prominence for attracting tourists. In addition to Niagara Skydive, there are 5 golf courses within a five- to ten-minute drive of the airport. The area also hosts casinos, fine dining, world-class wineries, eco-tours, the Bruce Trail, Canal Days, Rose Festival, Marshville Heritage Festival, and Niagara Falls and its many attractions.

The airport is unique in being the only airport with seaplane access via the Welland River, between Orillia and Niagara/New York State. South of the airport is a CN rail-yard, with the potential for a mid-peninsula corridor-highway immediately south of that. Coupled with the future growth potential within the Niagara Region's "Grow South" mandate, the 416 acres of The Niagara Central Airport are now recognized as having enormous economic potential. As a community resource, airport lands are put to the best use possible, including the farming of arable lands. In 2013 and 2014, as part of a general lands improvement project, River Bend Farms did extensive tile draining of farmed lands. This provided a mutually beneficial situation, wherein the farm can realize a significant increase in crop productivity, and the airport has its drainage system enhanced.

See alsoSt. Catharines/Niagara District Airport Niagara Falls/Niagara South Airport References1.Jump up ^ Canada Flight Supplement. Effective 0901Z 24 July 2014 to 0901Z 18 September 2014 2.Jump up ^ Total aircraft movements by class of operation 3.Jump up ^ http://www.inportnews.ca/2012/07/03/flight-school-shot-down 4.Jump up ^ http://www.amco.on.ca/uploads/6/3/9/8/6398028/niagara_central_airport_commissionrfprequestairportmanagementandoperationsaug11.pdf

See alsoSt. Catharines/Niagara District Airport Niagara Falls/Niagara South Airport References1 1.Jump up ^ Canada Flight Supplement. Effective 0901Z 24 July 2014 to 0901Z 18 September 2014 2.Jump up ^ Total aircraft movements by class of operation 3.Jump up ^ http://www.amco.on.ca/uploads/6/3/9/8/6398028 4.Jump up ^ http://www.wellandtribune.ca/2010/03/03/group-wants-a-separate-governing-airport-authority 5.Jump up ^ http://www.centralairport.ca/about-copa-149.html

See also

• St. Catharines/Niagara District Airport
• Niagara Falls/Niagara South Airport

External links

• Page about this airport on COPA's Places to Fly airport directory