Greater Portsmouth Regional Airport

For the airport serving Portsmouth, New Hampshire, see Portsmouth International Airport at Pease.

Greater Portsmouth Regional Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerScioto County Airport Authority
ServesPortsmouth, Ohio
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (-5)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (-4)
Elevation AMSL663 ft / 202 m
Coordinates38°50′26″N 82°50′50″W / 38.84056°N 82.84722°W / 38.84056; -82.84722
Map
PMH
PMH
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
18/36 5,001 1,524 Asphalt
Statistics (2023)
Aircraft operations45,625
Based aircraft30
Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1]

Greater Portsmouth Regional Airport (IATA: PMH, ICAO: KPMH, FAA LID: PMH) (Scioto County Airport) is on State Route 335 in Minford, Ohio, 12 miles northeast of Portsmouth, in Scioto County, Ohio. It is owned by the Scioto County Airport Authority.[1] The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 categorized it as a general aviation facility.[2]

History

In 1954, a $400,000 federal grant had been authorized for the construction of an airport in Scioto County.[3] A bid for construction of the Scioto County Airport was approved in early July 1955.[4]

The airport opened on June 27, 1957.[5] The previous airport was Raven Rock Field, near the Ohio River at 38°42′54″N 83°03′07″W / 38.715°N 83.052°W / 38.715; -83.052 a grass field with a 2,200-foot (670 m) run.

Lake Central Airlines served the airport from its opening until it merged into Allegheny Airlines in 1968;[5] Allegheny pulled out in 1971.[6] The airport has had no airline service since.[5] Tyme Airlines of Columbus provided scheduled service in 1968.[7] Cleveland based Wright Airlines served Portsmouth for a short time in the late 1960s.[8]

Service on the three airlines in the 1960s are as follows. Lake Central used Douglas DC-3 & Nord 262 aircraft to Cincinnati.[9] After merging with Allegheny, the aircraft was upgraded to Convair 580 prop jets that flew to both Cincinnati and Parkersburg, WV. Tyme Airlines flew small Piper Aztec equipment to both Columbus and Huntington, WV. The fourth airline, Wright Airlines, used Beech 18 aircraft and also served the Columbus and Huntington WV airports.

The airport manager, Ralph Kilpatrick, was killed in a plane crash in August 1975.[10]

A federal grant to purchase 12 acres (4.9 ha) of land to extend the runway was approved in 1984.[11]

By February 2020, plans had been announced for the Southern Ohio Aeronautical Regional (SOAR) Airport Business Park.[12] It received a grant from the state in August 2023 to construct a building for Minford Ambulance at the site.[13]

Facilities and aircraft

The airport covers 246 acres (100 ha) at an elevation of 663 feet (202 m). Its one runway, 18/36, measures 5,001 by 100 feet (1,524 x 30 m) asphalt.[1]

The airport has a fixed-base operator that offers fuel services along with a small snack bar, a restaurant,[14] a couple of hangars, mechanics, and a pilot snooze room.[15]

In the year ending July 26, 2023, the airport had 45,625 aircraft operations, an average of 125 per day. It was 99% general aviation, <1% air taxi, and <1% military. For the same time period, 24 aircraft were based at the airport: 23 single-engine airplanes and 1 helicopter.[1][16]

The airport commission is planning to upgrade the airport soon with an AWOS weather system, PAPI lighting, and an extension of the taxiway to the north end of the runway.

Accidents and incidents

  • On 24 July 1994, a Piper Cherokee crashed while taking off from the airport, killing the pilot and four passengers and injuring a passenger.[17]
  • On 23 July 1996, a homebuilt airplane crashed at the airport, injuring the pilot.[18]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d FAA Airport Form 5010 for PMH PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. effective November 15, 2012.
  2. ^ "Appendix A: List of NPIAS Airports with 5-Year Forecast Activity and Development Cost". National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) Reports. Federal Aviation Administration. October 4, 2010. Archived from the original on 2012-10-27.
  3. ^ "$400,000 Set Aside for Airport at Portsmouth". Chillicothe Gazette. AP. 6 August 1954. p. 1. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  4. ^ "Early Start on Scioto Airport Seen". Chillicothe Gazette. 8 July 1955. p. 1. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  5. ^ a b c Hart, Kenneth (September 14, 1999). "Minford Selected for Site of Airport June 29, 1957 - Airport Opened for Service". Portsmouth Daily Times. p. 14. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  6. ^ "Airline to end Portsmouth service". Associated Press. Chillicothe Gazette. June 29, 1971. p. 3. Retrieved November 30, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Tyme timetable Feb. 28, 1968
  8. ^ http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/fw6807.htm Wright Airlines timetable 7/29/1968
  9. ^ "Portsmouth Stop Ruled Unnecessary". Cincinnati Post and Times Star. UPI. 14 July 1965. p. 12. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  10. ^ "Plane Crashes; Runs Out of Gas". Lancaster Eagle-Gazette. AP. 28 August 1975. p. 21. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  11. ^ "Portsmouth to Get Federal Grant". Cincinnati Post. 1 May 1984. p. 12C. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  12. ^ Mackley, Cyn (25 February 2025). "SOAR Business Park Will Be Worth the Wait". Scioto County Daily News. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  13. ^ McNelly, Lori (30 August 2023). "State Awards $2M for Minford Ambulance Move to SOAR". Portsmouth Daily Times. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  14. ^ "Greater Portsmouth Regional Airport". old.minford.k12.oh.us. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  15. ^ "PMH Aviation FBO Info & Fuel Prices at Greater Portsmouth Rgnl (KPMH)". FlightAware. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  16. ^ "AirNav: KPMH - Greater Portsmouth Regional Airport". www.airnav.com. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  17. ^ "One Walks Away, 5 Die in S. Ohio Airplane Crash". The Plain Dealer. 25 July 1994. p. 5-B. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  18. ^ "Portsmouth Pilot Hurt in Crash". Galion Inquirer. AP. 24 July 1996. p. 3. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
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