Richard Downing Airport

Richard Downing Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerBoard of County Commissioners
ServesCoshocton, Ohio
OpenedSeptember 19, 1969 (1969-09-19)
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (-5)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (-4)
Elevation AMSL978 ft / 298 m
Coordinates40°18′33″N 081°51′12″W / 40.30917°N 81.85333°W / 40.30917; -81.85333
Map
I40
Location of airport in Ohio
I40
I40 (the United States)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
4/22 5,001 1,524 Asphalt (75 ft or 23 m wide)
Statistics (2023)
Aircraft Operations21,900
Based aircraft19
Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1]

Richard Downing Airport (FAA LID: I40) is a public use airport located three nautical miles north of Coshocton, Ohio.

The airport hosts regular airshows that feature aerobatic stunts, wing walking, and skydiving.[2]

The airport has been found to add $27 million to the local economy.[3]

History

The idea for a "Coshocton County Airport" began in 1964.[4] However, the hilly topography of the area meant that by mid June 1967 the county was at risk of losing a $100,000 grant from the state because a site had not been selected.[5] The approximately 325 acres (132 ha) of land for the airport was donated by Richard Downing, a World War I aviator and coal company executive.[6][7] The first plane to land at the airport was Governor Jim Rhodes's DC-3 on 8 July 1969 when he visited the area to survey flood damage.[8][9] The airport opened on 19 September 1969 and by mid-January the following year a hangar had been completed.[10][11] By late August, land was being cleared for a new Navion factory and a groundbreaking ceremony was held in late October.[12][13] The airport was dedicated on 12 September 1971.[7] A new access road and four unit t-hangar were completed in June and July 1972. respectively. In March 1973, the reclamation of 34.6 acres (14.0 ha) of land was in process.[14] Missionary Maintenance Services, a faith-based aircraft maintenance shop founded by James Miller, moved to the airport in late 1978.[15]

A taxiway extension was added by 1985.[16] This was followed by a proposal to extend the runway to 5,000 ft (1,500 m) in 1992 and the installation of a satellite-based weather system in 1995.[17][18]

Runway extension plans were announced in late August 2000.[19] The old terminal building was torn down by early June 2003 to make room for a taxiway.[20] A new 26,000-square-foot (2,400 m2) National Guard facility was under construction by early June 2004.[21] By early September, a new 3,300 sq ft (310 m2) terminal building was nearly complete and a project to install a perimeter fence was getting underway.[22][23] The airport announced it would receive federal funding for the runway extension in 2008.[24] The extension was completed in 2010.[3] The airport restaurant, Limburg's Patio Grill, became The Depot Patio Grill in 2013 when new owners took it over.[25] It received additional federal funding in 2015 to resurface the south parallel taxiway.[26]

The airport received a $2.1 million grant in 2021 to build a 7,040-square-foot (654 m2) multipurpose hangar to store up to three medium jets as well as to reclaim abandoned mine land near the property by filling in 6,000 feet (1,800 m) of highwall.[27][28]

Facilities and aircraft

Facilities

Richard Downing Airport has one runway, designated 4/22 with an asphalt surface measuring 5,001 by 75 feet (1,524 x 23 m).[1][29]

The airport has a fixed-base operator that offers limited services.[30] Parking includes hangars and tie-downs for visiting aircraft. Fuel service offers 100LL and Jet-A.

MMS Aviation, a non-profit organization offering maintenance to missionary services at cost, is located at the airport.[31][32]

Aircraft

Based on the 12-month period ending May 31, 2023, the airport had 21,900 aircraft operations, an average of 60 per day. This includes 88% general aviation, 11% air taxi, and <1% military.[33][34]

For the same time period, 19 aircraft are based on the field: 16 single-engine and 3 multi-engine airplanes.[33][34]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b FAA Airport Form 5010 for I40 PDF, effective 2009-07-02.
  2. ^ "Wings Over Coshocton to take flight on Sept. 21". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  3. ^ a b Hayhurst, Leonard (11 August 2013). "Upgrades to Increase Airport's Importance to Coshocton Region". Coshocton Tribune. Archived from the original on 22 August 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  4. ^ "Mens Clubs". Coshocton Tribune. 27 April 1966. p. 19. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  5. ^ "Action Needed for Airport Funds". The Commentator. 14 June 1967. p. 1. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  6. ^ "Richard Downing, 73, Coal Executive, Dies". The Plain Dealer. 7 September 1967. p. 61. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  7. ^ a b Mizer, Joe (13 September 1971). "Plaques Honoring Contributors Unveiled at Airport Dedication". Coshocton Tribune. p. 1. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  8. ^ Thompson, Ed W. (20 July 1969). "Office Portal". Coshocton Tribune. p. 4. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  9. ^ "1969 was a Busy Year for the Coshocton Area". Coshocton Tribune. 28 December 1969. pp. 8-A – 9-A. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  10. ^ "Richard Downing Airport Open to Transit Traffic". Coshocton Tribune. 20 September 1969. p. 1. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  11. ^ "Downing Airport Became Reality in Past Year". Coshocton Tribune. 18 January 1970. p. 12-C. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  12. ^ "Navioneers Visit New Plant Site". Coshocton Tribune. 30 August 1970. p. 9. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  13. ^ "Groundbreaking Launches New Era". Coshocton Tribune. 28 October 1970. p. 1. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  14. ^ "3 Major Improvements Mark Progress at Downing Airport". Coshocton Tribune. 29 April 1973. p. 1-F. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  15. ^ Guinther, Sandi (14 December 1980). "Faith Mission Supports Area Maintenance Program". Coshocton Tribune. p. 6. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  16. ^ Barstow, Jim (5 May 1985). "Airport Builds Taxiway". Coshocton Tribune. p. 5. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  17. ^ Smailes, Kenneth (29 March 1992). "Airport Expects Activity to Triple by 2000". Coshocton Tribune. p. 18C. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  18. ^ Davis, Rosa (12 March 1995). "Airport Adds Weather System". Coshocton Tribune. pp. A1, A3. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  19. ^ Edwards, Deborah (29 August 2000). "$3 Mil Runway Extension Planned". Coshocton Tribune. pp. 1A, 3A. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  20. ^ Daley, Jillian (6 June 2003). "Taxiway Construction Begins". Coshocton Tribune. p. 3A. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  21. ^ Hirsch, Andrew (1 July 2004). "1485th to Get New Home". Coshocton Tribune. p. 1A. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  22. ^ Hirsch, Andrew (8 September 2004). "A New Era for Airport". Coshocton Tribune. pp. 1A, 4A. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  23. ^ Hirsch, Andrew (3 November 2003). "Coshocton Airport to Be Safer, Bigger, Better". Coshocton Tribune. p. 1A. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  24. ^ "Project Runway: Six Hundred Feet Moves Coshocton Far Up Economic Ladder". Coshocton Tribune. 23 November 2008. pp. 1A, 4A. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  25. ^ Boateng, Valerie (11 August 2013). "Planes, Trays and Meals". Times Recorder. pp. 1B, 2B. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  26. ^ Teague Robinson, Cameron (15 July 2015). "County Airport Gets Funds for Runways". Coshocton Tribune. p. 1A. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  27. ^ "$2.1 Million Coming to Coshocton Airport". Coshocton Tribune. 10 December 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  28. ^ Holmes, Christine (7 December 2021). "ODNR Dedicates $7M to Improve Former Coal Mine Properties". Zanesville Times Recorder. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  29. ^ "Coshocton Richard Downing Airport - Visit Coshocton". 2022-11-28. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  30. ^ "Coshocton County Airport FBO Info & Fuel Prices at Richard Downing (I40)". FlightAware. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  31. ^ "About Us". MMS Aviation. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
  32. ^ Moore, Leeann (6 June 2010). "MMS Aviation Celebrates 35 Years in Business". Coshocton Tribune. pp. 1A, 8A. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  33. ^ a b "AirNav: I40 - Richard Downing Airport". www.airnav.com. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  34. ^ a b "I40 - Richard Downing Airport | SkyVector". skyvector.com. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
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