Bethel Airport

For other uses, see Bethel Airport (disambiguation).
Bethel Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerState of Alaska DOT&PF - Central Region
ServesBethel, Alaska
Hub forPassenger
Elevation AMSL129 ft / 39 m
Coordinates60°46′43″N 161°50′14″W / 60.77861°N 161.83722°W / 60.77861; -161.83722
Map
BET is located in Alaska
BET
BET
Location of airport in Alaska
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
1L/19R 6,400 1,951 Asphalt
1R/19L 4,000 1,219 Asphalt
12/30 1,858 566 Asphalt/gravel
Statistics (2018)
Aircraft operations122,000
Based aircraft112
Passengers290,000
Freight63,815,000 lbs

Bethel Airport (IATA: BET, ICAO: PABE, FAA LID: BET) is a state-owned public-use airport located three nautical miles (6 km) southwest of the central business district of Bethel, a city in the Bethel Census Area of the U.S. state of Alaska.[1]

As per Federal Aviation Administration records, the airport had 140,291 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2008,[2] 134,848 enplanements in 2009, and 144,353 in 2010.[3] It is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorized it as a primary commercial service airport (more than 10,000 enplanements per year).[4]

History

Construction began September 21, 1941, and the airfield was activated July 4, 1942; it was known as Bethel Air Base. It was used by Air Transport Command as auxiliary airfield for Lend-Lease aircraft being flown to Siberia. The facility was transferred to Eleventh Air Force, then to Alaskan Air Command in 1945; it became the joint-use Bethel Airport. It was used for construction of AC&W Bethel Air Force Station in the mid-1950s. Full jurisdiction was turned over to Alaska Government in 1958.[5]

Facilities and aircraft

Bethel Airport covers an area of 1,056 acres (427 ha) at an elevation of 129 feet (39 m) above mean sea level. It has three runways: 1L/19R is 6,400 by 150 feet (1,951 by 46 m) with an asphalt surface; 1R/19L is 4,000 by 75 feet (1,219 by 23 m) with an asphalt surface; 12/30 is 1,858 by 75 feet (566 by 23 m) with an asphalt/gravel surface.[1]

For the 12-month period ending March 31, 2018, the airport had 122,000 aircraft operations, an average of 334 per day: 54% air taxi, 41% general aviation, 4% scheduled commercial, and 1% military. At that time there were 112 aircraft based at this airport: 86% single-engine, 6% multi-engine, 6% helicopter, and 2% military.[1]

Airlines and destinations

The following airlines offer scheduled passenger service:

AirlinesDestinations
Alaska Airlines Anchorage
Grant Aviation Alakanuk, Atmautluak, Chefornak, Chevak, Dillingham, Eek, Emmonak, Hooper Bay, Kasigluk, Kipnuk, Kongiganak, Kotlik, Kwigillingok, Marshall, Mekoryuk, Mountain Village, Newtok, Nightmute, Nunam Iqua, Nunapitchuk, Pilot Station, Quinhagak, Scammon Bay, St. Mary's, Toksook Bay, Tuntutuliak, Tununak[6]
Ryan Air Aniak, Atmautluak, Chevak, Hooper Bay, Marshall, Mekoryuk, Scammon Bay, St. Mary's, Toksook Bay, Tununak[7]
Yute Commuter Service Akiachak, Akiak, Atmautluak, Chefornak, Eek, Goodnews Bay, Kasigluk, Kipnuk, Kongiganak, Kwethluk, Kwigillingok, Marshall, Mountain Village, Napakiak, Napaskiak, Newtok, Nightmute, Nunapitchuk, Pilot Station, Platinum, Quinhagak, Russian Mission, St. Mary's, Toksook Bay, Tuluksak, Tuntutuliak, Tununak[8]

Prior to its bankruptcy and cessation of all operations, Ravn Alaska served the airport from multiple locations.

Statistics

Statistics

Top airlines at BET (November 2021 - October 2022)[9]
Rank Airline Passengers Percent of market share
1 Alaska Airlines 144,000 52.95%
2 Grant Aviation 91,150 33.65%
3 Yute Commuter Service 34,680 12.75%
4 Ryan Air 1,740 0.64%
5 Northern Airlines 20 0.01%
Top domestic destinations (November 2021 - October 2022)[9]

Top destinations
Rank City Airport Passengers Carriers
1 Anchorage, AK Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport 72,000 Alaska
2 Emmonak, AK Emmonak Airport 4,720 Grant
3 Quinhagak, AK Quinhagak Airport 4,120 Grant, Yute
4 Chevak, AK Chevak Airport 4,100 Grant, Ryan
5 Kipnuk, AK Kipnuk Airport 3,660 Grant, Yute
6 Hooper Bay, AK Hooper Bay Airport 3,510 Grant, Ryan
7 Toksook Bay, AK Toksook Bay Airport 2,830 Grant, Ryan, Yute
8 Scammon Bay, AK Scammon Bay Airport 2,680 Grant, Ryan
9 Chefornak, AK Chefornak Airport 2,520 Grant, Yute
10 Kasigluk, AK Kasigluk Airport 2,290 Grant, Yute

Cargo airlines

Airline Destination
Alaska Central Express Anchorage
Everts Air Cargo Anchorage
Lynden Air Cargo Anchorage
Northern Air Cargo Anchorage

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d FAA Airport Form 5010 for BET PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. effective January 5, 2017.
  2. ^ "Enplanements for CY 2008" (PDF, 1.0 MB). CY 2008 Passenger Boarding and All-Cargo Data. Federal Aviation Administration. December 18, 2009.
  3. ^ "Enplanements for CY 2010" (PDF, 189 KB). CY 2010 Passenger Boarding and All-Cargo Data. Federal Aviation Administration. October 4, 2011.
  4. ^ "2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A" (PDF). National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. Federal Aviation Administration. October 4, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF, 2.03 MB) on 2012-09-27.
  5. ^ Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
  6. ^ "Destinations". (retrieved Sep 10, 2022)
  7. ^ "Passenger Schedules". Ryan Air Services. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  8. ^ "Yute Bethel Schedule". Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved Sep 12, 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Bethel, AK: Bethel (BET)". Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), U.S. Department of Transportation. August 2022. Retrieved Dec 2, 2022.