Willow Run Airport

Infobox Airport
name = Willow Run Airport (YIP)
nativename =
nativename-a =
nativename-r =


image-width =
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IATA = YIP
ICAO = KYIP
type = Public
owner =
operator = Wayne County Airport Authority
city-served =
location = Ypsilanti, Michigan
elevation-f = 716
elevation-m = 218
coordinates = Coord|42|14|16.539|N|83|31|49.472|W|type:airport|display=inline,title
website =
metric-elev =
metric-rwy =
r1-number = 5L/23R
r1-length-f = 6,653
r1-length-m = 2,028
r1-surface = Paved
r2-number = 5R/23L
r2-length-f = 7,526
r2-length-m = 2,294
r2-surface = Paved
r3-number = 9L/27R
r3-length-f = 7,293
r3-length-m = 2,223
r3-surface = Paved
r4-number = 14/32
r4-length-f = 6,912
r4-length-m = 2,107
r4-surface = Paved
r5-number = 9R/27L
r5-length-f = 6,511
r5-length-m = 1,984
r5-surface = Paved
stat-year =
stat1-header =
stat1-data =
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footnotes =

Willow Run Airport airport codes|YIP|KYIP is an airport located in Van Buren Charter Township near Ypsilanti, Michigan, that serves freight, corporate, and general aviation clients. No commercial passenger services are available at the airport. The airport has five runways, a continuously staffed FAA control tower, and US Customs operations. Willow Run Airport is one of two facilities operated by Wayne County Airport Authority, the other being Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, which replaced Willow Run as the major commercial airport for the region in the late 1960s. Major worldwide cargo airline Kalitta Air is based at Willow Run Airport.

History

Willow Run Airport was built during World War II along with the Willow Run plant, where the Ford Motor Company produced B-24 bombers for the US Government. Bomber production ceased at the plant after the war, and it was converted into a passenger terminal. Commercial passenger traffic was moved from Detroit City Airport, making Willow Run Detroit's primary airport.

In 1946 Warren Avis founded Avis Airlines Rent a Car Systems at Willow Run Airport. It was the first rental car operation at an airport location.

The Federal Government sold the airport to the University of Michigan in 1947 for $1.00. Terms of the sale required that the university operate the airport as a research facility, and the Michigan Aeronautical Research Center (later renamed Willow Run Research Center) was founded. For a time, the university housed part of its student population in the apartments previously used by plant workers.

In 1956, there were seven commercial passenger carriers operating out of Willow Run. Commercial service began to shift to the nearby Detroit Metro Airport during the late 1950s, and by 1967 it had ceased altogether.

In 1977, the University of Michigan sold the airport to Wayne County for $1.00.

The Yankee Air Museum opened on the airport grounds in 1981. A fire in October of 2004 destroyed the museums building and most of its artifacts. The static display aircraft like the B-52 and other aircraft that were too large to be on display inside the hangar were undamaged. In 2005 the museum moved to the other side of the airport where they are rebuilding their displays and gathering more WWII memorabilia.

ee also

*Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
* Michigan World War II Army Airfields
* Eastern Air Defense Force (Air Defense Command)
* 30th Air Division (United States)

References

*cite web | title=Rad Lab History | url=http://www.eecs.umich.edu/RADLAB/html/LABHISTORY.html | accessmonthday=July 17 | accessyear=2005 |
*cite web | author=Olivia Murray | title=Once Upon a Time in Willow Run | work=Michigan Today | url=http://www.umich.edu/~newsinfo/MT/94/Oct94/mt8o94.html| accessmonthday=July 17
accessyear=2005|

External links

* [http://www.willowrunairport.com Willow Run Airport]