Salina Regional Airport, formerly Salina Municipal Airport, is a public airport three miles southwest of Salina, in Saline County, Kansas. The airport is owned by the Salina Airport Authority. It is used for general aviation and sees one passenger airline, subsidized by the Essential Air Service program. The Salina Regional Airport's EAS carrier was SeaPort Airlines until the company abruptly ended service on January 16th, 2016. The new EAS carrier at the airport is Great Lakes Airlines.Salina Regional Airport is the home of the Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus flight department.HistoryThe airport is on the site of the former Schilling Air Force Base (also known as Smoky Hill Air Force Base).The airport was the takeoff and landing point for the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer, flown by Steve Fossett in the first nonstop, non-refueled solo circumnavigation of the earth from February 28 to March 3, 2005. Fossett's later nonstop nonrefueled solo circumnavigation in the GlobalFlyer was also Salina to Salina, from March 14 to March 17, 2006, setting a new record for greatest distance traveled on a closed course.Facilities and aircraftSalina Regional Airport covers 2,862 acres (1,158 ha) at an elevation of 1,288 feet (393 m) above mean sea level. It has four asphalt runways: 17/35 is 12,300 by 150 feet (3,749 x 46 m); 12/30 is 6,510 by 100 feet (1,984 x 30 m); 18/36 is 4,301 by 75 feet (1,311 x 23 m); 4/22 is 3,648 by 75 feet (1,112 x 23 m).
