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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Eau Claire Regional Airport
Chippewa Valley Regional Airport (IATA: EAU, ICAO: KEAU, FAA LID: EAU) is a public use airport in Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States. The airport is owned by Eau Claire county and is located 3 nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) north of the central business district of the city of Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

It is the largest airport in the 30-county northern Wisconsin area and serves primarily the Chippewa Valley region, operating on a budget approved by a commission equally representing the interests of Chippewa, Dunn and Eau Claire counties.

The airport is mainly used for general aviation and business travel; the Eau Claire-based Menards corporation uses CVRA to base their fleet of aircraft to serve their stores throughout the Midwest. It is occasionally used as an alternative landing site for flights bound for Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport. As of December 2022, only one commercial airline, Sun Country Airlines, provides service for CVRA to Minneapolis International.

The airport is included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2023–2027, in which it is categorized as a non-hub primary commercial service facility. It is the seventh busiest of eight commercial airports in Wisconsin in terms of passengers served.

History

In 1923, 80 acres (320,000 m) of land in Putnam Heights were purchased to build an airport. In 1929, Eau Claire Airways was started at the airport, offering training and scheduled taxi service to destinations in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

In 1939, work on a new airport started north of Eau Claire. In 1940, Eau Claire County Airport started operations at its current site. Eau Claire Municipal Airport opened in 1945, while Chippewa Valley Regional Airport was officially opened in 1947 with the arrival of a Northwest Airlines DC-3. At this time, Eau Claire had three airports. Upgrades at Chippewa Valley Regional Airport were made in further decades, with a terminal addition in 1981. Another terminal remodeling and expansion was completed in 2009.

A new $3.9 million 65 feet (20 m) control tower was built in 2005 and opened in November 2006. Passenger loading used to be from the ramp until a jetbridge was installed in the spring of 2011.

In 2015, the Airport Commission Room was renamed the Duax Commission Room after long-time airport supporter and former airport commissioner David Duax.

In July 2024, the airport board voted to support the return of SkyWest Airlines despite the community's overwhelming support for keeping the incumbent carrier, Sun Country Airlines. Sun Country's bid would have continued service to four nonstop destinations from Eau Claire in contrast to SkyWest's one city, Chicago. Sun Country posted the highest number of enplanements seen at the airport in the last 15 years in 2023.

SkyWest previously served the airport as an Essential Air Service provider until November 2022, before choosing to leave the market. If the Essential Air Service bid is approved by the Department of Transportation, SkyWest service would resume with flights to O'hare International Airport on or around December 1, 2024.

Facilities and aircraft

Chippewa Valley Regional Airport covers an area of 1,100 acres (450 ha) at an elevation of 913 feet (278 m) above mean sea level. It has two runways: the primary runway 4/22 is 8,101 by 150 feet (2,469 x 46 m) with a concrete surface and the crosswind runway 14/32 is 5,000 by 100 feet (1,524 x 30 m) with an asphalt/concrete surface.

For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2022, the airport had 18,897 aircraft operations, an average of 52 per day: 88% general aviation, 10% air taxi, 2% military and less than 1% scheduled commercial. In August 2024, there were 91 aircraft based at this airport: 63 single-engine, 10 multi-engine, 15 jet, 2 helicopter and 1 military.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

On behalf of United Airlines, SkyWest operated 1-2 daily flights to Chicago-O'Hare until 2022. On March 10, 2022, SkyWest announced its intention to end its service into EAU. After the announcement, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation began seeking bids for a new carrier to provide service. Three airlines submitted bids to provide service to the regional airport: Boutique Air, Southern Airways Express, and Sun Country Airlines.

After an endorsement from the airport, as well as a recommendation from the airport commission, the United States Department of Transportation selected Sun Country Airlines to provide service to EAU.

AirlinesDestinations
Sun Country Airlines Minneapolis/St. Paul (ends December 12, 2024)
Seasonal: Fort Myers, Las Vegas, Orlando
United Express Chicago–O'Hare (begins December 13, 2024)

Throughout the years, numerous airlines have served Eau Claire including North Central Airlines, Republic Airlines (1979-1986), Lakeland Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Mesaba Airlines, Skyway Airlines, Air Wisconsin, American Central Airlines, Great Lakes Aviation, Big Sky Airlines and charter airlines. Allegiant Airlines and Sun Country Airlines often run charter service to popular destinations.

Sun Country Boeing 737-800 in the newest livery

Statistics

Carrier shares (August 2023 – July 2024)
Carrier   Passengers (arriving and departing)
Sun Country
47,830(100.00%)
Top domestic destinations (August 2023 – July 2024)
Rank Airport Passengers Airline
1 Minneapolis−Saint Paul International (MSP) 7,900 Sun Country
2 Fort Myers Southwest Florida International (RSW) 7,810 Sun Country
3 Las Vegas International (LAS) 4,810 Sun Country
4 Orlando International (MCO) 3,450 Sun Country

Ground transportation

Public transit to the airport is provided by Eau Claire Transit. Route 3 runs from the Airport to downtown Eau Claire on weekdays. On Saturdays, Route 3/4 stops on Starr Avenue outside the airport, while no service to the airport is provided on Sundays.

Accidents and incidents

  • On April 11, 2015, a Quad City Challenger II crashed just south of Eau Claire while operating at the Rosenbaum Field Airport (3WI9). The pilot was fatally injured. The aircraft entered a steep dive while in a downwind at 3WI9.

See also

References

  1. ^ FAA Airport Form 5010 for EAU PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. effective August 8, 2024.
  2. ^ "IATA Airport Code Search (EAU: Eau Claire)". International Air Transport Association. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
  3. ^ "NPIAS Report 2023-2027 Appendix A" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. October 6, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  4. ^ "Chippewa Valley Regional Airport - History". Archived from the original on March 21, 2007. Retrieved March 29, 2007.
  5. ^ "Tower Struggle". Leader-Telegram. March 5, 2006. p. 1A.
  6. ^ 90-Day Notice of SkyWest Airlines, Inc.'s Intent to Terminate Essential Air Service (PDF) (Report). US Department of Transportation. March 9, 2022. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
  7. ^ Blough, Maria (May 17, 2022). "Three airlines submit bids to serve Chippewa Valley Regional Airport". weau.com. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  8. ^ "News for Airlines, Airports and the Aviation Industry | CAPA". centreforaviation.com. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  9. ^ WEAU Staff (May 20, 2022). "Commission recommending Sun Country Airlines to serve Chippewa Valley Regional Airport". weau.com. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  10. ^ "Sun Country gets OK to serve Eau Claire airport". Leader-Telegram. July 14, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  11. ^ https://www.wqow.com/eye-on-eau-claire/us-dot-chooses-skywest-to-service-chippewa-valley-regional-airport/article_3748b128-7072-11ef-954f-6bf57a7fa599.html
  12. ^ https://www.regulations.gov/document/DOT-OST-2009-0306-0076
  13. ^ https://www.wqow.com/eye-on-eau-claire/us-dot-chooses-skywest-to-service-chippewa-valley-regional-airport/article_3748b128-7072-11ef-954f-6bf57a7fa599.html
  14. ^ https://www.regulations.gov/document/DOT-OST-2009-0306-0076
  15. ^ "Eau Claire, WI: Chippewa Valley Regional (EAU)". Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), U.S. Department of Transportation. July 2024. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  16. ^ "3 - North High". Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  17. ^ "Quad City Challenger II, N30796: Fatal accident occurred April 11, 2015 near Rosenbaum Field Airport (3WI9), Chippewa County, Wisconsin". Kathryn's Report. Retrieved November 9, 2022.

Other sources

  • Essential Air Service documents (Docket OST-2009-0160) from the U.S. Department of Transportation:
    • Order 2012-1-24 (January 26, 2012): tentatively re-selecting SkyWest Airlines, Inc. to provide Essential Air Service (EAS) with subsidy rates as follows: Eau Claire, Wisconsin, $1,733,576; Hancock/Houghton, Michigan, $934,156; Muskegon, Michigan, $1,576,067; and Paducah, Kentucky, $1,710,775.
    • Order 2012-2-2 (February 1, 2012): makes final the selection of SkyWest Airlines, Inc., to provide Essential Air Service at Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Hancock/Houghton, Michigan; and Paducah, Kentucky (at Muskegon, the selection of SkyWest was not finalize at this time).
    • Order 2013-10-8 (October 21, 2013): reselecting Delta Air Lines, Inc., to provide Essential Air Service (EAS) at Pellston and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; and SkyWest Airlines, at Paducah, Kentucky; Hancock/Houghton, and Muskegon, Michigan; and Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The Order also tentatively reselects American Airlines, at Watertown, New York. Eau Claire, Wisconsin: Docket 2009-0306; effective Period: January 1, 2014, through January 31, 2016; Service: Fourteen (14) nonstop round trips per week to Chicago O'Hare (ORD); Aircraft Type: CRJ-200; Annual Subsidy: $1,546,536.


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