Henry E. Rohlsen Airport Explained

Henry E. Rohlsen Airport
Iata:STX
Icao:TISX
Faa:STX
Type:Public
Owner:Virgin Islands Port Authority
City-Served:St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands
Coordinates:17.7044°N -64.8017°W
Image Mapsize:175
Image Map Caption:FAA airport diagram
Mapframe:yes
Elevation-F:74
R1-Number:10/28
R1-Length-F:10,004
R1-Surface:Asphalt
Stat-Year:2023
Stat1-Header:Total Passengers
Stat1-Data:472,000
Stat2-Header:Aircraft movements
Stat2-Data:25,807
Stat3-Header:Based Aircraft
Stat3-Data:37
Footnotes:Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1]

Henry E. Rohlsen Airport is a public airport six miles (10 km) southwest of Christiansted on the island of St. Croix in the United States Virgin Islands. The airport is named after Henry E. Rohlsen, a St. Croix native who was one of the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II.

The airport, which was a hub for Aero Virgin Islands in the 1970s and 1980s, can receive jets up to the size of the Boeing 747s. Before 1996 the airport was known as Alexander Hamilton International Airport.[2]

History

During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces Sixth Air Force stationed the 12th Bombardment Squadron (25th Bombardment Group) at the airport for antisubmarine patrols flying B-18 Bolo aircraft from November 8, 1941, to November 10, 1942. During the time the military operated the airport, it was called Benedict Airfield. When the airport was transferred to civilian control, it was renamed to honor former St. Croix resident Alexander Hamilton.

Several airlines have operated scheduled passenger jet service to St. Croix in the past, including Air Florida with Douglas DC-9-10s, Caribair with McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30s, Continental Airlines with Boeing 727-200s, Eastern Airlines with Boeing 727-100s, 727-200s and 757-200s, Midway Airlines with Boeing 737-200s, Pan Am with Boeing 727-200s as well as wide-body Airbus A300B4s,[3] and Trans Caribbean Airways with Boeing 727-200s.[4] American Airlines has served St. Croix for many years. In 1974, American served the airport with Boeing 707 and Boeing 727-100 jetliners with nonstop flights to New York City.[5] In 1994, American operated Airbus A300-600R wide-body jets into St. Croix with nonstop service to Miami.[6] A Boeing 747 carrying relief supplies during the aftermath of Hurricane Marilyn landed at the airport in 1995. Satellite imagery shows the presence of C-17 and C-130 military transports in 2006 and 2015.

On November 11, 2018, the world's second-largest cargo airplane, the Antonov An-124, landed on St. Croix to deliver building supplies for houses as part of the hurricane recovery.[7]

Facilities and aircraft

Henry E. Rohlsen Airport covers an area of 1455acres, which contains one asphalt-paved runway (10/28) measuring 10004x. For the 12-month period ending September 30, 2013, the airport had 36,287 aircraft operations, an average of 99 per day: 68% air taxi, 25% general aviation, 6% scheduled commercial and 1% military. In the same period, 36 aircraft were based at this airport, including 11 single-engine, 15 multi-engine, 5 jets, four military aircraft and one helicopter.

Terminal modernization and expansion project

In August 2018, the Virgin Islands Port Authority (VIPA) held a charrette to announce and discuss the terminal's expansion and renovation.[8] [9] [10] [11] [12] On March 14, 2019, the VIPA announced that bidding for phase one of the upgrade project would be in September.[13] [14] The renovation was expected to be complete within a year.[15]

VIPA had begun the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport Terminal Expansion and Modernization Project as of September 2020. The improvements to the terminal will be completed in four phases over a six-year period.

Phase one entails enclosing 5,500 square feet of walkway space to increase the lounge's seating capacity, refurbishing the existing passenger lounge space and restrooms, enclosing the 1,100-square-foot open-air gardens with a new roof structure to provide additional concessions space, and upgrading the mechanical systems for the additional air-conditioned area.

Phase one is estimated to cost $8.6 million and was funded by a $7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration in 2019 with a local match of $1.6 million from the VI Port Authority. The construction was anticipated to take 18 months and end in March 2022, but was ahead of schedule and ended on December 21, 2021.[16]

Phases two through four include the addition of a second level to accommodate jet bridges, additional hold room, concession and retail space, improvement of passenger flow and baggage handling in the terminal; redesign, expansion, and modernization of the interior of the terminal to make the best use of the existing floor plan; the addition of tropical landscaping; and changes to improve the flow of vehicular traffic. Expanding the terminal will allow St. Croix to take full advantage of its 10,000-foot runway.

While Phase 1 of the HERA Terminal Expansion is fully funded, VIPA is actively seeking funding sources for Phases 2 through 4. The project is estimated to cost $140 million.[17]

Airlines and destinations

Cargo

Statistics

Top destinations

Busiest Domestic Routes from STX (March 2023 – February 2024)[18]
RankAirportPassengersCarriers
1 Miami, Florida95,230American
2 Fort Lauderdale, Florida46,450Spirit
3 Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands45,520Cape Air, Silver, Fly The Whale
4 San Juan, Puerto Rico32,230Cape Air, Sea Flight, Silver
5 Charlotte, North Carolina16,930American
6 Atlanta, Georgia15,250Delta

Airline market share

Largest airlines at STX (March 2023 - February 2024)[19]
RankAirlinePassengersShare
1American Airlines224,00044.34%
2Spirit Airlines98,88018.61%
3Silver Airways66,22013.13%
4Fly The Whale56,78011.26%
5Delta Airlines30,5106.05%
6Other33,3306.61%

Accidents and incidents

External links

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Notes and References

  1. , effective July 5, 2007
  2. Web site: Virgin Islands Port Authority. The United States Virgin Islands' Airports and Seaports. 2018-06-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20180708061217/http://www.viport.com/airports/hera.html. July 8, 2018. dead.
  3. Web site: Pan Am A300B4-203. AirlineFan.com. October 25, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141025234713/http://www.airlinefan.com/airline-photos/3538303/Pan-Am/Airbus/A300/N211PA. October 25, 2014. live.
  4. http://www.departedflights.com, Official Airline Guides (OAGs) dated Nov. 15, 1979 and July 1, 1983; http://www.airchives.net, Caribair system timetables; http://www.timetableimages.com, July 7, 1969 Trans Caribbean Airways system timetable
  5. http://www.departedflights.com, Dec. 1, 1974 American Airlines system timetable
  6. http://www.departedflights.com, Oct. 1, 1991 Official Airline Guide (OAG), St. Croix-Miami schedules
  7. Web site: Watch: Second Largest Cargo Plane in the World Delivers Payload to St. Croix - . November 13, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181114060157/https://viconsortium.com/virgin-islands-2/watch-second-largest-cargo-plane-in-the-world-delivers-payload-to-st-croix/ . November 14, 2018 . live .
  8. Web site: Port Authority Hosting Charrette As It Unveils Plans For St. Croix Airport Redesign; Community Invited To Attend. August 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180812113803/https://viconsortium.com/virgin-islands-2/port-authority-hosting-charrette-as-it-unveils-plans-for-st-croix-airport-redesign-community-invited-to-attend/. August 12, 2018. live.
  9. Web site: VIPA Invites Public to Vision Charette to Discuss Rohlsen Airport Upgrades | St. Croix Source . August 12, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180813004251/https://stcroixsource.com/2018/08/11/vipa-invites-public-to-vision-charette-to-discuss-rohlsen-airport-upgrades/ . August 13, 2018 . dead .
  10. Web site: Henry E. Rohlsen Airport Terminal Expansion & Upgrade . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180817225607/https://viconsortium.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/HERA-Charrette-Ad-page-001.jpg . August 17, 2018 . August 17, 2018 . Virgin Islands Port Authority.
  11. Web site: St. Croix Airport Redesign Unveiled: Second Floor, Escalator, Jet Bridges, Baggage Handling Expansion And More. August 22, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180822214443/https://viconsortium.com/breaking-news/new-st-croix-airport/. August 22, 2018. live.
  12. Web site: Feds Put V.I. at Top of List for Redevelopment of Rohlsen Airport. Source. staff. August 22, 2018. August 22, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180822214120/https://stthomassource.com/content/2018/08/22/feds-put-v-i-at-top-of-list-for-redevelopment-of-rohlsen-airport/. August 22, 2018. live.
  13. Web site: Port Authority Sprucing up Marine Facilities and Airports. March 14, 2019.
  14. Web site: March 13, 2019 . Status of the Airports and Seaports of the United States Virgin Islands . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190512054139/http://www.viport.com/documents/Presentations/2019%20March%2013%20Presenttation%20to%20Senate%20Economic%20Development%20and%20Agriculture/2019%20March%2013%20Legislature%20Testimony%20_%20Damian%20Edits-1-signed.pdf . May 12, 2019 . March 20, 2019 . Virgin Islands Port Authority.
  15. Web site: Contractor: STX Airport Renovation Should be Complete in 12 Months. October 6, 2020.
  16. Web site: December 21, 2021 . VIPA Celebrates Completion of Phase One of Terminal Expansion .
  17. Web site: MODERNIZING AND EXPANDING THE HERA TERMINAL. 2021. VI Port Authority.
  18. Web site: OST_R - BTS - Transtats. www.transtats.bts.gov. February 15, 2023.
  19. Web site: Christiansted, VI: Henry E. Rohlsen (STX). Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
  20. Web site: Five Are Dead In Plane Crash At St. Croix Airport. December 10, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171210210519/http://viconsortium.com/featured/five-are-dead-in-plane-crash-at-st-croix-airport/. December 10, 2017. live.
  21. Web site: Engine Failure Led To Plane Crash, FAA Preliminary Investigation Reveals. December 10, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171211213530/http://viconsortium.com/featured/engine-failure-led-to-plane-crash-faa-preliminary-investigation-reveals/. December 11, 2017. live.
  22. Web site: Pilot Who Operated Plane That Crashed At St. Croix Airport Was Not Licensed To Fly Multi-Engine Aircraft, FAA Records Show. December 10, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171211053616/http://viconsortium.com/featured/plane-crash-on-st-croix-on-december-7-2017/. December 11, 2017. live.