Dutchess County Airport

Dutchess County Airport (IATA:POU, ICAO:KPOU) is located near the town of Wappinger, New York. It is sometimes called Poughkeepsie Airport, which gives it the code POU. There are has two paved runways, 6–24 which is 3,003 feet long and a second runway that is 5,001 feet long with an ILS system.

History

Dutchess Country Airport was built by the United States Department of Commerce in the 1930s and was used for pilot training during World War II by the Army Air Corp. At various times, the airport was used by students at the United States Military Academy and as an extension of military training conducted at Stewart Field.

After the Second World War, the airport was turned over to the county for a sum of $1 and guarentees that it would remain open as part of the Surplus Property Act of 1944 by the War Assets Administration. It was then used for general aviation. IBM built a hanger and based the corporate aircraft and helicopters at the airport.

A flight services and National Weather Service office was opened at the airport.

In the 1970s, a control tower was constructed and operated by the FAA.

Command Airlines, later know as American Eagle Airlines, began operations and maintained its hub and maintenance facilities at the airport. Command qualified the ATR 72 with the Federal Aviation Administration for US flight operations at the airport.

Cessna built and ran a Cessna Citation maintenance facility on the airport grounds.

When Stewart International Airport, which is located just across the Hudson River, started commercial operations in 1980 most commercial flights were stopped.

In 2004, the airport received $1 million dollars from the Federal Aviation Administration for improvments in safety and runway rehibilitation.

External links

Dutchess Country Airport official page