The airport opened for commercial flights on May 23, 2010, and is the first international airport in the United States designed and built since the September 11 attacks. The airport currently has no scheduled international flights, due to the small population in the surrounding areas and the fact that the demand for visitation to Panama City is mostly regional and/or national. The airport authority originally decided to name it Northwest Florida–Panama City International Airport, but airlines and the general public asked the airport authority to use a more regional name.[4][5]
History
In the late 1980s, the Panama City-Bay County Airport and Industrial District (Airport Authority) started discussing the need to expand the airport's two runways, which did not meet federal standards due to insufficient runway safety areas. Growing the overall airport to meet the region's needs was another main objective.[6]
The old airport had been built in 1932, with scheduled service beginning in 1948. However, it did not have enough room to expand. Proposed ideas included using the current airport property and extending the current short runways into St. Andrews Bay or into residential neighborhoods, relocation of the airport to a new site, or collocation with Tyndall AFB. With strong opposition to extending the runways into an environmentally sensitive bay or into neighborhoods, the airport authority began to search for relocation sites. The authority received tentative approval to build a new airport in northwestern Bay County in 2001. In 2005–2007 the authority obtained the needed permits.[7]
The relocation of the airport was controversial in Bay County.[8] The county commission chose to proceed with building a new airport and closing down Fannin Field despite a majority of voters in a non-binding 2004 referendum voting against the plan. Some felt that the St. Joe Company, which owned the land the airport would be based on, would derive an unfair benefit at the taxpayers' expense. Suits were filed against the airport on environmental grounds but were not successful in halting its construction.[9] Construction was completed in May 2010, however the planned crosswind runway was not built.
The airport's IATA code was originally supposed to be TFB, for "The Florida Beaches". However, this code was already taken by the Tifalmin Airport in Papua New Guinea.[10] By going through all available IATA codes, the group deciding the code came across ECP.
Facilities and aircraft
The airport covers 4,000 acres (1,600 hectares) at an elevation of 68 feet (21 m).[1][11]
Runway
Runway 16/34 is the only runway at the airport. It is concrete/grooved and is 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) long and 150 feet (46 meters) wide. There are plans to build one crosswind and one parallel runway as traffic at the airport increases.
The elevation for Runway 16 is 68.6 feet (20.9 m). The runway has a 4-aligned PAPI light system (glideslope: 2.83°), a MALSR approach lighting system, centerline lights, and touchdown zone lights. The runway has an instrument approach which includes S-ILS or LOC/DME, and GPS RNAV. For general aviation aircraft, the runway uses left traffic pattern.
The opposite end of Runway 16, the elevation for Runway 34 is 53.7 feet (16.4 meters). This runway has a 4-aligned PAPI light system (glideslope: 2.83°) and centerline lights. This runway has a GPS RNAV or LOC/DME instrument approach. For general aviation aircraft, the runway uses left traffic pattern.
Terminal
Roadway in front of airport
The new airport has a much larger terminal, designed by HNTB,[12] compared to the terminal at the previous airport. The terminal, 105,000 sq. feet, has seven gates. Gates 1–5 have jet bridges, while Gates 6 and 7 are on ramp level for regional aircraft. The airport has a US Customs and Border Protection inspection facility for arriving international flights. It was anticipated that the new terminal building will be the first airport terminal to attain a LEED rating for being a green building as well. As of July 2011, it has yet to receive this. A new terminal building at Appleton International Airport has since become the first LEED-rated terminal building in the world.
As of 2023, the airport has a $14.7 million renovation in the works to pave an overflow parking lot, build out the terminal, and expand the baggage area.[13]
General aviation
General aviation is handled at the general aviation facility south of the main passenger terminal. 111 GA aircraft were based at the airport in January 2018. 84 are single-engine, 16 are multi-engine, 10 are jets, and 1 helicopter. There are no gliders or ultra-lights based at the airport.[1] As of 2012, 75% of based aircraft belong to corporations. About 75% of GA operations are business/corporate related, 65% of which are business jets.
The only fixed-base operator at the airport as of August 2011 is SheltAir. Island Air Express and Precision Flight Training, LLC now offer flight training.
As of early 2023, Alabama-based Southern Sky Aviation is planning on building another FBO at the airport expected to open in early 2024.[13]
Air cargo
The cargo facility is between the control tower and general aviation ramp. Flight Express is the primary air cargo service to KECP.
Aircraft operations
In the 12-month period ending February 28, 2022, the airport had 80,665 aircraft operations, average 221 per day: 55% general aviation, 24% commercial, 13% air taxi, and 9% military.[1] For the same time period, 111 aircraft were based at the airport: 76 single-engine and 8 multi-engine airplanes as well as 26 jets and 1 glider.[14] These stats are up from 67,121 aircraft operations in 2018.
Ground transportation
Ground transportation to and from the airport includes on-airport car rental, taxis, shuttles, and limousines.[15]
On January 18, 2018, Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport announced the beginning of American Airlines nonstop flights to Charlotte Douglas (CLT) and Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), which commenced on June 7, 2018. There are two flights per day to both destinations operated by American Eagle regional carriers PSA Airlines and Mesa Airlines, respectively with regional jets.[22]
The airport had its two busiest years on record in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Airport officials peg the increases on the uptick in traffic caused by the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. The airport processed nearly 1.6 million passengers in 2021, up from 1.35 million in 2019, and just over 1.5 million in 2021.[13][23][24]
On June 24, 2017, an Aero Commander 200D sustained substantial damage during a forced landing while approaching Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport. The accident was caused by the pilot's inadequate fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.[29]
On November 10, 2017, a Cessna 180 crashed while landing at Florida Beaches International Airport. During the landing roll in gusting crosswind conditions, the right wing "suddenly" lifted, and the pilot applied right aileron to correct. He added that the control application did not correct the raised right wing and the left wing dragged on the runway, which resulted in the airplane coming to rest nosed over. The probable cause of the accident was found to be the pilot's failure to maintain lateral/bank control during landing in gusting crosswind conditions.[30]
On March 8, 2022, a Cessna 182 bearing N182XT crashed two miles short of runway 16 killing two occupants, Donald Slattery and Diane Slattery. An NTSB investigation found The pilot's deviation from the final approach course during a night instrument approach with low instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an impact with heavily wooded terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to continue the approach after being warned of his flightpath deviations and his lack of experience in instrument conditions at night. [31][32]
On June 6, 2022, a Piper PA-28 bearing N160LL crashed after shortly taking off from ECP killing two and seriously injuring one passenger. An NTSB investigation found maintenance personnel's failure to follow the avionics installation guidance for the oil pressure sensor, which resulted in the high-cycle fatigue failure of a line, oil starvation, and the subsequent loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to perform an adequate preflight inspection of the airplane which caused the accident. [33][34]
On June 6, 2023, a Dassault Falcon 10 touched down off the runway while landing at Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport. The aircraft touched down in a dry storm water pond. All five aboard were uninjured.[35][36]
^Kelly, Pat (October 8, 2009). "New airport gets new name, to chagrin of some". The News Herald (Panama City, Florida).
^Kelly, Pat (November 11, 2009). "Airport lands on another name: Officials vote 3-2 to change to Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport". The News Herald (Panama City, Florida).
