This article was accepted into the corpus but its outbound wikilinks were never NER-processed — typical at the deepest BFS hop or when the run's entity cap was reached. No expansion funnel to show.
| Bradford Regional Airport | |
|---|---|
| Name | Bradford Regional Airport |
| Nativename | Bradford Regional Airport (Bradford Regional) |
| Iata | BFD |
| Icao | KBFD |
| Faa | BFD |
| Type | Public |
| Owner | Bradford Regional Airport Authority |
| City-served | Bradford, Pennsylvania |
| Location | McKean County, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Elevation-f | 2,141 |
| Elevation-m | 652 |
| Coordinates | 41°47′04″N 78°38′54″W |
| Runway1 number | 6/24 |
| Runway1 length ft | 7,302 |
| Runway1 surface | Asphalt |
| Stat year | 2023 |
| Stat passengers | ~20,000 enplanements |
Bradford Regional Airport is a public airport serving Bradford and McKean County in northwestern Pennsylvania, United States. The airport offers scheduled commercial service under the federal Essential Air Service program, general aviation facilities, and a single primary runway supporting regional turboprops and business aircraft. It lies near the Allegheny National Forest and functions as a local transportation node linking rural communities to larger hubs.
Established in the mid-20th century, the airport developed during the post‑World War II expansion of civil aviation and regional airfields across Pennsylvania, paralleling growth at facilities like Pittsburgh International Airport, Buffalo Niagara International Airport, and John F. Kennedy International Airport. Over decades it participated in federal programs such as the Essential Air Service to maintain scheduled links to larger markets like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The facility has hosted operators affiliated with regional carriers and legacy systems, reflecting trends that affected airlines including USAir Express, CommutAir, and United Express. Local economic shifts tied to industries in McKean County, Pennsylvania, oil and gas activity near the Allegheny National Forest, and manufacturing transformations influenced passenger volumes and route sustainability. Infrastructure investments have periodically been funded through grants administered by the Federal Aviation Administration and coordinated with state authorities such as the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
The airport occupies acreage north of Bradford, Pennsylvania adjacent to state and county roadways serving McKean County. Its primary runway, designated 6/24, is 7,302 feet long and surfaced in asphalt, accommodating aircraft types commonly used by regional carriers including the Bombardier Dash 8, Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia, and various business jets such as the Cessna Citation series. The airfield supports instrument approaches governed by procedures from the Federal Aviation Administration and integrates navigational aids consistent with regional aerodrome standards. Ground services include fixed-base operator support, fueling (Jet A, 100LL), hangar space, and ramp parking; maintenance and avionics services are provided by local vendors linked to broader supply chains that serve the northeastern United States. The terminal building contains passenger processing areas, ticketing counters for commuter airlines, and general aviation support spaces; security screening follows mandates from the Transportation Security Administration for airports handling scheduled commercial flights.
Scheduled service has been sustained through Essential Air Service contracts, with carriers operating turboprop aircraft to hub airports that connect to national networks such as American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines via respective regional partners. Historically, routes have included single-connection flights to hubs including Pittsburgh International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, and Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Charter operations and corporate flights serve local businesses and institutions such as Bradford Regional Medical Center and energy sector firms active in the Marcellus Shale region. Seasonal and ad hoc services have linked the airport with leisure gateways like Buffalo, New York and Niagara Falls during peak travel periods.
Passenger enplanements at the airport have fluctuated with regional economic cycles, federal subsidy levels from the Essential Air Service program, and carrier route decisions; annual enplanements in recent years have ranged in the tens of thousands. Aircraft operations comprise a mix of scheduled commercial flights, air taxi operations, flight training sorties, and general aviation, reflecting patterns observed at similar regional airports such as DuBois Regional Airport and Jamestown Regional Airport. Based aircraft include single‑engine piston airplanes, multi‑engine turboprops, and business jets registered to operators from McKean County and neighboring counties in New York (state) and Pennsylvania.
Access to the airport is provided by state routes and county roads connecting to Bradford, Pennsylvania and surrounding communities; nearby highways facilitate transfers to regional centers including Olean, New York and Erie, Pennsylvania. Ground transportation options include rental cars from national chains, local taxi services, and prearranged shuttle and charter ground carriers often coordinated with corporate entities and medical transport providers. Snow and winter weather management is routinely coordinated with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation resources and county emergency services during severe weather events. Parking facilities accommodate short‑term and long‑term parking for visitors and crew.
Like many regional airports, the facility has experienced occasional general aviation accidents and incidents attributed to factors such as weather, pilot error, and mechanical issues; investigations have been conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board and local authorities when warranted. Historical incidents involving commuter and private aircraft prompted procedural reviews and infrastructure improvements consistent with recommendations from the Federal Aviation Administration and aviation safety stakeholders.
Category:Airports in Pennsylvania Category:Transportation in McKean County, Pennsylvania