Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport

Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Arpory, is a county-owned public-use airport located three nautical miles (6 km) southeast of the central business district of Kalamazoo, a city in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States. The airport is also near the city of Battle Creek

The airport has an air traffic control tower and TRACON. Its passenger terminal has two gates. Three major airlines operate flights.

The plans for an airport in Kalamazoo began in 1925. In May 1926, the City of Kalamazoo purchased 383 acres (1.55 km2) of land near Portage and Kilgore roads, and an airport opened. Shortly thereafter, the first regular air mail service started in July 1928. In February 1929, the field was licensed as the first municipal airport in Michigan. It was named Lindbergh Field in honor of famous aviator Charles Lindbergh.

In the 1970s, there were discussions between airline and local city officials about building a new airport to serve both the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo. Since the two airports are extremely close, it was not economical for the airlines to fully serve both of the airports. North Central airlines proposed a "Major Jetport" in the Kalamazoo area, which might have become the third-busiest commuter airport in the nation. No location could be agreed upon, and no planning was ever completed beyond the preliminary proposals and meetings. Soon after the concept failed, most airline service was shifted to Kalamazoo, as the Kalamazoo airport had higher passenger counts and more demand for flights

As of 2011, flight training is offered through Great Lakes Aviation Service.

The Western Michigan University College of Aviation, founded in 1939, used the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport as a base for its flight school until 1997. In the early 1990s, the flight school began to outgrow the facilities, and in 1997, the college moved to Battle Creek's W. K. Kellogg Regional Airport, where all operations are presently housed. The WMU aviation unit at Kalamazoo has been used from time to time by the college, but not since May 2006.

In the 1970s, private flight training operations were restricted to two local FBOs: Kal Aero, and Lakala Aviation. The county government received many complaints about unauthorized lessons from private parties. Upon these reports, the county government added to the flight training ordinance that violators could be fined $500, or jailed for 90 days if found guilty of offering flight lessons illegally. This restriction has since been lifted, and flight lessons can be offered by any party who wishes to do so.

The airport competes with larger nearby airports, such as Grand Rapids Gerald R. Ford International Airport, and South Bend Regional Airport, which offer flights to many of the same destinations, but often at lower prices. Kalamazoo has received grants from the federal government under the Small Community Air Service Development Program to bring lower fares to Kalamazoo, and more flights. Delta's Atlanta flight was established with this funding, but Delta ceased to offer this flight on December 8, 2007.

Commonly referred to as the "Air Zoo", the museum offers many historic aircraft, simulators, restaurants, and one of the regions only 4-D theaters. The museum is housed in two buildings, and is located on the south section of the field. It is an attraction for the public, and for pilots. The museum also has a fly in ramp, making it an attraction for many visiting pilots.

Several accidents and incidents have occurred at Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport. These incidents are responded to by the onsite CFR team.

On 27 October 2009, a single-engine Beechcraft crashed. The aircraft landed north of the airport, but not on the runway. It skidded through the fence and came to rest in the parking lot of Great Lakes Aviation, just outside the airfield. The aircraft was reported to be en route to Muskoka, Ontario when it experienced some mechanical problem and then crash landed at the north end of the runway. The pilot, who was also the only occupant, died in the accident.

On 4 April 2004, a Cessna 172 crashed. The airplane, operated by a university aviation training program, was blown off of the runway by high winds. No injuries were reported.

On 26 June 1999, a Boeing PT-17 crashed. The airplane ground looped while landing.

On 28 May 1999, a Cessna 172 crashed. The aircraft overran the departure end of runway 27, and struck an airport boundary fence and an automobile on Portage Road, which runs perpendicular to the runway.

On 19 April 1998, a Piper PA-28 Series Aircraft crashed. Witnesses reported seeing the airplane liftoff runway 5 past the runway 17/35 intersection located approximately 3,108 feet (947 m) from the approach end of runway 5. Runway 5 was 3,999 feet (1,219 m) long at the time of the accident. Witnesses reported the airplane climbed to 250 to 300 feet (91 m) when the airplane rolled left and went straight down. The airplane burst into flames and the cockpit and fuselage were consumed by fire. All passengers died.