Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport

Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (IATA: BJC, ICAO: KBJC, FAA LID: BJC) is a public-use airport located in Broomfield, Colorado, United States. The airport is owned and operated by Jefferson County and is situated midway between Denver and Boulder on U.S. Highway 36. It is located 16 miles (26 km) northwest of the central business district of Denver,[1] and is the closest airport to downtown Denver.[2] The airport covers 1,700 acres (688 ha) and has three runways.[1] Formerly known as Jefferson County Airport or Jeffco Airport, the airport was renamed Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport on October 10, 2006,[2] although it is sometimes referred to as Rocky Mountain Regional Airport, e.g., on 2007–2012 county planning documents.

Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport
A picture of the front of the terminal building. A sign above the door reads, "Rocky Mountain Metro."
Terminal building
Summary
Airport typePublic
Owner/OperatorJefferson County
ServesDenver, Colorado
LocationBroomfield, Colorado
Opened1960
Elevation AMSL5,673 ft / 1,729 m
Coordinates39°54′32″N 105°07′02″W
Websitehttps://www.jeffco.us/airport
Maps
FAA airport diagram
FAA airport diagram
BJC is located in Colorado
BJC
BJC
Location of airport in Colorado / United States
BJC is located in the United States
BJC
BJC
BJC (the United States)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
12L/30R 9,000 2,743 Asphalt
12R/30L 7,002 2,134 Asphalt
3/21 3,600 1,097 Asphalt
Statistics (2022)
Aircraft operations262,348
Based aircraft476

This airport is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorizes it as a reliever airport.[3] It is home to a large general aviation population including a fair amount of corporate traffic and several flight schools. The airport's proximity to the nearby Interlocken business district contributes to its business traveler clientele. It has a control tower on 118.6 (local) and 121.7 (ground) that is open from 0600 to 2200 local time. ATIS/AWOS broadcasts on 126.25. There are three runways—12/30 Left and Right and 3/21. The runway numbers were changed in November 2014 to reflect a change in magnetic variation. Two fixed-base operators (FBOs) offer fuel and other services.

A BAe 146-RJ85A converted for aerial firefighting operations at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport
A BAe 146-RJ85A converted for aerial firefighting operations at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport

History

On February 7, 2012, the Federal Aviation Administration dedicated a new $23.7 million, state-of-the-art airport traffic control tower, located south of the airport runways. The new facility includes a 124-foot-tall control tower topped by a 525-square-foot tower cab with four air traffic controller positions and one supervisor position. A 6,000-square-foot, single-story base building houses administrative offices, training rooms, and equipment rooms.

The Pilatus Hangar at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (BJC) in Broomfield, Colorado.
The Pilatus Aircraft hangar at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport

In the summer of 2018, Pilatus Aircraft officially launched operations out of their newly constructed hangar located on the southwest corner of the airfield.

In the spring of 2018, the airport signed a lease agreement with a second FBO, SheltAir, to act as their "gateway to the west". SheltAir commenced operations in February 2019 with a temporary modular building located at the East Ramp area. Construction for the permanent building and hangar was expected to commence in the spring of 2019.

There exists a vacant tract of airport-owned land just southwest of the runways. As of 2015, there is a 30-year master plan by a development company to redevelop the area, known as Verve Innovation Park, for various aviation- and non-aviation-related uses.[4][5]

Facilities and aircraft
F-16 taxiing at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport

Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport covers an area of 1,700 acres (688 ha) at an elevation of 5,673 feet (1,729 m) above mean sea level. It has three asphalt paved runways: 12L/30R is 9,000 by 100 feet (2,743 by 30 m); 12R/30L is 7,002 by 75 feet (2,134 by 23 m); 3/21 is 3,600 by 75 feet (1,097 by 23 m).[1]

The airport's three runways, previously 11L/29R, 11R/29L, and 2/20, were renumbered in November 2014 in order to align them with magnetic directions. At the same time, the primary runway (12L/30R) underwent an $8.83 million renovation.[6]

For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2022, the airport had 262,348 aircraft operations, an average of 718 per day: 95% general aviation, 4% air taxi, <1% military and <1% air carrier. At that time there were 476 aircraft based at this airport: 341 single-engine, 70 multi-engine, 43 jet, 21 helicopter, and 1 glider.[1]

Two fixed-base operators (FBOs) operate at the airport: Signature Flight Support and Sheltair. The United States Forest Service also maintains its Jefferson County Tanker Base at the airport. On July 13, 2016, Pilatus Aircraft broke ground on a new 188,000 sq. ft. North American completion center for the new PC-24 business jet. The facility became fully operational in June 2018.

In December of 2019, ATP Flight School opened its second Denver, Colorado training center at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport.[7] The other training facility is located at Centennial Airport.[7]

Airlines and destinations
AirlinesDestinations
JSX Burbank, Dallas–Love,[8] Las Vegas, Phoenix–Sky Harbor[9]

The airport was formerly a hub for Pet Airways before ceasing all flights in early 2013. Denver Air Connection operated by Key Lime Air also operated from RMMA to Grand Junction before consolidating their operations for the Denver–Grand Junction route to Centennial Airport in May 2017.[10]

Accidents and incidents
  • On July 17, 2022, A Cessna 336 twin-engine plane operated by Bluebird Aviation went down outside of Boulder, Colorado. The pilot and the three victims departed from Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport on a sightseeing trip to the mountains around Boulder, Colorado. Killed in the crash was the pilot, who was not immediately identified by authorities, 48-year-old Sandra Kirby of Louisiana, and her two children, 17-year-old Ian Kirby, and 13-year-old Amanda Kirby. The cause of the Colorado crash is under investigation.
  • On September 18, 2022, a Cessna 172 that took off from this airport with two people on a training flight, collided in Boulder County with a Sonex aircraft that had taken off from the Platte Valley Airpark with only one person on board, its pilot. Both airplanes crashed and were destroyed on impact, killing all three people on board them.[11]

See also

References
  1. FAA Airport Form 5010 for BJC PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective July 13, 2023.
  2. "Jeffco Commissioners to Rename Jeffco Airport as Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport". 2006-10-10.
  3. "2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A (PDF, 2.03 MB)" (PDF). National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. Federal Aviation Administration. October 4, 2010.
  4. Armbrister, Molly (12 February 2015). "FedEx to open distribution center at Verve Innovation Park in Jefferson County". Denver Business Journal. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  5. Development & Economic Impact: About Development
  6. "Runway to shut down at Rocky Mountain Metro". General Aviation News. April 10, 2014.
  7. "ATP Flight School opens second training centre in Denver, US". www.aerospace-technology.com. Retrieved 2023-10-09.
  8. "JSX Expands Colorado Network in 3Q22". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  9. "JSX Expands in Colorado". Airline Geeks. Retrieved 27 Oct 2022.
  10. Exciting Changes to our Grand Junction route coming in May, 2017 Archived 2017-10-20 at the Wayback Machine, Denver Air Connection, Retrieved 2017-10-19
  11. "3 pilots killed in mid-air collision involving 2 planes in Boulder County". 17 September 2022.
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