South Bend International Airport

South Bend International Airport (IATA: SBN, ICAO: KSBN, FAA LID: SBN)[3] is a commercial and freight airport located three miles northwest of downtown South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States.[2] It is the state's second busiest airport in terms of passenger traffic after Indianapolis International Airport.

South Bend International Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerSt. Joseph County Airport Authority
ServesSouth Bend, Indiana; Elkhart, Indiana; Niles, Michigan; St. Joseph, Michigan
Time zoneEastern Standard Time (CST) (−05:00)
 • Summer (DST)Eastern Daylight Time (CDT) (−04:00)
Elevation AMSL799 ft / 244 m
Coordinates41°42′30″N 086°19′02″W
Websitewww.FlySBN.com
Maps
FAA diagram
FAA diagram
SBN is located in Indiana
SBN
SBN
Location of airport in Indiana
SBN is located in the United States
SBN
SBN
SBN (the United States)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
9L/27R 4,300 1,311 Asphalt
9R/27L 8,414 2,565 Asphalt
18/36 7,100 2,164 Asphalt
Statistics (2019)
Passenger enplanements417.929
Air cargo (lbs)23,419,034
FAA ATCT operations47,756
FAA TRACON operations146,708
International GAF operations135
Fixed wing based aircraft64
Source: South Bend Airport website[1] and FAA[2]

The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2015–2019 called it a primary commercial service facility.[4]

Federal Aviation Administration and St. Joseph County Airport Authority records show the airport had 337,140 passenger enplanements in 2020 with an estimated total air passenger volume of over 680,000. It is owned by the St. Joseph County Airport Authority. Passengers can make connections to local public transportation services such as the South Shore Line trains to Millennium Station in Chicago and the local TRANSPO bus route #4 which travels along Lincoln Way.

History

In the early days, South Bend's main airport was Cadet Field in present-day Granger. Vincent Hugo Bendix, founder of Bendix Aviation, bought land northwest of South Bend in 1929 to provide air service closer to the city. Bendix Municipal Airport opened in 1933.[5][n 1]

Bendix Airport was later called St. Joseph County Airport, then Michiana Regional Transportation Center. The airport was renamed South Bend Regional Airport on January 1, 2000, later South Bend International Airport on April 23, 2014, to help identify the airport, many travelers not knowing the meaning of Michiana (taken from "Michigan" and "Indiana").[8][9]

The April 1957 OAG shows 10 weekday departures on North Central, 9 on United, 6 on Lake Central and 3 on TWA. North Central Airlines merged with Southern Airways on July 1, 1979, commencing operations with Republic from South Bend.

Until the 1980s the airport had four runways; in the 1950s runway 9 was 5000 ft, runways 6 (now taxiway A-3) and 12 (now taxiway A-4) were 4000 ft and the 3059-ft runway 18 connected the west ends of runways 6 and 12. In 1963-65 runway 9 was extended to 6000 ft. In January 1967 SBN got its first scheduled jets, United Caravelles flying Chicago O'Hare-South Bend-Fort Wayne-Newark and back.

On April 23, 2014, the St. Joseph County Airport Authority announced the airport was changing its name from South Bend Regional Airport to South Bend International Airport. The Airport Authority has had conversations with two airlines interested in providing service to Mexico and the Bahamas and indicated that it was looking at service to Toronto, Ireland and Europe. As part of the change, the airport will begin a $3 million (USD) project to construct a general aviation facility and a border customs area, to be financed through federal, state and airport funds.[10][11][12]

Administration

The airport is governed by the St. Joseph County Airport Authority, which is a municipality in the State of Indiana. Its four bipartisan board members are appointed by the St. Joseph County Commissioners. The Airport Authority is directed by Mike Daigle who is an accredited airport executive. Board members include Thomas S. Botkin, Abraham Marcus, David R. Sage and James V. Wyllie. The Airport Authority employs approximately 60 staff members.

The mission of the St. Joseph County Airport Authority as defined is "to maximize the safety, service, efficiency and effectiveness of South Bend Airport for the traveling public, and to promote the value of the airport to the community."[13]

Annual reports
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Economic impact report
The Aviation Association of Indiana - 2012 Economic Impact Study

Facilities

The airport covers 2,200 acres (890 ha) at an elevation of 799 feet (244 m). It has three asphalt runways: 9L/27R is 4,300 by 75 feet (1,311 by 23 m); 9R/27L is 8,414 by 150 feet (2,565 by 46 m); 18/36 is 7,100 by 150 feet (2,164 by 46 m).[2][14]

The terminal, built in 1981 and designed by HOK and Cole Associates[15] and expanded in 2011 by Ken Herceg & Associates, has one nine-gate concourse. Seven of the nine gates (2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) have jetways, while two gates (2A and 6A) are ground level. Amenities include cafes and restaurants, pet relief area, a concession area/lounge, a gift shop, a children's play area, a business center, and free Wi-Fi available throughout the terminal.[16]

Despite being partially obstructed by the new concourse, the in-terminal viewing area remains open and offers live air traffic control transmissions from South Bend Air Traffic Control Tower/TRACON as well as a small airport-focused museum. The viewing area is located on the second level of the terminal's atrium adjacent to US Customs.

The airport is one of the few multi-modal transportation facilities in America that provide air, interstate bus and interstate rail service at one terminal. The St. Joseph County Airport Authority claims the airport was the first truly multi-modal airport in the country. As of 2019, interstate bus services have been moved to the downtown South Bend bus station.

June 2017 brought the grand opening of SBN's International General Aviation Facility (GAF) which cleared nearly 60 international aircraft in its first partial year of operation. On July 16, 2019, a Boeing 747 chartered by the Liverpool Soccer Club landed at South Bend from Manchester, England. This flight marked the opening of the Federal Inspection Station (FIS). On the same day, US Customs and Border Patrol announced South Bend Airport would be the state's first Global Entry Enrollment Center.

The airport is a maintenance base for regional carrier SkyWest Airlines.

Operations

Within Indiana, the airport is second in passenger enplanements (417,929) after Indianapolis International (4,375,317). South Bend International overtook Fort Wayne International in 2019 (397,938) to reclaim second place.[17] The airport is in second place behind Indianapolis in cargo operations and third in the state for overall take-offs and landings. Due to South Bend's proximity to Chicago, South Bend air traffic controllers work closely with Chicago Center and Chicago Approach Control to sequence aircraft into and out of Chicago's terminal airspace. These efforts make South Bend's Tower/TRACON the second busiest terminal air traffic facility in the state and one of the busiest in the region.

In 2019 the airport handled 47,756 aircraft operations, averaging 130 per day. The TRACON handled over 150,000 operations in 2019.

Air service

South Bend's four airlines have non-stop flights to thirteen cities. Allegiant offers flights to Las Vegas, Orlando, Phoenix-Mesa, Punta Gorda, St Pete/Clearwater, Sarasota (seasonal); American Eagle has multiple daily flights to Charlotte and Dallas; Delta Connection offers service to Atlanta and Minneapolis; and United Express has multiple daily flights to Chicago O'Hare. Due to shortages of flight crews and a evaluation of market forces and demand, Air Carrier flights have been significantly reduced, with South Bend losing its Detroit flight as well as the airport experiencing a far lower number of daily scheduled commercial flights compared to years past.

With the exception of Allegiant's Airbus A319/A320s, South Bend mostly sees regional jets such as the Bombardier CRJ200/700/900 and the Embraer E175. During Notre Dame football games and graduation, Delta is known to upgrade to mainline aircraft such as the Airbus A319/A320 and Boeing 717. United is also known to do this, upgrading to mainline aircraft such as the Boeing 737. Additionally, Delta, United and American have added point to point football flights for fans to travel directly from one college town to the other, or from major east coast hubs where Notre Dame Alumni congregate such as LaGuardia or Newark Liberty.

According to the 2007 Economic Impact Report from the Aviation Authority of Indiana, the airport's annual economic impact on South Bend and surrounding communities was in excess of $433.7 million. SBN's annual contribution to the Indiana economy is estimated at more than $1.4 billion.[18]

Ground transportation

Rail

The South Shore Line commuter rail runs from South Bend Airport station to Millennium Station in downtown Chicago, with express services taking 1 hour and 55 minutes.[19]

There is discussion of relocating the station either to a different side of the airport, or to the city's downtown.

Bus

South Bend Transpo bus route 4 serves the airport.[20]

Hoosier Ride (operated by Miller Transportation) provides intercity bus service at the airport.[21] Greyhound Lines formerly provided intercity bus service at the airport, but, in December 2019, it moved its South Bend stop from the airport to South Street Station.[22][23][24]

Airlines and destinations

Passenger
AirlinesDestinations
Allegiant Air Las Vegas, Orlando/Sanford, Phoenix/Mesa, Punta Gorda (FL), St. Petersburg/Clearwater
Seasonal: Sarasota
American Eagle Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth
Delta Connection Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul
United Express Chicago–O'Hare

Cargo
AirlinesDestinations
FedEx Express Fort Wayne, Memphis
FedEx Feeder Indianapolis
UPS Airlines Fort Wayne

Statistics
Annual passenger enplanements at SBN, 2000–2021[25]
Year Passengers Year Passengers
2000432,4392011305,386
2001375,8172012299,592
2002409,3192013328,992
2003404,6072014311,158
2004397,5652015315,313
2005349,8472016328,897
2006378,9092017305,491
2007398,5002018368,377
2008357,1682019417,929
2009318,9742020209,214
2010317,0962021341,343
Top 10 destinations
(June 2022 – May 2023)[26]
Rank Airport Passengers Airlines
1 Illinois Chicago–O'Hare, Illinois 75,590 United
2 North Carolina Charlotte, North Carolina 59,360 American
3 Georgia (U.S. state) Atlanta, Georgia 53,680 Delta
4 Texas Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas 41,000 American
5 Florida Punta Gorda/Fort Myers, Florida 23,050 Allegiant
6 Florida Orlando–Sanford, Florida 21,340 Allegiant
7 Minnesota Minneapolis, Minnesota 21,250 Delta
8 Florida St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Florida 19,420 Allegiant
8 Arizona Phoenix/Mesa, Arizona 18,700 Allegiant
10 Nevada Las Vegas, Nevada 14,880 Allegiant
Enplanements by carrier (April 2022 – March 2023)[26]
Carrier Passengers (arriving and departing)
Skywest
362,000(48.92%)
Allegiant
224,000(30.34%)
PSA Airlines
109,000(14.79%)
Air Wisconsin
19,760(2.67%)
Endeavor
17,730(2.40%)
Other
6,540(0.88%)

Incidents
  • July 9, 1995: American Eagle Flight 4127, an ATR 72 operated by Simmons Airlines, experienced a loss of the rear cabin entry door during its climb after taking off from O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. The cabin door opened shortly after the first officer began to pressurize the cabin; therefore, only a slight pressure differential existed between the cabin pressure and the atmospheric pressure. Lack of damage indicates the door was unlocked/unlatched when it opened. The airplane was one of fifteen aircraft equipped with a new handrail and door handle design which was different than the majority of the ATR 72 fleet. The old handle was pulled down to latch/lock the door and pushed up to unlatch/unlock the door. The direction of motion was reversed so that the handle was pushed up to latch/lock the door and pulled down to unlatch/unlock the door. A private citizen located the separated door in approximately two feet of water in the Des Plaines River on July 10, 1995. Following this incident, ATR designed another new door handle design which returns the handle motion to push up to unlatch/unlock, and pull down to latch/lock.[27]
  • On April 4, 2011, a pilot flying from Chicago Executive Airport attempted to land a rented Cirrus SR22, but was hit by a gust of wind on approach. The plane landed on the left wing, cart-wheeled and came to a stop 250 feet (76 m) from the runway. He was hospitalized in critical condition, with no one else on board. He later died from his injuries.[28]
  • On March 17, 2013, a private jet crashed into three homes near South Bend Regional Airport. Two of the four people on the plane were killed while the other two on board, and one person on the ground, were injured.[29][30]
  • On September 12, 2017, a Beech N35 Bonanza made a forced landing due to fuel exhaustion into a ditch just short of the airport perimeter fence. No injuries were reported, the aircraft was a total loss.[31]
  • On May 25, 2018, SkyWest (Delta Connection) Flight 4647 made an emergency landing in South Bend after a halon bottle exploded in the cargo bin. The aircraft had just departed South Bend bound for Atlanta. None of the passengers or crew on board were injured.[32]
  • On May 15, 2023, a SkyWest Airlines flight made an emergency landing after departing South Bend. The aircraft experienced a mechanical failure soon after takeoff, remained in the air to burn fuel, and returned to land at South Bend.[33]

See also

Notes
  1. The airport was also known as Bendix Field.[6][7]

References
  1. 2015 Composite Statistic Chart (PDF), St. Joseph County Airport Authority, retrieved 5 July 2016
  2. South Bend International Airport Master Record, FAA data republished by GCR Inc., archived from the original on 7 August 2016, retrieved 5 July 2016
  3. "IATA Airport Code Search (SBN: South Bend)". International Air Transport Association. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  4. "2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A" (PDF, 2.03 MB). Federal Aviation Administration. 4 October 2010.
  5. "A Look Back: Vincent Bendix was the man behind the start of airport in South Bend". South Bend Tribune. 21 May 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  6. "Behind the Name: Bendix Left Big Mark". South Bend Tribune. 3 August 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  7. Stopczynski, Kelly (6 February 2012). "Granger Neighborhood Was Original South Bend Regional Airport". WSBT-TV. Archived from the original on 10 December 2013.
  8. "Airport Will Get New Name Again". South Bend Tribune. 1 December 1999. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  9. Falda, Wayne (2 January 2000). "Flight into a New Era". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  10. "South Bend Airport Becomes South Bend International" (Press release). St. Joseph County Airport Authority. 23 April 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  11. Culp, Alice; Gray, Amanda (24 April 2014). "South Bend Airport Adds 'International' to Name". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  12. Vivian, Krystal (23 April 2014). "South Bend's airport could soon offer international flights to Bahamas, Mexico". The Elkhart Truth. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  13. Mission, St. Joseph County Airport Authority, retrieved 16 July 2015
  14. "SBN airport data at skyvector.com". skyvector.com. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  15. Michiana Regional Airport: Multi-modal Airport Terminal Concept for St. Joseph County Airport Authority. South Bend: St. Joseph County Airport Authority. 1975.
  16. "Amenities at South Bend International Airport". St. Joseph County Airport Authority. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
  17. 2014 Enplanements at All Commercial Service Airports (by Rank) (PDF, 1.6 MB), Federal Aviation Administration
  18. Ottinger, Matt. "Non-Stop Party" (PDF, 298 KB). Indiana Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  19. Allen, Kevin (3 February 2015). "Chicago express a major step for South Shore". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  20. "route 4 map side" (PDF). Transpo. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  21. "Our Locations - Bus Stops | Hoosier Ride". hoosierride.com. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  22. "Greyhound bus lines relocating to Transpo South Street Station in South Bend". South Bend Tribune. 20 November 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  23. "Greyhound moving from airport to downtown Transpo station". WNDU-TV. 20 November 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  24. "Greyhound moving to South Street Station in downtown South Bend". WSBT-TV. 20 November 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  25. "Passenger Boarding (Enplanement) and All-Cargo Data for U.S. Airports". Federal Aviation Administration. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  26. "South Bend, IN: South Bend Airport (SBN)". Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  27. "Incident". www.ntsb.gov. July 1995. Archived from the original on 28 November 2005. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  28. NTSB Identification: CEN11FA267, National Transportation Safety Board
  29. NTSB Identification: CEN13FA196, National Transportation Safety Board
  30. "Indiana plane crash: Private jet plunges into houses". BBC News. 18 March 2013.
  31. "N9368Y". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  32. "UPDATE: Plane makes emergency landing at SB airport". WNDU. 25 May 2018.
  33. "SkyWest Airlines flight makes emergency landing in South Bend". WNDW. NBC News. 15 May 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.


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