Will the West Houston airport ever get commercial flights?

[Vicman]

Originally Posted by Lost_In_Translation

Heard of the TSA? Yeah, that kills the possibility of new commercial airports. Private company flights, sure (if any company wants to incur that expense). Commercial, not a chance.

In the case of Sugar Land Airport, they already had aviation security before. It wouldn't be too difficult to re-set it up.

If one wants to start an airline with planes that seat less than , I think, 19 pax, then you don't need airport security.

[Lost_In_Translation]

Originally Posted by Vicman

In the case of Sugar Land Airport, they already had aviation security before. It wouldn't be too difficult to re-set it up.

If one wants to start an airline with planes that seat less than , I think, 19 pax, then you don't need airport security.

When did sugarland last have TSA like security?

<19 is pretty much charter. I can't think of any regular flight planes with <19 seats.

[hou-iah]

Originally Posted by Lost_In_Translation

When did sugarland last have TSA like security?

<19 is pretty much charter. I can't think of any regular flight planes with <19 seats.

There are some carriers such as Cape Air which fly scheduled flights to Nantucket using Cessna 421s which have less than 10 seats.

[Vicman]

No, there are scheduled <19s too - New Mexico Airlines and GeorgiaSkies are examples. They do EAS flying.

Sugar Land got service from Metro Airlines in the 1990s - That used Beech1900Ds. So they would have had security.

Originally Posted by Lost_In_Translation

When did sugarland last have TSA like security?

<19 is pretty much charter. I can't think of any regular flight planes with <19 seats.

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Originally Posted by Vicman

Wait, when did West Houston have commercial? Who operated it?

I recall the flights from West Houston Airport direct to Dallas. I don't recall the operator, but they operated sometime during the late 80's and early 90's. The service lasted maybe nine months, maybe one year. I had to fly to West Texas a lot back then and used Southwest. The flights from Lubbock used to stop over in Dallas, and I always wanted to try the "new" airline, but never made it. Hopefully someone will chime in that actually flew them.

I think that the Houston Executive Airport is going to be more of a viable airport for commercial traffic in the future than West Houston Airport. Houston Executive airport already has a 6610 ft runway, enough for a 737. The plans call for a 7500 ft runway in the future (this was 2010), which will handle most commercial jet aircraft. The intent was to first get cargo 737 type aircraft, then expand to commercial later. Houston Executive airport also has much more room to expand than does West Houston Airport.