Departure
94%
vs 95% ▼ 1
MY FS FLIGHTS
MY FS FLIGHTS
Martha's Vineyard Airport (KMVY) sits in the middle of the island of the same name, on the border of West Tisbury and Edgartown, about three miles south of Vineyard Haven. Built as a naval air facility in the Second World War, it is now the island's main airline gateway as well as a busy general aviation field, home to Cape Air and Nantucket Airlines. Its control tower, ILS-equipped main runway and mix of jet and light aircraft traffic make it a worthwhile and instructive VFR destination for the simulator pilot.
Martha's Vineyard Airport lies at the heart of the island of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, and is by far the largest of the island's three airfields, the others being Katama Airpark and Trade Wind Airport. It is owned by Dukes County and operated by the Martha's Vineyard Airport Commission, and is the only field on the island served by scheduled airlines. Cape Air and Nantucket Airlines are based here, and the field also handles seasonal service from larger carriers alongside a significant volume of general aviation traffic, giving it an interesting mix of airliners, regional turboprops and light aircraft for the visiting simulator pilot to work around.
The airport is located in the middle of Martha's Vineyard, about 3 miles (4.8 km) south of the central business district of Vineyard Haven, and lies on the boundary between the towns of West Tisbury and Edgartown. Vineyard Tower provides air traffic control at the field, with Cape Approach/Departure handling arrivals and departures in the surrounding airspace. The airport covers some 688 acres and is the only airline-served field on the island, the other two island airstrips, Katama Airpark and Trade Wind Airport, being smaller general aviation strips nearby.
Martha's Vineyard has two hard-surfaced, lit runways. Runway 06/24 is the main runway at 5,460 ft, with an ILS serving runway 24. Runway 15/33 is the secondary runway at 3,280 ft. Field elevation is 59 ft.
The tower callsign is Vineyard Tower, with Cape Approach/Departure (A/D) on 133.75 MHz. ATIS broadcasts on 126.25 MHz, clearance delivery (CLD) is on 134.65 MHz, ground on 121.8 MHz, and the CTAF/tower frequency is 121.4 MHz. UNICOM is available on 122.95 MHz, and there is a radio outlet listed as RDO 114.5 MHz associated with Bridgeport. Runway 24 is equipped with an ILS/DME, and GPS approaches are approved to both runways.
The airfield was built on 26 March 1943 as Naval Auxiliary Air Facility Martha's Vineyard, established to support the training of naval aviators before their deployment to aircraft carriers in the Pacific during the Second World War; thousands of men passed through six weeks of intensive flight training there. The station was renamed Naval Auxiliary Air Station Martha's Vineyard in 1945, placed in caretaker status in 1946, and transferred to Dukes County in 1959. The airport reopened to public traffic on 27 May 1946. A new terminal building was constructed in 2001 to replace the original wartime base operations building, and historical photographs and memorabilia recalling the Navy squadrons stationed there are displayed near the terminal's restaurant entrance. In the 21st century the main runway, 06/24, was shifted by 200 ft and its taxiways renovated to accommodate regional jets such as the ERJ-190 and CRJ-200; the runway was fully reconstructed in 2018-2019 at a cost of around $10 million and reopened in May 2019 with a Cape Air flight from Boston Logan.
Martha's Vineyard Airport remains the island's principal airline gateway, home to Cape Air and Nantucket Airlines, with seasonal service historically provided by carriers including JetBlue, Delta, and American Airlines/American Eagle. As of November 2017 there were 72 based aircraft, comprising 59 single-engine, 12 multi-engine, and one helicopter, reflecting a strong general aviation presence alongside scheduled commercial operations. The ramp can accommodate up to about 50 aircraft, with dedicated stands for commercial turboprops and regional jets. Fuel is available at the field. Prior permission should be checked with the airport before any visiting flight.