Changes at KBDR

In the early 1970's the city of Bridgeport built a new passenger terminal at Sikorsky Memorial Airport. Over the years carriers like Delta, Continental, USAir, Pilgrim and Air Wisconsin provided scheduled service using Jetstream J-31's, Embraer's, SAAB 340's, BAe 146's and others. Destinations ranged from Groton/New London to Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and even Chicago.

For a time in the late 1980's Continental Express flew a useful service to Newark (KEWR) that allowed the business traveler to conveniently access the full panoply of routes and services offered from that hub.

But it didn't last. A number of years ago commercial scheduled air service to and from Bridgeport ended -- forever. The terminal became a place of ghosts and echoes. But change is afoot. Here is a picture of that terminal today:

The (not-really-very) old terminal is being razed to make way for a new executive terminal and hangar complex under the aegis of Volo Aviation. From the linked article:

"The flagship of the Volo chain will be the Bridgeport headquarters FBO at Sikorsky Memorial Airport, where the company is constructing a 125,000-sq-ft facility with 95,000 sq ft of hangar space and two 15,000-sq-ft office buildings. Construction will take place in two phases, starting with one 35,000-sq-ft hangar and one 15,000-sq-ft office/FBO building. Completion of the second phase is expected in the second quarter of 2010."

In an era when small market airports are suffering it's heartening to see positive developments like this being undertaken.