tsquare

That was the point I was trying to make earlier, only I guess I wasn't very clear....

iaflyer

And if they can find a buyer for Detroit City Airport, more power to them.

A 5000 ft airport seriously in the 'hood. It's bad when a guy from the FBO goes with you in the courtesy car to McDonalds in the morning, "just to make sure nothing happens".

buzzpat

Just out of curiousity....who uses it?

iaflyer

Some freight stuff flies out of there, Falcon 20s or DC-9-15s, as it's close to final assembly plants. There's a flight school I think, and probably a little corporate. Never a busy place when I was on a trip going through there.

About 15 years ago, an airline called ProAir tried to make a run at it there. DET-EWR, DET-LGA, DET-MCO that kind of thing. It was supported by GM I think, as they were trying to get lower fares out of DTW and the airlines there weren't playing ball. The only problem was, from what I hear, that if the weather was crappy the 737s they flew couldn't land, as the runway was too short (5,090 ft). Airline lasted a few years if I remember.

Timbo

I used it every night, M-F, back in 1978-1983. It was our sorting hub for about 12 Aero Commanders (mostly Shrikes, we had the Big Iron, a 690) from all over the Midwest and east coast, hauling cancelled checks.

I got to see a Lear Jet slide off the runway, through the chain link fence and right into the cemetery off the end of the long runway one snowy night! Everyone walked away, no fire, but we thought it was pretty funny because they were already -in- the cemetery! One stop shopping!

We'd all roll in a bit after midnight, racing each other on downwind for a better parking spot, we taxied like SWA, only faster. Then we'd unload the airplane, wait for the ground guys to sort the checks, then we'd load up the NYC and BOS stuff and blast off at 2am for EWR, then BOS. We'd get into BOS about 6am, then I'd be sitting in class at UNH at 8am 'till noon, trying to keep my eyes open. That's how I worked my way through my last two years of college, and two more years after college. I swore I'd never fly all-nighters again!

This was a long time ago, obviously, it was a 'safe' neighborhood back then. Sometimes we'd borrow one of the fueler's cars and go to White Castle for bag of sliders while waiting for the sort.

The airport was small and not much going on at night, except us check haulers. Not sure how busy it is these days, but it's not too far from Lake St. Clair, which was supposed to be a nice place to hang out.

FmrFreightDog

I flew in there occasionally when I was doing auto charters, although I spent more time at KYIP. Funny story, took the crew car out at KDET one day to find food. First and last time I ever saw a KFC with tables bolted to the floor, no chairs, and money and food passed through bulletproof plexiglass. Of course this was back in the 90s before downtown Detroit was "gentrified".

727C47

all the above^^^ I was a regular in the 90's in both the DC3,and the CV340, doing the on demand automotive freight thing, 5000 feet was plenty for the 3, but a tight fit for the 340 gross loaded in the warm months, those R2800s bellowing at 59.5" with ADI water injection, pulling 2400 horses a side,watching the city slide by beneath us as we eased up and away into another hard days/night.

Timbo

That story reminds me, does anyone know what ever happened to Zantop?

I left the Freight Dog world to join the Air Guard in March of 1983, Zantop was still around, but 2 years later, by the time I got back from UPT and got an airline job, I think they were gone. Were they bought by someone, or bankrupt and just shut down?

727C47

Ztop kept coming and going, at their peak in the early 90's they flew Electras,CV640s,and DC8s were unionized and had a decent contract,by their last gasp in '02 (I think),they were down to a handful of Lockheeds,the remains of which are a mouldering away on the west ramp at KYIP to this day.

Jughead

Seek and ye shall find.



Pilot unionization became a sore point for management, and they created a dedicated FAR Part 125 Certificate that could operate without unionized pilots. Eventually, all of the contracts held by the company were passed along to others. Those marketplaces were observed to change over time, even as other airlines took over ZIA contracts. The remaining aircraft were sold off, save a handful, and eventually the airline lost business momentum. Its operating certificate and FAR 121 Air Carrier Certificate, once deemed highly valuable, was given back to the FAA in beginning years of the new millennium, as was the FAR 125 Certificate. It was then that Zantop International Airlines ceased operations, and their aging but excellent aircraft were marketed elsewhere.