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Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport (IATA: JVL, ICAO: KJVL, FAA LID: JVL) is a public airport located southwest of Janesville and north of Beloit in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States.[1] Formerly known as Rock County Airport, it is owned and operated by the Rock County government. The airport has no scheduled commercial passenger service.

Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport
2006 USGS airphoto
IATA: JVL ICAO: KJVL FAA LID: JVL
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	Rock County
Serves	Janesville, Wisconsin
Location	Town of Rock, Rock County
Elevation AMSL	808 ft / 246 m
Coordinates	42°37′13″N 89°02′30″W
Website	jvlairport.com
Map
JVL Location of airport in Wisconsin Show map of Wisconsin JVL JVL (the United States) Show map of the United States
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 14/32 7,302 2,226 Concrete 4/22 6,701 2,042 Asphalt 18/36 5,004 1,525 Asphalt
Statistics
Aircraft operations (2020) 48,642 Based aircraft (2022) 69
Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1]

It is included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2021–2025, in which it is categorized as a national general aviation facility.[2]

Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport was once home to the annual Southern Wisconsin AirFEST.

History

This section does not cite any sources. (June 2017)

Several Rock County farms provided land for contract glider pilot training to the United States Army Air Forces in 1942. Training was provided by Morey Airplane Company using three turf runway locations in three township sections. C-47 Skytrains and Waco CG-4 unpowered Gliders were not used. The production CG-4A gliders were not delivered until after these northern civilian schools were closed. Aircraft furnished by the Army were single engine L type Cessna, Aeronca and Piper. There were no gliders and there was no glider towing. These schools became known as dead stick training.

The mission of the school was to train glider pilot students in approaches with the engine off, landing at a mark, night landing and strange field landing. Ground school instruction was in navigation, maintenance, meteorology, instruments, aircraft identification, chemical warfare defense, customs of service and physical training and drill.

These schools were inactivated at the end of 1942 or sooner. The farm fields used in Rock County were turned back to the farmers when the schools were closed. None of this glider pilot training in Rock County occurred at or on the current Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport space.

SWRA has, in the past, had scheduled airline passenger service. In 1979, it had service to Chicago-O'Hare on Republic Airlines and Midstate Airlines.[3]

Facilities and aircraft

Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport covers an area of 1,343 acres (543 ha) at an elevation of 808 feet (246 m) above mean sea level. It contains three runways:[1]

• Runway 14/32: 7,302 x 150 ft (2,226 x 46 m), surface: concrete, with approved ILS and GPS approaches
• Runway 4/22: 6,701 x 150 ft (2,042 x 46 m), surface: asphalt, with approved ILS and GPS approaches
• Runway 18/36: 5,004 x 75 ft (1,525 x 23 m), surface: asphalt

For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2020, the airport had 48,642 aircraft operations, an average of 133 per day: 91% general aviation, 8% air taxi and 1% military. In September 2022, there were 69 aircraft based at this airport: 35 single-engine, 2 multi-engine, 28 jet and 4 helicopters.[1]

Southern Wisconsin AirFest

The Southern Wisconsin AirFest was an annual air show that hosted North American jet teams, such as the Blue Angels, the Thunderbirds and the Masters of Disaster. The event was discontinued following the 2012 season.[4]

Headliners

• 2003: The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds were scheduled to perform but due to an accident in late September they were unable to perform at the show. In their place was the CF-18 Hornet
• 2004: U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
• 2005: U.S. Navy Blue Angels
• 2006: U.S. Air Force F-16 Viper East Demo Team
• 2007: U.S. Air Force F-16 Viper East Demo Team and Codename: Mary's Lamb
• 2008: Canadian Armed Forces Snowbirds
• 2009: U.S. Navy Blue Angels
• 2010: U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and Canadian Armed Forces Snowbirds
• 2011: VFA-122 Super Hornet West Coast Demo Team
• 2012: United States Army Golden Knights Parachute Team and Black Diamond Jet Team

Accidents & Incidents

• On August 27, 1999, a Walker Breezy was destroyed on takeoff when it impacted terrain. The aircraft was starting on a cross-country flight to Beloit, Wisconsin. Witnesses say the plane climbed steeply and began a left turn. The plane then turned back to the right and fishtailed, poirposed, and began another right turn before pitching straight down and impacting terrain. The airline transport pilot onboard was fatally injured.[5]
• On February 16, 2021, a homebuilt Velocity V-Twin crashed after departure from Janesville. The plane had originally arrived from Appleton International Airport and departed for Florida after refueling. Roughly one minute from departure, the plane's pilots requested a return to the airport. The plane eventually crashed into trees one mile south of the airport in a reported steep dive. The aircraft received substantial damage and both pilots onboard died. [6][7]

See also

• Wisconsin World War II Army Airfields
• 31st Flying Training Wing (World War II)
• List of airports in Wisconsin

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

Other sources

External links

• Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport
• "Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport" (PDF). at Wisconsin Department of Transportation
• Southern Wisconsin AirFEST, official site
• FAA Airport Diagram (PDF), effective November 3, 2022
• FAA Terminal Procedures for JVL, effective November 3, 2022
• Resources for this airport:
  • FAA airport information for JVL
  • AirNav airport information for KJVL
  • ASN accident history for JVL
  • FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
  • NOAA/NWS weather observations: current, past three days
  • SkyVector aeronautical chart, Terminal Procedures

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