Source #1
Introduction
Since opeing in the 60s, FNL has grown each year and now services as integral infrastructure for the communities of Northern Colorado including Loveland, Fort Collins, Greeley, Johnstown and many others! Since 2021, the airport has served as a stop for the Landline bus service which gives people in this part of the state easy transportation to DIA; addionally in 2021, FNL saw the return of the great colorado air show for the first time in two decades! The airport is also part of JetCenters of Colorado which operates the FBO and ground handles a large percentage of aircraft oeprations.
It is also home to the flight center for Aims community college where they operate a mixed fleet of Piper Archers and Seminoles for the pilot program and as of Fall 2025, the A&P mechanic program; in addition to two other flight schools.
Table of Contents
- History
- Terminal Information
- ATC Information
- Airfield Information
- SID’s / STAR’s
History
Origins & Establishment
- The airport was established in 1963 after the FAA provided a 1,000 acre site to the cities of Loveland & Fort Collins adjacent to I-25.
- Officially and unofficially, FNL was built as a more viable long term solution to the Fort Collins downtown airport which was restricted to small GA traffic.
- At the time of opening, the airport had basic, limited infrastructure and was originally named "Fort Collins-Loveland Municipal Airport**. This included the original primary runway, likely around 3,000 ft at opening, which was extended multiple times in subsequent decades.
1960s - 1990s
- A few years after the airport opened, an east-west runway designated 06/24 opened to support the growing GA traffic that the airport was recieving; at the time of opening, it was a very simple graded gravel runway, and soon after got paved.
- Slowly but surely over the next many decades, the airport expanded with more hangars, a 2 gate passenger terminal complex, and extensions to Runway 15/33 with the addition of precision and non-precision instrument approaches.
- In the late 1980s, United and Continental, through their regional partners, began shuttle service to Denver Stapleton aboard the emb 120 brasilia, Beech 1900 and other smaller aircraft. These flights lasted until about 1997, a few years into operations for the new Denver Int’l.
2000 - 2010
- The late 90s and 2000s saw the biggest expansions all across the airport including an improved commercial ramp, additional parking lots, the hangars that would eventually become the Aims flight center, and a major extension to 15/33 bringing it to its current length.
- In 2003, then new low-cost airline Allegiant Air began MD-80 service from FNL to Las Vegas. This service ended in 2012 amid internal buisness disputes and operational issues at FNL including the lack of an on-site ATC tower.
- In 2007, a master was completed which included a runway rehabilitaion project for the end the decade which was ultimately cancelled due to FAA compliance issues.
2010 - 2020
- In 2010, Allegiant expanded service to the airport with flights to Phoenix-Mesa.
- Due to the lack of a tower and unstable airline demand, service didn’t return to the airport until 2015 with seasonal CRJ200 and 700 service to Chicago Rockford with Elite Airways! This service ended just a year later in 2016.
- In 2015, the airport was selected as a pilot site to test remote ATCT technology which uses a large number of cameras and senors off-site.
- In April of 2016, the airport was renamed to Northern Colorado Regional Airport or “NoCo” for short.
- August 2019 marked the opening of the Aims flight training center which has expanded a few times over recent years to include a private ramp.
2020 - Present
- Amidst the affects of the covid pandemic, new airline Avelo began service to Burbank and Las vegas in October 2021; the same month the Great Colorado Air Show returned! The airshow has been headed by the Blue Angels and AF Thunderbirds since then! - Although the flights were popular for the times, they ended less than a year later in June 2022 due to increased fuel and supply prices.
- The same year, Landline and United began a partnership to offer bus service to DIA, which continues to this day with immense popularity; although now as an independent operation.
- The same year, in anticipation of the new terminal, the commerical ramp was expanded which included the addition of taxiway E for easy double access.
- As the prospect of new airline service continuing to loom and airport administration continuing to be in talks with many airlines, the airport broke ground for a new terminal in 2023 which opening in november 2024! This new terminal offers 2 gates and 5 parking spots for aircraft up to the A321!
- In the coming years, the airport has plans for a runway widening to meet FAA standards and continued evaluation of a permanent ATC tower.
Terminal and Airline Information
FNL currently has 2 terminals with quirky operations. The old one is used for diversion flights, of which there are many over the course of the year, while the new one is used for all charter flights. As of writing, Alaska, Jetblue, Allegiant, Sun Country, and JSX currently operate charters including all sports charters for CSU and UNC.
The current terminal has two passenger gates, and many modern ammenities expected at a regional airport. Also as of writing, I am currently reworking FNL in Infinite flight as part of IFAET - no timeline of completion is expected as of now. Credible rumors have it that Breeze airways is in talks with the airport about making FNL a mid-continent hub which would bring sustainable use of the new facilities.
Air Traffic Control Information
FNL is currently served by a contract tower through SERCO and operates 7 days a week from 8am to 6pm. In addition to this, Denver tracon offer’s approach and departure control while Denver ARTCC is the overlying center control facility.
→ AirNav: KFNL - Northern Colorado Regional Airport
→ FNL - Northern Colorado Regional Airport | SkyVector
| Frequency | Name |
|---|---|
| 135.075 | ATIS |
| 121.65 | Ground |
| 118.4 | Tower |
| 118.400 | CTAF |
| 134.85 | Denver approach & Departure |
| 120.25 | Clearance Delivery |
Airfield Information
Runways
| Name | Lengh | Materia | Edge Lighting | Markings | Traffic Pattern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15/33 | 8,500 ft (2491m) | Asphalt | High Intensity | Precision Instrument in good condition | Left |
| 06/24 | 2,189 ft (667m) | Asphalt in good condition | None | Basic in good condition | Left |
| Note: Runway 33 currently has one ILS/LOC and one RNAV GPS approach procedure. | |||||
| Note: Runway 15 has one RNAV GPS approach procedure. There is also a VOR-A procedure. Both can be found on Skyvector or Airnav linked in the section above. |
Elevation: 5,020 ft msl
Timezone: GMT-7 (UTC -6 during Daylight Saving Time)
FAA Identifier: FNL
ICAO: KFNL
Pattern Altitude: 6,020
Class: Towered E airspace
Beacon: White-green
Sids and Stars
Standard Instrument Departures
Standard Terminal Arrival Routes
Sources
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