The Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
A Look at its Aircraft on Film
by
Tom Hildreth

The Manchester-Boston Regional Airport has emerged in recent years as one of New England's premier aviation facilities. This airport draws it passenger base from New Hampshire, southwest Maine, northeast Massachusetts, and nearly all of Vermont. Known affectionately as MHT, the airport stands today as a transportation success story. As one might expect, the expansion at MHT has brought inconvenience and controversy, but the multi-stage growth plan has morphed this sleepy airport of the mid-1980s into a bustling operation in the 21st Century. In addition to its importance to the traveling public, MHT is the hub of northern New England's air cargo industry.

In 2006 the Manchester airport was named The Manchester·Boston Regional Airport. Note the use of a bullet, rather than a dash between the words Manchester and Boston. From WWII through the 1970s, the airport was also commonly called Grenier Field. For a look at the military use of this facility, including the period when it was known as Grenier AFB, you can read my articles HERE . I would be remiss not to mention the annual highlights of this earlier period, which were the large warbird airshows held here for a period of eight years. By my estimate they were the biggest warbird shows held in new England, and a photographer's delight. It is my objective to show through photographs some of the aircraft seen coming and going from Manchester's two runways (17-35 and 06-24). The military enthusiast will find there is little activity here of interest.

In the photo below, the building on the left is The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire. Originally built as the 1937 Northeast airways terminal, this art-deco structure was moved across the airport on 27 June 2004 to become the home of the New Hampshire Aviation Historical Society. As you can see from the photo, the museum's location at the approach end of runway 35 is excellent for aircraft spotters, photographers and gawkers. There is no static display of aircraft at the museum, but the enthusiast photographer will find the parking lot to be perhaps the very best location for airline photography in New England.

Photo updates may be found HERE



Measuring the parking lot's proximity to runway 17-35 as a photographer would, it is about 150mm for a full frame
(35mm film) shot of aircraft in the size range of the airbus below

Morning is the time for photography at the museum. Here a larger Airbus of UPS beginning its takeoff roll

Another big airbus, this time a Fedex example, just after touchdown on rwy #35

Bigger still, the DC-10s of Fedex are the biggest aircraft you are likely to see at MHT


For a while, the abberant second generation Pan Am airlines was seen at MHT. They have become a railroad instead-confusing
but true.

Air Georgian's Beech 1900Ds are what makes MHT an international airport

The Southwest Effect has helped the growth of MHT considerably

Aircraft size varies considerably, with the airlines adjusting capacity to match demand and financial goals




Speaking of aircraft sizes, this Premier was the smallest jet of the day. The little ones are making their entry in the aviation scene


Wiggins Airways operates a large fleet of turboprops from MHT in support of the package delivery industry


Not sure if this Cessna Caravan is one of theirs, but it's a nice shot. They also have many Pilatus PC XII aircraft


Bizjets like these Falcons also look pretty good from the museum parking lot




Earlier views from other locations, most of which are no longer available to the photographer
In 2002 I visited the grassy knoll for morning shots of aircraft departing on rwy #24 Here is a United Canadair Regional Jet about to begin its takeoff roll

Continental Boeing 737 taxying for a runway #24 departure in the morning

Air Georgian morning flight, heading for Toronto

Comair Canadair Regional Jet taxies for runway #24

These aircraft below are taxying for a rwy #06 departure having just crossed the new air bridge

DHavilland Canada Dash-8 of US Airways Express


The Gulfstream represents the high-end of the bizjet market


The smaller Airbus series have largely replaced the aging Douglas DC-9s on many airlines



No longer available to the photographer, this is the north side of rwy #24 on a summer afternoon in 2002. The 1959 Ammon complex with control tower can be seen in the background










In my continuing research on this airport I am always looking for more information and photos. In particular, I am looking for negatives, photos and slides of airliners and military aircraft taken at Manchester, NH from 1945-1985.

Historical Articles on the Boston-Manchester Regional Airport

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