| Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport | |
| Iata: | JVL |
| Icao: | KJVL |
| Faa: | JVL |
| Type: | Public |
| Owner: | Rock County |
| City-Served: | Janesville, Wisconsin |
| Location: | Town of Rock, Rock County |
| Timezone: | CST |
| Summer: | CDT |
| Elevation-F: | 808 |
| Elevation-M: | 246 |
| Website: | jvlairport.com |
| Pushpin Map: | Wisconsin#USA |
| Pushpin Mapsize: | 250 |
| Pushpin Relief: | yes |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of airport in Wisconsin |
| Pushpin Label: | JVL |
| Pushpin Label Position: | left |
| R1-Number: | 14/32 |
| R1-Length-F: | 7,302 |
| R1-Length-M: | 2,226 |
| R1-Surface: | Concrete |
| R2-Number: | 4/22 |
| R2-Length-F: | 6,701 |
| R2-Length-M: | 2,042 |
| R2-Surface: | Asphalt |
| R3-Number: | 18/36 |
| R3-Length-F: | 5,004 |
| R3-Length-M: | 1,525 |
| R3-Surface: | Asphalt |
| Stat1-Header: | Aircraft operations (2021) |
| Stat1-Data: | 54,744 |
| Stat2-Header: | Based aircraft (2024) |
| Stat2-Data: | 87 |
| Footnotes: | Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1] |
Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport is a public airport located southwest of Janesville and north of Beloit in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. Formerly known as Rock County Airport, it is owned and operated by the Rock County government. The airport has no scheduled commercial passenger service.
It is included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2025–2029, 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.
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. Wisconsin Central Airlines (later North Central and Republic) began service May 14, 1950.[3] In 1979, it had service to Chicago-O'Hare on Republic Airlines and Midstate Airlines.[4] Republic's service ended October, 1981; Midstate's service began April 15, 1979 and ended December 31, 1979. Mid-Continent Airlines (later American Central Airlines) began service October 1, 1981,[5] which ended July 25, 1985.
Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport covers an area of 1343acres at an elevation of 808 feet (246 m) above mean sea level. It contains three runways:
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2021, the airport had 54,744 aircraft operations, an average of 150 per day: 90% general aviation, 10% air taxi and less than 1% military. In August 2024, there were 87 aircraft based at this airport: 45 single-engine, 5 multi-engine, 33 jet and 4 helicopters.
The airport has an FBO that offers fuel as well as hangar parking, catering, courtesy cars, a conference room, a crew lounge, snooze rooms, and more.[6]
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.[7]
