Warroad International Memorial Airport, also known as Swede Carlson Field, is a busy place. Located just north of the town of Warroad, Minnesota, it serves Roseau County and the surrounding area as well as Marvin Windows and its fleet of four aircraft. Airport manager Bethany Sundvor has been with the airport for two years, previously working and Grand Forks International Airport and completing her degree at the University of North Dakota in airport management. She and assistant manager Matt Rachuy manage and maintain the 320-acre site that houses both corporate and private aircraft. The airport is owned and operated by the City of Warroad.
The airport's two runways are 13/31, the main paved runway, which measures 5,400 x 100 feet; and turf crosswind runway 4/22, which is 2,987 x 150 feet. Runway 13/31 is served by a MALSR on both approaches.
Warroad International averages 4,000 operations each year. Marvin Windows regularly flies builders, designers, and suppliers to the area to tour its plant and learn about Marvin's products, averaging at least two or three flights daily. These flights occur most frequently in the winter, when construction is in the planning stages and builders are more available.
Since the airport is located only four miles from the U.S./Canadian border, the airport houses U.S. Customs services. International flights are processed at the airport on an on-call basis. The Warroad airport is also home to a DNR fire base, with firefighting aircraft operating in the spring and fall of each year.
According to Sundvor, the airport is undertaking rehabilitation of its parallel taxiway this summer, as well as upgrading its fuel stations to include 24-hour credit card fueling. In the near future, the airport also plans to construct a perimeter fence, since wildlife such as deer, coyote, and bear are common in the area.
