Napa County Airport

Napa County Airport
Napa Army Airfield
2006 USGS Photo
Summary
Airport type Public Public Works
Operator Napa County
Location Napa County, near Napa, California
Elevation AMSL 35 ft / 11 m
Coordinates 38°12′47.50″N 122°16′50.50″W / 38.2131944°N 122.2806944°W / 38.2131944; -122.2806944Coordinates: 38°12′47.50″N 122°16′50.50″W / 38.2131944°N 122.2806944°W / 38.2131944; -122.2806944
Map
APC
Location of airport in California / United States
APC
APC (the US)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
6/24 5,007 1,526 Concrete
18R/36L 5,930 1,807 Concrete
18L/36R 2,510 765 Asphalt

Napa County Airport (IATA: APC, ICAO: KAPC, FAA LID: APC) (Napa Valley Airport) is a public airport five miles (8 km) south of Napa, in Napa County, California, United States.[1] It has three runways. During 2008 the airport's 1960-era control tower received extensive radio, plumbing and electrical upgrades and renovations funded by the federal government. Airport officials said the airport had about 122,000 flights take off or land at the facility annually.[2]

History

The airport was built by the United States Army Air Forces about 1942, and was known as Napa Flight Strip. It was an emergency landing airfield for military aircraft on training flights. It was expanded later in the war and renamed Napa Army Airfield, becoming an auxiliary airfield of the Fourth Air Force Hamilton Army Airfield.[3] 4th Air Force used the base to train replacement fighter pilots, primarily flying P-38 Lightnings before being deployed overseas.

After World War II the property was deeded to Napa County by the War Assets Administration for civil use. The airport soon became a business hub for what was once a rural, sparsely populated area in the south end of the county. Jonesy's Restaurant opened for business in 1946 at the airport and was a longtime favorite.[4] The restaurant remained in business for 63 years before closing in 2010.[5] By 1947 half a dozen small businesses had opened at the facility but only Bridgeford Flying Service remained open past the first year and remains in business today. In 2012 the name was changed from Bridgeford Flying Service to Napa Jet Center. In 1971 International Air Services Company (IASCO) and Japan Airlines opened a flight training school at the airport.[6] In June 2010 Japan Airlines announced that it would be closing its training facility as part of a bankruptcy reorganization plan.[7] In February 2012 IASCO announced that it would be moving its training facility to Redding, California in early March.[8] In June 2014, International Airline Training Academy signed an agreement to lease space at the airport to train pilots for a five-year period.[9]

The control tower sustained minor damage in the 2014 South Napa earthquake.[10] On May 22, 2015, Surf Air started flying regular service to the airport.[11]

See also

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

  • Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Locating Air Force Base Sites History’s Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC, 2004.
  1. ↑ "Napa County Airport". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
  2. ↑ KERANA TODOROV In the air above Napa The Napa Valley Register. 2008-08-22.
  3. ↑ Ford, Jim. Gearing up for war. The Napa Valley Register. 2007-10-22.
  4. ↑ Treleven, Mike. Business benchmarks: Jonesy’s Famous Steak House. The Napa Valley Register. 2007-05-12.
  5. ↑ Treleven, Mike Jonesy's Restaurant closes for business. The Napa Valley Register. 2010-08-17.
  6. ↑ Stanley, Pat Napa airport is big business. The Napa Valley Register 2003-06-07.
  7. ↑ HUFFMAN, JENNIFER Japan Airlines to leave Napa The Napa Valley Register 2010-15-06
  8. ↑ Yune, Howard Flight school to leave Napa airport The Napa Valley Register 2012-02-24
  9. ↑ Jensen, Peter County airport fills vacant Japan Airlines facility. The Napa Valley Register. 2014-06-25.
  10. ↑ "Napa airport open after earthquake damages tower". San Francisco Chronicle. 24 August 2014. Retrieved August 24, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Surf-Air-launches-at-Napa-County-Airport".
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