Arcata-Eureka Airport

From WikiAir

Arcata/Eureka Airport, also known as Arcata Airport, is an airportlocated in McKinleyville, California serving Humboldt County, including the two towns that make its name: Arcata and Eureka. The airport is a Federally designated port of entry for civil aircraft arriving in the United States.

The airport was originally constructed by the United States Navy during World War II for the purpose of testing defogging systems for aircraft. Current utilization is now a mixture of general and commercial aviation with two commercial airlines, Horizon Air and United Airlines, providing scheduled service.

For the year of 2005, the Arcata Airport serviced 102,000 arriving commercial passengers and 104,000 departing on 4,370 departing flights. Horizon carried 66.29% of the passengers with United carrying the remainder. 78% of the 2005 flights departed on time and 79% of the arriving flights were on time. In addition to passenger traffic, the airport also shipped 457,000 pounds (207,291 kg) of cargo.

[edit] Facilities

Arcata Airport covers 745 acres<ref name=FAA/> and has two runways:

Runway 1/19: 4,499 x 150 ft. (1,371 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt<ref name=airnav>Template:Cite web</ref>
Runway 14/32: 6,000 x 150 ft. (1,829 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt<ref name=airnav/>

Being located on the Pacific coast of California, the airport falls under the jurisdiction of the California Coastal Commission and major changes to the airport such as rezoning or fencing in the airport require approval by the Commission.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The approach flight path for runway 32 passes over Central Avenue, a highly travelled road in the area. The strobe lights that direct planes onto the runway were creating a visual hazard for drivers on Central Avenue as the strobe lights were creating a glare. The problem was especially noticeable during inclement weather when the strobes' intensity was increased and the roadways were reflective from water on the surface. The Federal Aviation Administration's Office of Aviation Research, Airport Technology Research and Development Branch responded to the hazard by installing baffles on the strobes that block the lights from shining on the road while still providing visual guidance for aircraft.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>