Westport Airport is a privately owned, public use

airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surfa ...

located three nautical miles (6 km) southwest of the central business district of Wichita, a city in

Sedgwick County, Kansas Sedgwick County ( county code: SG) is located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 523,824, making it the second-most populous county in Kansas. Its county seat is Wichita, the most populous city in the stat ...

, United States. It is in the Class C airspace of neighboring

Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport is a commercial airport west of downtown Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is the largest and busiest airport in the state of Kansas. Located south of US-54 in southwest Wichita, it covers 3,24 ...

.Westport AG Sales and Service
official website Westport, popularly known as Dead Cow International, hosts, fuels and maintains light aircraft, services and sells parts for Cessna cropdusters, and is a center for restoration and operation of vintage aircraft.

Facilities and aircraft

Westport Airport covers an area of 32 acres (13 ha) at an

elevation The elevation of a geographic location is its height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface (see Geodetic datum § Ver ...

of 1,290 feet (393 m) above

mean sea level There are several kinds of mean in mathematics, especially in statistics. Each mean serves to summarize a given group of data, often to better understand the overall value (magnitude and sign) of a given data set. For a data set, the '' ari ...

. It has one

runway According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and takeoff of aircraft". Runways may be a man-made surface (often asphalt, concre ...

designated 17/35 with an

asphalt Asphalt, also known as bitumen (, ), is a sticky, black, highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum. It may be found in natural deposits or may be a refined product, and is classed as a pitch. Before the 20th century, the term ...

surface measuring 2,520 by 30 feet (768 x 9 m). * Southbound, the runway (Runway 17) has a 400-foot displaced threshold, owing to a powerline, thoroughfare and buildings immediately north of the field. * Northbound, the runway (Runway 35) has a powerline near its end, and requires a right-hand traffic pattern, minimizing interference with Wichita Eisenhower Airport traffic to the west. The 30-foot wide runway is asphalt (with surface cracks, and with grass encroaching on the sites), and is only officially reported as rated for 3,000-pound gross weight aircraft with single-wheel landing gear. However, larger single-wheel aircraft (e.g. Beech 18, Cessna T-50) have been based there. There is also an unofficial, wider, parallel adjacent grass runway, along the east side of the paved runway. A paved or gravel taxiway connects the paved runway to a paved ramp and grass ramp areas, and T-hangars. The airport FBO provides aircraft maintenance (including major airframe and powerplant repairs) and piston aircraft fuel (100LL), and the field is a popular location for the restoration of vintage aircraft, and the annual inspection and maintenance of modern planes.''Commemorative Air Force Jayhawk Wing History,''
website of the Jayhawk Wing of the

Commemorative Air Force The Commemorative Air Force (CAF), formerly known as the Confederate Air Force, is an American non-profit organization based in Dallas, Texas, that preserves and shows historical aircraft at airshows, primarily in the U.S. and Canada. The CAF h ...

Wichita, Kansas, retrieved Sept. 4, 2016. The airport also services as the headquarters and operating base of the local "Jayhawk Wing" of the

(CAF), which has a large hangar there for its restored-and-flying single- and twin-engine World War II training aircraft.McMillin, Molly
"Plenty Of Airports Around Wichita For Accidental Landings,"
December 2, 2013, ''

Wichita Eagle ''The Wichita Eagle'' is a daily newspaper published in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is owned by The McClatchy Company and is the largest newspaper in Wichita and the surrounding area. History Origins In 1870, ''The Vidette'' was the fi ...

'' retrieved March 16, 2023 from AviationPros.com

Airspace and control

Westport is in the Class C airspace surrounding nearby

(formerly Mid-Continent International Airport), the city's municipal airport, 2 miles west of Westport.FAA, Sectional Aeronautical Chart for Wichita area, early 2016, Federal Aviation Administration Westport has no control tower of its own, but is generally open to public in daylight hours. According to the FAA Chart Supplement for North Central U.S., dated 26 May 2016, for departures, pilots should contact Wichita tower on ground or on the tower frequency, "and remain east of the field until communications are established."

Communications and navigation

Communications

The airport

UNICOM A UNICOM (universal communications) station is an air-ground communication facility operated by a non-air traffic control private agency to provide advisory service at uncontrolled aerodromes and airports and to provide various non-flight services ...

frequency is 122.9 (in mid-2015) is not always monitored by ground personnel. Air traffic control frequencies are from Wichita tower, of nearby

(formerly Mid-Continent International Airport), the city's municipal airport, 2 miles west of Westport.

Navigation

The Wichita

VOR VOR or vor may refer to: Organizations * Vale of Rheidol Railway in Wales * Voice of Russia, a radio broadcaster * Volvo Ocean Race, a yacht race Science, technology and medicine * VHF omnidirectional range, a radio navigation aid used in a ...

is a few miles northwest of the airport, and a non-directional beacon (NDB) a few miles southwest of the field. The field has no instrument landing system, and no published IFR approaches. ''Aviation Safety'' Magazine has noted that it is possible to approach neighboring Eisenhower Airport on an IFR approach, and then, when below the overcast, cancel IFR flight plan and request a

Special VFR Special visual flight rules (also special VFR or SVFR) are a set of aviation regulations under which a pilot may operate an aircraft. It is a special case of operating under visual flight rules (VFR). Use in different regions The definition f ...

(SVFR) clearance to land at 71K (Wesport).Burnside, Jeb
"Special VFR: It's not VFR. It's special."
February 20, 2020, ''Aviation Safety,'' retrieved March 16, 2023 A

wind sock A windsock (also called a wind cone) is a conical textile tube that resembles a giant sock. It can be used as a basic indicator of wind speed and direction, or as decoration. They are typically used at airports to show the direction and strength ...

is in the center of the field, west of the runways, and a wind tetrahedron has been seen near the north end of the runway, though its status is unknown. Prevaililng winds are from the south, and Runway 35 is the most commonly used approach.

History and status

Westport Airport was founded in 1946, by Earl V. ("Van") Long II, and subsequently taken over by his sons. Today, only Earl V. Long III—a noted local aircraft mechanic with degrees in math and physics, and much experience restoring vintage military aircraft—operates the field.The ''Dead Cow International'' Story
Westport Airport official website.McMillin, Molly

May 05, 2013, ''

,'' retrieved June 22, 2020 In its early years, Westport doubled as a cow pasture. When a plane landing in the dark struck and killed a cow—and another was found dead later—the airport got its nickname, Dead Cow International" ("DCI"), a nickname celebrated by the owners and enshrined in their logo. In 1983, the Longs founded Westport AG Sales & Service, focusing largely on agricultural aircraft—particularly

Cessna 188 The Cessna 188 is a family of light agricultural aircraft produced between 1966 and 1983 by the Cessna Aircraft Company.Christy, Joe ''The Complete Guide to the Single-Engine Cessnas'' 3rd ed, TAB Books, Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania, USA, 1 ...

Agwagon maintenance and parts supply. That FBO now operates the airport. In later years, in addition to hosting typical light aircraft, and servicing them, Westport became a mecca for vintage aircraft restoration, particularly of

Beech Model 18 The Beechcraft Model 18 (or "Twin Beech", as it is also known) is a 6- to 11-seat, twin-engined, low-wing, tailwheel light aircraft manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. Continuously produced from 1937 to November ...

and Cessna Bobcat aircraft, and a local chapter (the Jayhawk Wing) of the

was established there, equipped with some of the planes restored locally. It also serves as a cropduster (

/ Cessna AgWagon) maintenance and parts facility. For the 12-month period ending June 22, 2012, the airport had 860

general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...

aircraft operations, an average of 71 per month. At that time there were 14 aircraft based at this airport: 86% single-

engine An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy. Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power ...

and 14% multi-engine.

Nearby airports

NOTE: Westport is under the Class C controlled airspace for Wichita's nearby municipal airport. *

(formerly Mid-Continent International Airport), which has extensive jet aircraft traffic (particularly business jets, which are built locally), and limited amounts of heavy aircraft traffic, as well as substantial traffic of general aviation airplanes and helicopters. Other airports in Wichita: *

, about 2 miles west of Westport Airport — the city's principal municipal airport, with heavy-jet traffic and Class C controlled airspace * Westport Auxiliary Airport, about 2 miles south of Westport Airport — a small, unattended, rough grass field *

Colonel James Jabara Airport Colonel James Jabara Airport is a public airport located northeast of the central business district of Wichita, a city in Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States. It is named in honor of World War II and Korean War flying ace James Jabara, an ...

— Wichita's principal public general aviation airport, on the opposite side of town, accommodating small aircraft and business jets *

Beech Factory Airport Beech Factory Airport is a public use airport located five nautical miles (9 km) east of the central business district of Wichita, a city in Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States. It is privately owned by Beechcraft. Facilities and air ...

, private field, on the far east side of town, with control tower *

Cessna Aircraft Field Cessna Aircraft Field is a public use airport located four nautical miles (7 km) southeast of the central business district of Wichita, in Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States. It is privately owned by the Cessna Aircraft Company. Faciliti ...

, private field, on the far east side of town, southeast of downtown, immediately north of McConnell AFB (see below) *

McConnell Air Force Base McConnell Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located four miles (6 km) southeast of the central business district of Wichita, a city in Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States., effective 2007-12-20 The airbase was named in ...

on the far east side of town, southeast of downtown, adjacent to Cessna Field, a restricted field with controlled airspace Other airports in metropolitan area: * El Dorado / Captain Jack Thomas Airport *

Augusta Municipal Airport Augusta Municipal Airport is located approximately west of Augusta in Butler County, Kansas, United States, on the south side of US-54/ US-400 highway. The airport is in the Wichita Metropolitan Service Area and benefits from the many are ...

(east of city) *

Lloyd Stearman Field Lloyd Stearman Field , also known as Benton Airpark, is a public airport located one mile (1.6 km) southwest of the central business district of Benton, in Butler County, Kansas, United States. The airport covers 30 acres and has one ru ...

( Benton) (northeast of city) * Cook Field (southeast of city) Other airports in region: *

List of airports in Kansas This is a list of airports in Kansas (a U.S. state), grouped by type and sorted by location. It contains all public-use and military airports in the state. Some private-use and former airports may be included where notable, such as airports that we ...

List of airports in Oklahoma This is a list of airports in Oklahoma (a U.S. state), grouped by type and sorted by location. It contains all public-use and military airports in the state. Some private-use and former airports may be included where notable, such as airports that ...

References

External links

Westport Airport (71K)
at

Kansas DOT The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is a state government organization in charge of maintaining public roadways of the U.S. state of Kansas. Funding issues Since 2012, over $2 billion has been diverted from its coffers to the Kansas ...

Airport Directory
Aerial image as of March 1996
from

USGS The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, a ...

The National Map ''The National Map'' is a collaborative effort of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and other federal, state, and local agencies to improve and deliver topographic information for the United States. The purpose of the effort is to pro ...

'' * {{US-airport-minor, 71K Airports in Kansas Transportation in Sedgwick County, Kansas