Big Bear City Airport is a high-elevation public

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 ...

, operated by the Big Bear Airport District, located in the

San Bernardino Mountains The San Bernardino Mountains are a high and rugged mountain range in Southern California in the United States. Situated north and northeast of San Bernardino and spanning two California counties, the range tops out at at San Gorgonio Mountain ...

in Big Bear City, California, United States.

Facilities and aircraft

Big Bear City Airport covers an area of which contains one

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 ...

paved

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, concrete ...

(8/26) measuring 5,850 x 75 ft (1,783 x 23 m). In 2004, the airport had 30,000 aircraft operations, an average of 82 per day: 93%

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 ...

and 7% military. There are 141 aircraft based at this airport: 94% single engine, 3% multi-engine, 2%

ultralight Ultralight aviation (called microlight aviation in some countries) is the flying of lightweight, 1- or 2-seat fixed-wing aircraft. Some countries differentiate between weight-shift control and conventional three-axis control aircraft with aile ...

and 1%

glider Glider may refer to: Aircraft and transport Aircraft * Glider (aircraft), heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight ** Glider (sailplane), a rigid-winged glider aircraft with an undercarriage, used in the sport of gliding ...

. The Barnstorm Restaurant in the terminal building serves German-American cuisine and is open every day from 7am to 3pm for breakfast and lunch. It is open from 5pm to 9pm Thursday through Sunday for dinner.

Specific flight rules

Big Bear City Airport has published specific flight rules for aircraft. At the time of writing, the established procedure is for inbound traffic to fly in over the ski slopes at 9,500 feet, and for departing traffic to fly at or below 8,500 feet. As this airport is at fairly high altitude and routinely experiences density altitudes of 9,000 feet or higher, it is important (perhaps more than usual) for pilots to double-check the performance tables in their aircraft manuals to ensure that they will be able to take off. The flight rules also contain noise abatement procedures that help the airport, its tenants, and its guests to be better neighbors to the community. The calm wind runway (26) ends at the eastern terminus of Big Bear Lake. There is no suitable landing area for several miles, as the terrain is covered almost completely with coniferous trees and houses. If an airplane can make it over the lake and past the dam, its pilot will enjoy "instant altitude" - there is a deep fissure between mountain ridges that leads roughly south towards San Bernardino. One must be cautious of possible

turbulence In fluid dynamics, turbulence or turbulent flow is fluid motion characterized by chaotic changes in pressure and flow velocity. It is in contrast to a laminar flow, which occurs when a fluid flows in parallel layers, with no disruption between ...

and mountain wave/rotor activity in this area, but aside from that, it is an option for pilots who are having trouble climbing or maintaining altitude.

Historical airline service

In 1988, Alpha Air, a commuter airline based in southern California which subsequently became a Trans World Express air carrier flying on behalf of TWA, was operating nonstop service from the airport to

Los Angeles International Airport Los Angeles International Airport , commonly referred to as LAX (with each letter pronounced individually), is the primary international airport serving Los Angeles, California and its surrounding metropolitan area. LAX is located in the ...

(LAX).http://www.departedflights.com, Nov. 18, 1988 Alpha Air route map

References

External links

Big Bear City Airport
(official site) * {{IE Mass Transit Airports in San Bernardino County, California Big Bear Valley San Bernardino Mountains