Felts Field

"KSFF" redirects here. For the radio station formerly called KSFF, see KMRV.
Felts Field

Felts Field looking west
IATA: SFF – ICAO: KSFF – FAA LID: SFF
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner Spokane City-County
Serves Spokane, Washington
Elevation AMSL 1,957 ft / 596 m
Coordinates 47°40′59″N 117°19′21″W / 47.68306°N 117.32250°W / 47.68306; -117.32250
Website www.FeltsField.com
Map
KSFF

Location of Felts Field

Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
4L/22R 4,499 1,371 Concrete
4R/22L 2,650 808 Asphalt
Statistics (2009)
Aircraft operations 75,124
Based aircraft 163

Felts Field (IATA: SFF, ICAO: KSFF, FAA LID: SFF) is a public airport five miles northeast of downtown Spokane, in Spokane County, Washington. It is owned by Spokane City-County.[1]

The airport has two hard surface runways. Felts Field is used for general aviation now, but it was Spokane's airline airport before the opening of Spokane International Airport.

History

Further information: Felts Field History
Boeing Air Transport B-40 at Felts Field on September 23, 1927

Felts Field, Spokane's historic airfield, is on the south bank of the Spokane River east of Spokane. Aviation activities began in 1913. In 1920 the field, then called the Parkwater airstrip, was designated a municipal flying field at the instigation of the Spokane Chamber of Commerce. In 1926, the United States Department of Commerce officially recognized Parkwater as an airport, one of the first in the West. In September 1927, in conjunction with Spokane’s National Air Derby and Air Races, the airport was renamed Felts Field for James Buell Felts (1898–1927), a Washington Air National Guard aviator killed in a crash that May. Parkwater Aviation Field, later Felts Field, was the location for flight instruction, charter service, airplane repair, aerial photography, headquarters of the 116th Observation Squadron of the Washington Air National Guard, and eventually the first airmail and commercial flights in and out of Spokane. After World War II, commercial air traffic moved to Geiger Field (later Spokane International Airport). Felts Field remains a busy regional hub for private and small-plane aviation and related businesses and services. In 1991 it was designated Felts Field Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.[2][3]

Today the airport is used for general aviation. No scheduled passenger service remains at Felts, though commercial scheduled Part 135 cargo operations remain via UPS and DHL contracting (Ameriflight LLC and previously Merlin Express Airways).

Facilities

Felts Field covers 416 acres (168 ha) at an elevation of 1,957 feet (596 m). It has two runways: 4L/22R is 4,499 by 150 feet (1,371 x 46 m) concrete and 4R/22L is 2,650 by 75 feet (808 x 23 m) asphalt. It has a seaplane landing area designated 3W/21W, 6,000 by 100 feet (1,829 x 30 m).[1]

In 2009 the airport had 75,124 aircraft operations, average 205 per day: 89% general aviation, 11% air taxi, and <1% military. 163 aircraft were then based at this airport: 69% single-engine, 22% multi-engine, 1% jet and 8% helicopter.[1]

Cargo Carriers

AirlinesDestinations
Airpac Airlines Seattle-Boeing

Accidents and incidents

On November 29, 2003 an Ameriflight LLC cargo (Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner) (N439AF) crashed on approach to runway 21R at Felts Field using ILS. The pilot's HSI was previously noted as inoperative, deferred, and due for scheduled maintenance. It is unclear whether the pilot was using backup instrumentation as prescribed via the deferral process or using the faulty HSI. The Metro III failed to maintain ILS glide slope and crashed short of the runway into rising terrain and trees. The pilot was killed during the subsequent impact and fire. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.[4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 FAA Airport Master Record for SFF (Form 5010 PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. Effective 25 August 2011.
  2. ↑ "Felts Field History". Retrieved 2011-07-19.
  3. ↑ "WASHINGTON - Spokane County". National Register of Historic Places. Retrieved 2009-01-15.
  4. ↑ "Flight 1966 crash". Retrieved 2011-07-19.

External links


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