Paso Robles Municipal Airport: Difference between revisions

| name = Paso Robles Municipal Airport<BR>{{small|Estrella Army Airfield}}

| caption = KPRB July 2007

| r1-surface = [[Asphalt]]

| stat-year = 2013

| stat1-header = Aircraft Operations

| stat1-data = 34,250

| stat2-header = Based Aircraft

| stat2-data = 305

'''Paso Robles Municipal Airport''' {{Airport codes|PRB|KPRB|PRB}} is four miles (6&nbsp;km) northeast of downtown [[Paso Robles, California|Paso Robles]], in [[San Luis Obispo County, California|San Luis Obispo County]], [[California]].<ref name=FAA />

The airport covers 1,300 [[acre]]s (5.3&nbsp;km²) and has two runways and one [[helipad]]:

* 1/19: 6,008 x 150&nbsp;ft (1,831 x 46 m) Asphalt

* 13/31: 4,701 x 100&nbsp;ft (1,433 x 30 m) Asphalt

* Helipad H1: 100 x 100&nbsp;ft (30 x 30 m) Asphalt

Built in 1943 as the '''Estrella Army Air Field''', it saw little military activity during [[World War II|the War]]; Sherwood Field, a few miles to the south, played a more colorful role in the beginnings of aviation in northern [[San Luis Obispo County]]. '''Pacific Seaboard Air Lines''' was the first airline at Paso Robles. In 1933 Pacific Seaboard had two daily round trip [[Bellanca CH-300]]s Los Angeles - Santa Barbara - Santa Maria - San Luis Obispo - Paso Robles - Monterey - Salinas - San Jose - San Francisco.<ref>http://www.timetableimages.com, Summer 1933 Pacific Seaboard timetable</ref> Pacific Seaboard would later move its entire operation to the eastern U.S., be renamed [[Chicago and Southern Air Lines]], and in 1953 be acquired by and merged into [[Delta Air Lines]].<ref>http://www.deltamuseum.org, Chicago and Southern (C&S) Air Lines</ref>

On September 3, 1942 construction began on the Airfield, to be used as a [[Marine Corps]] Bomber Base. On April 8, 1943, the field was dedicated as '''Estrella Army Airfield''' to be used by the Army Air Corps. Estrella Army Airfield had 1259 [[acres]] of land, two {{convert|4,700|ft|m|adj=mid|-long}} runways, an operations building and a three-bay fire station. The Marine Corps Units occupied buildings to the west, across Airport Road in what is now the California Youth Authority. On August 29, 1947 the Federal Government transferred {{convert|1057|acre|km2}} to the County of San Luis Obispo to be used as a commercial airport, and {{convert|202|acre|km2}} and buildings to the State of California to be used as a [[correctional facility]].

After the county's acquisition of the airfield, the County of San Luis Obispo extended runway 01/19 from {{convert|4700|ft|m}} to {{convert|6009|ft|m}}; installed high intensity lights; and built a large [[hangar]], ten T-Hangars and a [[Airport terminal|terminal building]] between 1949 and 1952. In 1956 flights by '''[[Southwest Airways]]''' commenced with [[Martin 4-0-4]]s. Southwest Airways changed its name to '''[[Pacific Air Lines]]''' which later served Paso Robles with [[Fairchild F-27]]s to Los Angeles, San Francisco and other California cities. In 1968 Pacific Air Lines merged with [[Bonanza Air Lines]] and [[West Coast Airlines]] to form '''Air West''' which continued to serve the airport with F-27s. In 1970 Air West was renamed '''[[Hughes Airwest]]''' which continued to serve Paso Robles with F-27s until 1974. Pacific, Air West and Hughes Airwest all listed [[San Luis Obispo]] in their timetables as being served via the Paso Robles Airport.<ref>http://www.timetableimages.com, April 28, 1968 Pacific timetable & July 1, 1968 Air West timetable</ref><ref>http://www.departedflights.com, July 1, 1972 Hughes Airwest timetable</ref>

Passenger flights returned to Paso Robles when '''[[SkyWest Airlines]]''' ([[Delta Connection]]) established a base at the airfield flying [[Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia]]s and [[Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner]]s to several California cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Fresno. This business plan proved not to be viable and SkyWest withdrew from Paso Robles. Several commuter airlines such as Golden Carriage Air and Eagle Airlines served Paso Robles in the late 1970s but none proved successful.<ref>http://www.departedflights.com, Nov. 15, 1979 Official Airline Guide</ref>

After the end of airline flights by Hughes Airwest at the airport in 1974, the county, in an effort to rid its rolls of excess property, sold the former air base to the City of Paso Robles for $1.00. At that time the County was unable to derive enough income to support the cost of running the airport, and the former Estrella Army Air Force Base then became the town's municipal airport. After Estrella Field was transferred to the City of Paso Robles in 1974, industrial and [[General aviation]] development has seen astonishing growth. After the airfield was turned over for civilian use it was named '''Archie Dean Field''', but soon acquired its current name of Paso Robles Municipal. The City of Paso Robles subdivided unused land into 81 parcels for commercial development. The City formed an all-volunteer [[ARFF|Fire, Crash and Rescue]] Department to serve the airport and the surrounding area. The City took over the water wells and the sewer treatment plant from the State to serve both the Airport and the Youth Authority.

On June 8, 2014 the [[US Air Force]] landed a [[Boeing C-17 Globemaster III|C-17 Globemaster III]] at the field, proving that it can support military transport to and from Camp Roberts, some {{convert|15|mi}} away.<ref name=AMC_C17>{{cite web|last1=Cossel|first1=Benjamin|title=Big plane lands on small runway|url=http://www.amc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123414527|publisher=[[Air Mobility Command]]|accessdate=17 June 2014|date=13 June 2014}}</ref><ref>http://www.dvidshub.net/news/132916/big-plane-lands-small-runway#.VH0l-mTF-7U</ref>

The area around the Paso Robles Airport, known as Airport Road [[Industrial Park]], is home to many [[Aircraft Maintenance|aviation maintenance]] providers and facilities, as well as many aviation parts manufacturers and other related businesses. Under the City’s direction, sections of the industrial park have been developed with utilities and infrastructure improvements. Aircraft [[hangar]] and aviation service facilities have been constructed. In 1973, there were just four businesses employing 22 people on the airport. Today, there is just over {{convert|500000|sqft|m2}} of industrial building space in operation on the airport, now housing nearly 50 individual businesses, and providing over 700 jobs in the community. The number of aircraft based at the airport has grown from 55 at the time of City acquisition in 1973 to around 220, today. Being halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco the airport has a service area of over {{convert|2,000|sqmi|km2}} in northern San Luis Obispo and southern [[Montery County|Monterey]] counties.

==Future expansion==

=== Phase 2 (2008-2012) ===

* Install Instrument Landing System ([[Instrument landing system|ILS]]) for Runway 19.

* Install Medium Intensity Approach Lighting System with Runway Alignment Indicator Lights ([[Approach Lighting System|MALSR]]) for Runway 19.

* Rebuild the defunct Taxiway 'G' East of Runway 13-31.

* Extend Runway 01-19 1,200 feet to the northeast and {{convert|1000|ft|m}} to the southwest.

* Extend [[Taxiway]] 'A' {{convert|1200|ft|m}} to the northeast and{{convert|2800|ft|m}} to the southwest to parallel and the extensions of Runway 01.

* High Intensity Runway Lights ([[High Intensity Runway Lights|HIRL]]) for Runway 01/19.

* Construct [[Blast pad#Sections of a runway|blast pad]] on Runway 19.

===Phase 3 (2013-2020)===

* Extend Runway 13-31 1,700 feet to the Northwest, providing a total Runway length of 6,400 x {{convert|100|ft|m|abbr=on}}. (retain width).

* Construct/provide Runway 13-31 a parallel taxiway and entry/exit taxiway.

* Construct blast pads on Runway(s) 01, 13, and 31.

* Extend Taxiway 'D' to the East to parallel taxiway for Runway 13-31.

* [http://www.acijet.com ACI Jet Paso Robles ] (New owners)

* [http://www.flightenvironments.com Flight Environments]

* [http://www.gen-aircraft-hardware.com Genuine Aircraft Hardware Co.]

* [http://www.delrioaviation.com Del Rio Aviation]

* Joe's One-Niner Diner (Inside terminal building)

<gallery widths="220px" heights="190px" >

Image:Pasoterm8.jpg|Paso Robles Air Terminal 2008

Image:Pasoterm_aerial.jpg|the terminal

Image:Paso_arpt.jpg|Prb in 2009

{{Portal|United States Air Force|Military of the United States|World War II}}

<references />

[[Category:USAAF Fourth Air Force Tactical Airfields]]

[[Category:USAAF Fourth Air Force Group Training Stations]]

[[Category:USAAF Fourth Air Force Replacement Training Stations]]