In 1959, daytime operations started at McClellan-Palomar Airport. In 1961, the airport extended its runway to its current length of 4,879 feet, while the terminal was expanded to its current size in 1962.
Last November, the county of San Diego broke ground on a new terminal at the airport. Some of these improvements include a new 18,000-square-foot terminal complete with a restaurant, direct access to enhanced public parking and a customs station that will allow international travel at the airport.
The airport administration also has recently completed construction of a storm water cleaning system and 2,000 feet of ramp storage space for 130 small aircraft. When all is said and done, the improvements will cost about $100 million of public (20 percent) and private (80 percent) funds.
It took 45 years for a new terminal, which will make McClellan-Palomar more like the regional airport it was intended to be. There is one slight problem. Although it is quickly being updated, McClellan-Palomar is becoming out of date for commercial air traffic. Many airlines, like United, are getting rid of their propeller-type aircraft. Currently, almost all commercial aircraft flying in and out of Carlsbad are propeller aircraft, not jets. Studies show that regional jets (30 to 70 passenger airliners) are more reliable and more fuel-efficient than their propeller-driven cousins, and generally they are no where near as noisy. This is all great news for Carlsbad and its airport, right? Safer, quieter and more efficient operations … wrong!
The regional-type jets cannot fly in and out of the airport with large enough loads to make it cost-effective. The problem is the runway at the airport is about 1,100 feet short of allowing regional jets to take off. The airport's existing boundaries would allow the runway to be lengthened, something that should be explored in the near future.
McClellan-Palomar is the second busiest single runway general aviation airport in the nation, behind Scottsdale, Ariz., with an average of more than 500 operations (landings or takeoffs) a day, or 200,000 per year. Most of these are general aviation flights; about 5 percent are scheduled as commercial flights. There are three carriers that fly in and out of the airport: United Airlines, which is operated by SkyWest; US Airways, which is operated by Mesa Airlines and Vision Airlines.
You can fly out of Carlsbad on United Airlines to Los Angeles, where you can catch a flight to anywhere in the world, or you can fly US Airways to Phoenix and you also can fly Vision Airlines to north Las Vegas. Flying out of McClellan-Palomar is not only affordable, but it is more convenient than flying out of Lindbergh Field or John Wayne Airport. There is plenty of free parking for up to 14 days and you check your bag at the gate, where your family and friends can wait with you until your flight boards. When flying into McClellan-Palomar, there are no long waits for luggage and you can be home within minutes. The most important thing about flying in and out of McClellan-Palomar is that you're cashing in on Carlsbad's resources and supporting businesses that operate and employ people in the city.
Next time you want to go to Las Vegas, roll the dice and fly Vision Airlines, park for free, use less gas and get in and out of the airport with ease, all for around the same cost of driving to San Diego, parking and taking another airline.
Last November, the county of San Diego broke ground on a new terminal at the airport. Some of these improvements include a new 18,000-square-foot terminal complete with a restaurant, direct access to enhanced public parking and a customs station that will allow international travel at the airport.
The airport administration also has recently completed construction of a storm water cleaning system and 2,000 feet of ramp storage space for 130 small aircraft. When all is said and done, the improvements will cost about $100 million of public (20 percent) and private (80 percent) funds.
It took 45 years for a new terminal, which will make McClellan-Palomar more like the regional airport it was intended to be. There is one slight problem. Although it is quickly being updated, McClellan-Palomar is becoming out of date for commercial air traffic. Many airlines, like United, are getting rid of their propeller-type aircraft. Currently, almost all commercial aircraft flying in and out of Carlsbad are propeller aircraft, not jets. Studies show that regional jets (30 to 70 passenger airliners) are more reliable and more fuel-efficient than their propeller-driven cousins, and generally they are no where near as noisy. This is all great news for Carlsbad and its airport, right? Safer, quieter and more efficient operations … wrong!
The regional-type jets cannot fly in and out of the airport with large enough loads to make it cost-effective. The problem is the runway at the airport is about 1,100 feet short of allowing regional jets to take off. The airport's existing boundaries would allow the runway to be lengthened, something that should be explored in the near future.
McClellan-Palomar is the second busiest single runway general aviation airport in the nation, behind Scottsdale, Ariz., with an average of more than 500 operations (landings or takeoffs) a day, or 200,000 per year. Most of these are general aviation flights; about 5 percent are scheduled as commercial flights. There are three carriers that fly in and out of the airport: United Airlines, which is operated by SkyWest; US Airways, which is operated by Mesa Airlines and Vision Airlines.
You can fly out of Carlsbad on United Airlines to Los Angeles, where you can catch a flight to anywhere in the world, or you can fly US Airways to Phoenix and you also can fly Vision Airlines to north Las Vegas. Flying out of McClellan-Palomar is not only affordable, but it is more convenient than flying out of Lindbergh Field or John Wayne Airport. There is plenty of free parking for up to 14 days and you check your bag at the gate, where your family and friends can wait with you until your flight boards. When flying into McClellan-Palomar, there are no long waits for luggage and you can be home within minutes. The most important thing about flying in and out of McClellan-Palomar is that you're cashing in on Carlsbad's resources and supporting businesses that operate and employ people in the city.
Next time you want to go to Las Vegas, roll the dice and fly Vision Airlines, park for free, use less gas and get in and out of the airport with ease, all for around the same cost of driving to San Diego, parking and taking another airline.