Buchanan Field Airport facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Buchanan Field Airport
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USGS Orthophoto, 2006
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operator | Contra Costa County | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Contra Costa County, near Concord, California | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 26 ft / 7.9 m | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 37°59′23″N 122°03′25″W / 37.98972°N 122.05694°W | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Runway | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Buchanan Field Airport (airport codes: CCR, KCCR) is a public airport in Contra Costa County, California, United States. It is about 27 nautical miles (50 km) northeast of San Francisco International Airport. This airport has a control tower. It handles a lot of "general aviation" traffic. General aviation means private flights, business flights, or training flights. More than 500 aircraft are based here, mostly small, single-engine planes.
Contents
History of Buchanan Field Airport
How the Airport Started
In 1942, Contra Costa County bought land to build an airport. This was happening just as World War II began. The United States Army Air Forces took over the land. They added more land and built the airport. They also created a training base for pilots. This base was called Concord Army Airfield.
After World War II
In 1946, the War Assets Administration (WAA) gave the airport back to the County. The WAA was a government agency that managed property after the war. In August 1946, the airport was renamed. It honored William J. Buchanan, a County Supervisor. He had served on the board for over forty years. The U.S. Army still used the airport sometimes. They moved soldiers, especially during the Korean War.
Busiest Times and Noise Concerns
Buchanan Field was busiest in 1977. It had 357,000 total takeoffs and landings. This made it the 16th busiest airport in the United States. It was even busier than big airports like San Francisco International Airport. Because of all the flights, people started to worry about airplane noise. So, in 1988, the county made a rule. This rule stopped some noisy airplanes from flying into Buchanan Field.
Future Plans and Challenges
Starting in the 1990s, the county began planning. They wanted to build more businesses near the airport. Stores like Sams Club and restaurants like Taco Bell were built. Some people think the airport might close in the future. This is because the land is in the middle of Concord, California. There is no room for the airport to grow. Also, airplane noise still bothers people. The county has built a new airport, Byron, in the eastern part of the county.
Airport Safety and Incidents
Past Accidents and Their Impact
On December 23, 1985, a small plane crashed. It hit the roof of the Macy's Department Store. This store was at the nearby Sunvalley Mall. People were hurt, and some died from their injuries. This accident made more people oppose the airport. Because of this, Pacific Southwest Airlines delayed plans. They had planned to start regular passenger flights in January 1986.
Another plane crashed on April 13, 2004. It happened just after leaving Buchanan Field. The plane landed on a minivan on Interstate 680. A 12-year-old girl in the minivan was seriously injured. The crash was caused by a mechanic who had worked on the plane.
On December 21, 2006, another plane crashed. It was flying too low and hit the ground. The plane crashed near Highway 4. Several people died in this accident. These events highlighted safety concerns for the community.
Airlines and Destinations
Past Passenger Flights
Flights to San Francisco started in 1969. However, these flights stopped by 1980. On May 1, 1986, Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) began flights. They flew from Buchanan Field to Los Angeles International Airport. PSA offered many round trips each day. They used airplanes that could hold 100 people. In 1987, USAir bought PSA. USAir then took over these flights. That year, USAir decided to stop most of the West Coast flights they got from PSA. This included flights from Concord, which ended in 1992.
FAA Airport Diagram (PDF), effective 15 December 2011
