Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County
Airport (former Santa Rosa Army Airfield)
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USGS 2006 orthophoto
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||
| Owner/Operator | Sonoma County DOT | ||||||||||||||
| Serves | Sonoma County, California | ||||||||||||||
| Location | Sonoma County, near Santa Rosa, California | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 129 ft / 39 m | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 38°30′32″N 122°48′46″W / 38.50889°N 122.81278°W | ||||||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||||||
 STS
Location in California
STS
Location in the United States
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| Statistics (2017) | |||||||||||||||
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Source: Federal Aviation Administration
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The Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport (airport codes: STS, KSTS, STS) is located about 7 miles (11 km) northwest of Santa Rosa, California. It's in Sonoma County, California, in the United States.
This airport is special because it's named after Charles M. Schulz. He was the famous cartoonist who created the Peanuts comic strip. Schulz lived in Santa Rosa for over 30 years. The airport's logo even features Snoopy dressed as a World War I flying ace, sitting on his doghouse!
Contents
History of the Airport
Early Days and Military Use
Back in the 1930s, Santa Rosa had a small local airfield. But during World War II, a new, bigger airfield was opened in June 1942. It was called Santa Rosa Army Air Field.
This airfield was very important during the war. It was used by the Fourth Air Force to train pilots. These pilots would then go on to join combat units overseas. After the war, on January 31, 1946, the airfield was closed as a military base. It was then turned into a public airport for everyone to use.
Airline Flights Over the Years
From the late 1940s to the mid-1970s, airlines like Southwest Airways and Pacific Air Lines served Santa Rosa. They mainly flew propeller planes like Douglas DC-3s and Fairchild F-27s to San Francisco.
Smaller airlines also flew to San Francisco and San Jose. In the mid-1980s, United Airlines started a partnership with WestAir. WestAir flew as United Express to San Francisco using planes like the Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia.
Jet planes first arrived in Santa Rosa in 1989. WestAir, flying as United Express, used BAe 146-200 jets for flights to Los Angeles. However, these jet flights stopped in 1991. After 2001, the airport didn't have any regular passenger flights for a few years.
Modern Jet Service
In March 2007, airline service returned! Horizon Air, which is part of Alaska Airlines, began flights to Seattle/Tacoma and Los Angeles. They later added flights to Portland, Oregon, Las Vegas, and San Diego.
Today, Alaska Airlines flights from Santa Rosa use 76-seat Embraer 175 jets or Bombardier Q400 propjets. They fly to many cities like Burbank, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Seattle, and Portland.
In 2016, Allegiant Air started flying McDonnell Douglas MD-83 jets to Las Vegas and Phoenix. These were the largest planes to serve Santa Rosa at the time. However, Allegiant Air stopped serving Santa Rosa in 2017.
American Airlines also began nonstop service in 2017. Their flights, operated by SkyWest Airlines as American Eagle, connect Santa Rosa to their hub in Phoenix. They also have seasonal flights to Dallas/Fort Worth.
In 2017, United Express returned to Santa Rosa with flights to San Francisco. They also added nonstop flights to Denver in 2019.
Sun Country Airlines offered seasonal flights to Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport and Las Vegas using Boeing 737-800 jets. These were also large planes for the airport. Sun Country stopped flying from Santa Rosa in early 2020.
More recently, Avelo Airlines started flying to Burbank and Las Vegas in 2021. They use Boeing 737-800 jets, which are currently the largest planes for scheduled passenger service at the airport.
Airport Facilities
The airport covers about 1,125 acres (455 hectares) and is 129 feet (39 meters) above sea level. It has two asphalt runways. One is 5,202 feet (1,586 meters) long, and the other is 6,000 feet (1,829 meters) long.
In 2017, the airport had over 79,000 aircraft operations. This means about 217 planes took off or landed each day! Most of these were general aviation (private planes), with some airline and air taxi flights.
To handle more passengers, the airport built a temporary "tent" gate in 2021. This added more space for people waiting for their flights and a second security line.
For a more permanent solution, the airport is building a brand new terminal building. This new terminal will be much larger, adding 33,000 square feet of new space. It will have new gates, more places to eat, an outdoor patio, and better baggage claim systems. The new terminal is expected to open in October 2022.
Getting To and From the Airport
You can easily reach the airport from U.S. 101 using Airport Boulevard. There are places to park your car for both short and long trips.
A Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit station was built about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the airport terminal. Shuttle buses connect the train station to the airport.
Local buses also serve the airport. You can also take Sonoma County Airport Express buses to Oakland International Airport and San Francisco International Airport.
Airlines and Destinations
Passenger Flights
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| aha! | Reno/Tahoe |
| Alaska Airlines | Burbank, Los Angeles, Orange County, Portland (OR), San Diego, Seattle/Tacoma |
| American Eagle | Los Angeles, Phoenix–Sky Harbor Seasonal: Dallas/Fort Worth |
| Avelo Airlines | Burbank, Las Vegas |
| United Express | San Francisco (ends November 1, 2022) |
| Destinations map |
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Airport Statistics
| Rank | Airport | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle/Tacoma, Washington | 17,300 | Alaska |
| 2 | Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Arizona | 13,180 | American |
| 3 | San Diego, California | 11,430 | Alaska |
| 4 | Los Angeles, California | 9,470 | Alaska |
| 5 | Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas | 8,260 | American |
| 6 | Orange County, California | 5,940 | Alaska |
| 7 | Portland, Oregon | 5,430 | Alaska |
| 8 | San Francisco, California | 1,730 | United |
| Rank | Airline | Passengers | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska Airlines | 152,022 | 66.65% |
| 2 | American Airlines | 59,975 | 26.29% |
| 3 | Avelo Airlines | 12,945 | 5.68% |
| 4 | United Airlines | 3,150 | 1.38% |
Other Uses of the Airport
Sonoma Air Attack Base
The Sonoma Air Attack Base is located at the airport. It belongs to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). This base was set up in 1964.
The Sonoma Air Attack Base helps fight wildfires. On average, it responds to about 300 fire calls each year. It has special aircraft like OV-10 Bronco planes and Grumman S-2 Tracker air tankers. These planes drop fire retardant to help stop fires from spreading. The base can pump a lot of retardant, up to 120,000 US gallons (450 m³) each day. Its immediate response area covers a large region, including Marin County and parts of other fire units.
Pacific Coast Air Museum
The Pacific Coast Air Museum is located at the southeast corner of the airport. It's right next to a hangar that was used in the 1963 Hollywood comedy movie, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. This hangar, called the Butler Building, was built during World War II and is still in use today. The museum is a great place to see different types of aircraft up close.
See also
In Spanish: Aeropuerto Charles M. Schulz–Condado de Sonoma para niños
