Folsom Field (Alabama) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cullman Regional Airport-Folsom Field
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![]() NAIP aerial image, August 2006
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Summary | |||||||||||
Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
Owner | City/County of Cullman | ||||||||||
Serves | Cullman, Alabama | ||||||||||
Location | Vinemont, Alabama | ||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 969 ft / 295 m | ||||||||||
Coordinates | 34°16′07″N 086°51′29″W / 34.26861°N 86.85806°W | ||||||||||
Website | https://www.cullmanregionalairport.org/ | ||||||||||
Map | |||||||||||
Runway | |||||||||||
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Statistics (2017) | |||||||||||
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Source: Federal Aviation Administration
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Cullman Regional Airport-Folsom Field (ICAO: KCMD, FAA LID: CMD, formerly 3A1) is a public airport in Alabama, USA. It is located about 6 miles (9 km) north of Cullman. The City and County of Cullman own and operate this airport.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) considers Folsom Field a "general aviation" airport. This means it is mainly used for private planes, flight training, and other non-commercial flights.
Contents
Exploring Folsom Field Airport
Folsom Field covers an area of 90 acres (about 36 ha). It sits 969 feet (295 meters) above mean sea level. The airport has one main runway called 2/20. This runway is made of asphalt and is 5,500 feet long and 100 feet wide (1,676 x 30 meters).
Aircraft at the Airport
In a recent 12-month period, the airport had over 37,830 aircraft operations. This means planes took off or landed about 103 times each day! Most of these flights (99.7%) were for general aviation. Only a small number (0.3%) were military flights.
At that time, 57 aircraft were based at the airport. Most of these (86%) were planes with a single engine. About 5% had multiple engines, and 9% were helicopters.
Skydive Alabama: Jumping from the Sky
Skydive Alabama (SA) is a civilian skydiving center. It operates right out of Folsom Field. SA is connected with the United States Parachute Association (USPA). This center is open all year round.
They use a special plane called a Beech 99 for skydiving. Most skydives start from about 14,000 feet high. Sometimes, people even jump from 18,000 feet! For these higher jumps, skydivers use extra oxygen to help them breathe.
Important Events at the Airport
Over the years, there have been a few notable incidents involving aircraft at or near the airport. These events are investigated to learn more about flight safety.
Past Aircraft Incidents
- On November 23, 1982, a Beechcraft Baron 95-B55 crashed shortly after takeoff. Three people, including a well-known humorist named Grady Nutt, were on board. Investigators looked into the crash, and bad weather was thought to be a factor.
- On March 5, 1984, a Cessna 421B crashed about 1 mile (1.6 km) northeast of the airport. Six people were on the plane. The crash happened during a night approach in bad weather.
- On January 14, 1999, a Beechcraft 300 crashed about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) north of the airport. The plane was making unusual turns during an approach in bad weather. The pilot and one passenger were on board.
- On January 5, 2020, an amateur-built Van's Aircraft RV-6 crashed on the field. This happened during an attempt to return to the airport after the engine had trouble during takeoff. Two people were on board.
- On February 20, 2021, a Piper PA-32 crashed near the airport. Two people were on board. One person passed away at the scene, and the other passed away a few days later from injuries. Investigators confirmed that the plane had lost power before the crash.