Katama Airpark

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Katama Airpark
IATA: 1B2 - ICAO: K1B2
Summary
Airport type		Public
Operator		Town of Edgartown
Serves		Edgartown, Massachusetts
Elevation AMSL		18 ft (5 m)
Coordinates		41°21′30.4220″N, 70°31′28.0940″W
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
Direction	ft	m	Surface
3/21	3700	1128	Turf
6/24	2700	823	Turf
17/35	2600	792	Turf

Katama Airpark, (IATA: 1B2, ICAO: K1B2) in Edgartown, Massachusetts, (508-627-9018) is a public airport owned by the Town of Edgartown. It has three runways, averages 22 flights per day, and has approximately 4 aircraft based on its field.^[1]

Right Fork Diner at the Edgartown (Katama) Air Field

The Right Fork Diner at the Katama (Edgartown) Airfield in Edgartown, MA. Airplanes taxi within 50 feet of the outside dining area. Children can be entertained for hours watching the arrival and departure of airplanes. Click on photo to enlarge.

"The Right Fork Diner" (508-627-5522) is the most recent name for the diner at the Edgartown or Katama Airpark. It was originally "Mel's Diner" and at the time of her retirement was renamed "Whoosies" and now has been reincarnated as "The Right Fork Diner". The restaurant is located immediately adjacent to the airfield and the parade of planes taxiing by the restaurant has provided endless entertainment for generations of children. The pancakes from scratch as well as the brioche french toast are worth the wait! The addition of a biplane ride from Classic Aviators (508-627-7677) and the soaring glider rides concession in the 1980s (or so) added another level of entertainment. The restaurant is a delicious breakfast/lunch diner, made even more spectacular by its location on the airfield with views of the dunes and South Beach.

Katama Airpark (Edgartown Airfield)

Aerial view of Katama (Edgartown) airfield in Edgartown, MA. Photo shows the airfield on the left and Katama Farm on the right. South Beach is at the bottom of the photo. The road running vertically in the center of the photo is Mattakesett Way, separating the airfield on the left and Katama Farm on the right. The large structure bisected by a strut between the upper and lower wing of the airplane is the Winnetu Resort[1]. Click on photo to enlarge.

During WWII Martha's Vineyard functioned both as an outer defense and a training facility for gunnery and pilots. In addition to the main Martha's Vineyard Airport (MVY), there was a small airport at Katama near a gunnery practice area at the beach. Following WW II this airport was purchased by Steven Gentle who ran the Katama Airpark until the 1980s when it was purchased with state conservation funds (believe it or not this airfield has 5 endangered plant or animal species) and is currently managed by the municipal government of Edgartown. It is the quintessential grass airfield - no fancy navigation equipment. It is unique because it is possible to fly a small plane to the airport, taxi from the runway to a parking area 100 feet from a spectacular ocean beach, enjoy the beach during the day, and fly home in the late afternoon. During the season (roughly May 31 to Labor Day), there are biplane and glider rides available.