Minden-Tahoe Airport

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Minden-Tahoe Airport
IATA: MEV - ICAO: KMEV
Summary
Airport type		Public
Operator		Douglas County
Serves		Minden, Nevada
Elevation AMSL		4,726 ft (1,441 m)
Coordinates		39°00′01″N, 119°45′04″W
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
Direction	ft	m	Surface
16/34	7,400	2,256	Asphalt
12/30	5,300	1,615	Asphalt
12G/30G	2,200	671	Dirt

Minden-Tahoe Airport (IATA: MEV, ICAO: KMEV) is a general aviation airport serving the Carson Valley in Douglas County, including the towns of Minden, Gardnerville and Genoa, Nevada. Situated 4 miles (6 km) north of Minden, the airport has three active runways, a 7,400 foot long (100 foot wide) main runway and a 5,300 foot long (75 foot wide) secondary runway, and a dedicated sailplane runway. The airport is home to the Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center and regional firefighting air tanker base.

[edit] At the airport

Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center
Soar Minden
Minden Soaring Club
Hutt Aviation
Civil Air Patrol

The airport is considered a mecca for soaring, and many North American and world records have been flown out of Minden in the many gliders that it hosts.

Gliders are usually towed to altitudes of 1000-2000 ft over the airport, and they are often able to make out and return flights to the White Mountains, Owens Valley, and Eastern Nevada, often covering distances of over 500 miles.

During the Winter months, the famous Sierra mountain wave can carry gliders well over 25,000 feet, with the Minden record well over 40,000 feet.

A recent mid-air collision near the Pine Nuts range between a glider and a small jet at 16,000 feet has heightened the awareness for all airplanes flying in the area that both types of aircraft need to watch out for each other.

The airport is currently undergoing an expansion plan where glider operations will be moved to the East Side of the airport, thus preserving as a treasure the beautiful sport of gliding.