Stockton Metropolitan Airport

Stockton Metropolitan Airport
(former Stockton Army Airfield)
(former Sharpe Army Depot)

USGS 2006 orthophoto
IATA: SCK – ICAO: KSCK – FAA LID: SCK
– WMO: 72492
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner County of San Joaquin
Serves Stockton, California
Location San Joaquin County, California
Elevation AMSL 33 ft / 10.1 m
Coordinates 37°53′39″N 121°14′18″W / 37.89417°N 121.23833°WCoordinates: 37°53′39″N 121°14′18″W / 37.89417°N 121.23833°W
Website www.sjgov.org/airport/
Maps

FAA airport diagram
SCK

Location in California

Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
11L/29R 10,650 3,246 Asphalt
11R/29L 4,448 1,356 Asphalt
Helipads
Number Length Surface
ft m
H1 70 21 Concrete
Statistics (2011)
Aircraft operations 47,054
Based aircraft 160

Stockton Metropolitan Airport (IATA: SCK, ICAO: KSCK, FAA LID: SCK) is three miles southeast of downtown Stockton, a city in San Joaquin County, California. It is owned by the County of San Joaquin.[1]

The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems categorized it as a primary commercial service airport.[2] Federal Aviation Administration records say it had 36,935 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2008,[3] 28,368 in 2009 and 50,632 in 2010.[4]

History

In the months preceding World War II, the U.S. Army entered into the first of many lease agreements with the City of Stockton (on August 15, 1940) to build and operate an Army training facility at Stockton Municipal Airport.

World War II

Stockton Army Airfield was initially garrisoned by the 68th Air Base Group (Special) under the Air Corps Advance Flying School. Between 1940 and 1945, Stockton Field served as a training installation under the West Coast Training Center (later Western Flying Training Command) headquartered at Santa Ana Army Air Base. Known sub-bases and auxiliaries of Stockton AAF were:

In May 1944 all of the facility was consolidated into the 3033rd Army Air Forces Base Unit. Given the airfield's proximity to logistical facilities under the Army Air Forces and Army Service Forces, the site soon became a logistical hub for the U.S. Army in general and the Army Air Forces in particular. This resulted in an increased number of transport aircraft passing through Stockton Field.

On March 2, 1945 the final class completed training and Stockton AAF was transferred from the control of the Western Flying Training Command to the Air Transport Command. With this transfer, the 3033rd AAFBU was redesignated as the 591st AAFBU.

Postwar use

In October 1946 Stockton AAF was declared surplus. As 1,044.18 acres were in the process of being transferred to the War Assets Administration for disposal, 71.36 acres, consisting of a major portion of the former cantonment area including housing, storage facilities, and a sewage disposal plant, were leased to U.S. Army's Stockton General Depot located to the south in nearby Lathrop.

The City of Stockton and the County of San Joaquin resumed operating the former Stockton Municipal Airport on December 16, 1946 under a joint (interim) license. On the 1,044.18 acres of leased land (950 acres of which comprise the airport now under license) there were approximately 175 buildings, including 50 airport-related structures which were included in the above described license. The buildings were primarily the Quartermaster 700-series and 800-series type construction with concrete foundations, wood floor, composition roof, and wood lap siding.

United States Army use

On January 29, 1947 the 71.36-acres of former Stockton Field retained by the U.S. Army was officially named the "Stockton General Depot Field Annex," then renamed "Sharpe General Depot Field Annex" in 1948, when Stockton General Depot was redesignated as Sharpe General Depot. The U.S. Army, with the exception of the Sharpe General Depot Field Annex, left Stockton Field by January 31, 1948; the same date that the City of Stockton and the County of San Joaquin jointly assumed administration over the airport (Stockton Record 1964).

Korean War use

Sharpe General Depot Field Annex was formed from two parcels of land adjacent to the southwest portion of the current Stockton Metropolitan Airport. Sharpe General Depot Field Annex was operated by the U.S. Army as a separate, self-contained military post under Sharpe General Depot. With the rapid expansion of depot operations and facilities that occurred with the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950, Sharpe General Depot Field Annex's name was changed to Sharpe General Depot Troop Field Annex to reflect its support mission. During this period, the Site was used primarily for family housing, recreational, and other support facilities for Sharpe General Depot. One of the tenants was the 164th Field Artillery Battalion, California Army National Guard, who occupied a small part of the Sharpe General Depot Troop Field Annex until the new National Guard Armory was built on State-owned land south of the Site in 1952.

Sixth Army & Army Material Command use

On July 8, 1957 the City of Stockton transferred half of its interest in the Stockton Municipal Airport by Grant Deed, and San Joaquin County assumed administration over the airport (subject to certain reservations, restrictions and conditions according to the "Agreement" with the United States of America dated December 23, 1948 (Appendix A). The end of the Korean War caused more mission changes at Sharpe General Depot and the Sharpe General Depot Troop Field Annex. In 1958, the Sharpe General Depot received a Fourth Echelon Air Maintenance Support mission on U.S. Army aircraft within the Sixth U.S. Army Area. The Site then served as home to the Sixth U.S. Army Aircraft Field Maintenance Activity operated by Detachment 3, 6932nd Service Unit. This unit provided maintenance support to U.S. Army rotary and fixed wing liaison aircraft in the Sixth U.S. Army area and Buildings 1000, 1001, and 1003. The Site also was the home of the 30th Engineer Group (Topographic) and the 521st Engineer Company (Topographic, Aviation). During 1959 and 1960, construction of a new airstrip, hangar and shop at Sharpe Army Deport curtailed the military's use of Stockton Airport. In June 1961, the Aircraft Field Maintenance Activity was transferred to Fort Ord, California. By July 1962, the Army Material Command was established with several sub-commands, including the Supply and Maintenance Command. This brought about another name change when Sharpe General Deport became Sharpe Army Depot Field Annex.

Vietnam War use

On July 11, 1964, Stockton Municipal Airport was officially renamed the Stockton Metropolitan Airport, reflecting its changing role as a civil airport. Thirty new family housing units were also built in 1964 at Sharpe Army Depot Field Annex, resulting in the closure of family housing units at the Site.

In the last months of 1965, support to Army Aviation expanded again as a result of the U.S. Army's role in Southeast Asia. As the Vietnam War continued, so did Sharpe Army Depot Field Annex's mission. In April 1966, the first units of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 56th Quartermaster Depot began to arrive at the Site, followed by units of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 58th Field Depot in July.

By 1966 the Headquarters Commandant of Sharpe Army Depot Field Annex had the responsibility to command troops assigned to Sharpe Army Depot Field Annex. This included the supervision of all attached and tenant units, Special Services, Annex Services, Education Center, Officer Open Mess and Non-commissioned Officers Club, including support for Reserve, National Guard and Transient Units.

In January 1967 an Army Clothing Sales Store was transferred from Sacramento Army Depot and reopened in Building T-88 at the Site. A Branch Exchange of the Presidio of San Francisco was also established in Building T-137. On-post housing at Sharpe Army Depot Field Annex was limited, causing 44 sets of "inadequate quarters" to be established at the Site, whereby old barracks buildings were converted into "apartment-type quarters" with two apartments upstairs and two downstairs. To further accommodate the increase in soldiers now stationed at Sharpe Army Depot Field Annex, the Site now provided many additional services such as laundry, dry cleaning, and medical facilities.

In the early 1970s the need for soldiers garrisoning Sharpe Army Depot Field Annex also decreased as military positions were converted to Civil Service positions. Due to the shift in staffing, Sharpe Army Depot Field Annex determined that it no longer the Field Annex site and began the process of disposing of the Sharpe Army Depot Field Annex.

Deactivation

Sharpe Army Depot Field Annex was vacated in 1973, ending the U.S. Army's presence on the field with all of the land and buildings reverting to San Joaquin County. A few original World War II structures still remain including the American Legion Sharpe General Depot Post 632 currently occupying a World War II era mess hall on the Sharpe Army Depot Field Annex property located at Building 372, 1700 Northrop Street. Otherwise the only military presence that has remained is the California Army National Guard's Armory, Field and Combined Support Maintenance Shop, and the Army Aviation Support Facility just south of the Site.

Civil use

United Airlines served Stockton from 1946 until 1980. Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) and successor USAir were there from 1971-72 until 1980 and again 1984-91. Frontier Airlines (1950-1986) and successor Continental Airlines flew from the airport from 1980 to 1988. Southwest Airways and successors Pacific Air Lines and Hughes Airwest (previously Air West) served Stockton from 1955 until the late 1970s. The last turboprop airline flights ended in 1995. America West Express, the regional affiliate of America West Airlines, started Canadair CRJ-200 flights to Phoenix in 2000-2001 but then ceased service and left the terminal empty in 2003.

United Airlines used Boeing 727-200s and 737-200s, PSA used 727s, 737s, Douglas DC-9-30s and BAe 146-200s, Hughes Airwest had Douglas DC-9s, USAir had BAe 146-200s, and Continental Airlines and Frontier used 737s. Pacific Express used BAC One-Elevens.

In June 2006 Allegiant Air began round trips to Las Vegas on McDonnell Douglas MD80s and this service continues.

On October 26, 2007 Allegiant Air began MD80 flights to Phoenix-Mesa and on July 1, 2010 to Long Beach; both were discontinued.

July 2009 oblique photo

On October 28, 2011 Allegiant Air began twice weekly MD80 flights from Stockton to Palm Springs but discontinued this as well.

On November 18, 2012 Allegiant Air began flying twice weekly Boeing 757-200 nonstops from Stockton to Honolulu. This service has been reduced to one weekly flight on average.

Allegiant Air remains the only air carrier at Stockton with one or two flights on average per day to Las Vegas and the Honolulu flight though the airline's service to Hawaii will be reduced in May 2013. Allegiant also recently resumed non-stop service to Phoenix-Mesa with two weekly flights on Sundays and Thursdays.

Load factors for Allegiant are about 90 percent.

Flights to Mexico

Aeromexico had expressed interest in starting service in 2006 to Guadalajara and Morelia, but the airport was unable to secure a customs facility. Federal officials saw no need for such facility as they already existed in Sacramento, Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose.

Local officials filed an appeal and Congressman Richard Pombo also persuaded officials to approve a facility. Federal officials then reconsidered and approved the plans. Despite the approval, San Joaquin County Supervisors decided against financing the project, saying taxpayer dollars were better spent elsewhere.

Facilities

The airport covers 1,552 acres (628 ha) at an elevation of 33 feet (10 m). It has two asphalt runways: 11L/29R is 10,650 by 150 feet (3,246 x 46 m) and 11R/29L is 4,448 by 75 feet (1,356 x 23 m). It has one concrete helipad, H1, 70 by 70 feet (21 x 21 m).[1]

In the year ending January 31, 2011 the airport had 47,054 aircraft operations, average 128 per day: 84% general aviation, 10% military, 4% air taxi, and 2% airline. 160 aircraft were then based at this airport: 71% single-engine, 11% military, 9% multi-engine, 7% jet, 1% helicopter, and 1% ultralight.[1]

Airlines and destinations

Airlines Destinations
Allegiant Air Las Vegas, Phoenix/Mesa

Top destinations

Busiest domestic routes from Stockton (July 2013 - June 2014)[5]
Rank City Passengers Carriers
1 Las Vegas, Nevada 65,000 Allegiant
2 Honolulu, Hawaii 4,000 Allegiant
3 Phoenix, Arizona (AZA) 2,000 Allegiant

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 FAA Airport Master Record for SCK (Form 5010 PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. Effective November 15, 2012.
  2. ↑ "2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A" (PDF, 2.03 MB). National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. Federal Aviation Administration. October 4, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Enplanements for CY 2008" (PDF, 1.0 MB). CY 2008 Passenger Boarding and All-Cargo Data. Federal Aviation Administration. December 18, 2009.
  4. ↑ "Enplanements for CY 2010" (PDF, 189 KB). CY 2010 Passenger Boarding and All-Cargo Data. Federal Aviation Administration. October 4, 2011.
  5. ↑ "Stockton, California: Stockton Metropolitan (SCK)". Bureau of Transportation Statistics. May 2011.
  •  This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
  • Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Locating Air Force Base Sites History’s Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC, 2004.
  • Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas ASIN: B000NYX3PC

External links

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