Minden-Tahoe Airport
Encyclopedia
Minden-Tahoe Airport is a general aviation
airport serving the Carson Valley in Douglas County
, including the towns of Minden
, Gardnerville
and Genoa
, Nevada
. The airport is situated four nautical miles (7 km) north of Minden. It is home to the Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center and regional firefighting air tanker base.
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 (304.8–609.6 ) 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 (804.7 km).
During the winter months, the famous Sierra mountain wave can carry gliders well over 25000 feet (7,620 m), with the Minden record well over 40000 feet (12,192 m).
A mid-air collision near the Pine Nuts range between a glider and a small jet at 16000 feet (4,876.8 m) 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.
Minden-Tahoe Airport is the base for the "Introduction to Soaring" tutorial mission supplied with Microsoft Flight Simulator X
.
of 4,722 feet (1,439 m) above mean sea level. It has two asphalt
paved runway
s: 16/34 is 7,400 by 100 feet (2,256 x 30 m) and 12/30 is 5,300 by 75 feet (1,615 x 23 m). A glider
runway designated 12G/30G has dirt
surface measuring 2,200 by 60 feet (671 x 18 m).
For the 12-month period ending February 28, 2009, the airport had 79,800 aircraft operations, an average of 218 per day: 97% general aviation
, 3% air taxi
, and <1% military
. At that time there were 255 aircraft based at this airport: 56% single-engine
, 9% multi-engine, 2% jet
, 1% helicopter
, 31% glider
and <1% ultralight.
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
airport serving the Carson Valley in Douglas County
Douglas County, Nevada
Douglas County is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. As of 2000, the population was 41,259. As of 2010, the population was estimated to be 46,997.- History :...
, including the towns of Minden
Minden, Nevada
Minden is a census-designated place in Douglas County, Nevada, United States. The population was 2,836 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Douglas County and is adjacent to the city of Gardnerville. It is named after the town of Minden, in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It...
, Gardnerville
Gardnerville, Nevada
Gardnerville is a census-designated place in Douglas County, Nevada, United States, adjacent to the county seat of Minden. The population was 3,357 at the 2000 census....
and Genoa
Genoa, Nevada
Genoa is an unincorporated town in Douglas County, Nevada, United States. Founded in 1850, it was the first settlement in what became the Nevada Territory. It is situated within Carson River Valley and is about south of Reno....
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
. The airport is situated four nautical miles (7 km) north of Minden. It is home to the Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center and regional firefighting air tanker base.
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 (304.8–609.6 ) 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 (804.7 km).
During the winter months, the famous Sierra mountain wave can carry gliders well over 25000 feet (7,620 m), with the Minden record well over 40000 feet (12,192 m).
A mid-air collision near the Pine Nuts range between a glider and a small jet at 16000 feet (4,876.8 m) 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.
Minden-Tahoe Airport is the base for the "Introduction to Soaring" tutorial mission supplied with Microsoft Flight Simulator X
Microsoft Flight Simulator X
Microsoft Flight Simulator X, also known as FSX, is the latest version of Microsoft Flight Simulator after Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004...
.
Facilities and aircraft
Minden-Tahoe Airport covers an area of 990 acres (400.6 ha) at an elevationElevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
of 4,722 feet (1,439 m) above mean sea level. It has two asphalt
Asphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
paved runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
s: 16/34 is 7,400 by 100 feet (2,256 x 30 m) and 12/30 is 5,300 by 75 feet (1,615 x 23 m). A glider
Glider (sailplane)
A glider or sailplane is a type of glider aircraft used in the sport of gliding. Some gliders, known as motor gliders are used for gliding and soaring as well, but have engines which can, in some cases, be used for take-off or for extending a flight...
runway designated 12G/30G has dirt
Soil
Soil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...
surface measuring 2,200 by 60 feet (671 x 18 m).
For the 12-month period ending February 28, 2009, the airport had 79,800 aircraft operations, an average of 218 per day: 97% general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
, 3% air taxi
Air taxi
An air taxi is an air charter passenger or cargo aircraft which operates on an on-demand basis.-Regulation:In the United States, air taxi and air charter operations are governed by Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations , unlike the larger scheduled air carriers which are governed by more...
, and <1% military
Military aviation
Military aviation is the use of aircraft and other flying machines for the purposes of conducting or enabling warfare, including national airlift capacity to provide logistical supply to forces stationed in a theater or along a front. Air power includes the national means of conducting such...
. At that time there were 255 aircraft based at this airport: 56% single-engine
Aircraft engine
An aircraft engine is the component of the propulsion system for an aircraft that generates mechanical power. Aircraft engines are almost always either lightweight piston engines or gas turbines...
, 9% multi-engine, 2% jet
Jet aircraft
A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft...
, 1% helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
, 31% glider
Glider (sailplane)
A glider or sailplane is a type of glider aircraft used in the sport of gliding. Some gliders, known as motor gliders are used for gliding and soaring as well, but have engines which can, in some cases, be used for take-off or for extending a flight...
and <1% ultralight.
External links
- Minden-Tahoe Airport, official web site
- Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center
- Civil Air Patrol: Douglas County Composite Squadron
- Hutt Aviation
- SoaringNV
- Minden Soaring Club
- Soar Minden(closed ~3/2011)
- Aerial image as of 12 September 1999 from USGS The National Map airport diagram from Nevada DOT