San Carlos Airport
Encyclopedia
San Carlos Airport is a county-owned public use airport
in San Mateo County
, California
, United States
. It is located two nautical miles (3.7 km) northeast of the central business district
of San Carlos, California
. The FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems
(NPIAS) classifies San Carlos as a reliever airport for San Francisco International Airport
.
The airport is off U.S. Route 101
. The airport is home to Civil Air Patrol West Bay Composite Squadron 192. Adjacent to the airport is the Hiller Air Museum.
is now located. This original San Carlos airport was opened by Frank S. Cooley prior to 1928.
of 5 feet (2 m) above mean sea level. It has one asphalt
paved runway
designated 12/30 which measures 2,600 by 75 feet (792 x 23 m).
An attempt to lengthen the runway by 400 feet was quelled by neighbors in 1999. Aircraft with maximum gross weight in excess of 12,500 lb (5,670 kg) are prohibited from operating from San Carlos Airport.
The San Carlos Airport is home to over 30 aviation related businesses. Facilities and FBO
s at KSQL include: Zanette Aviation Insurance, West Valley Flying Club, Bel-Air Aviation, Air West Aircraft Engines, and Diamond Aviation.
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2007, the airport had 155,273 aircraft operations, an average of 425 per day: 98% general aviation
, 2% air taxi
and <1% military
. At that time there were 372 aircraft based at this airport: 86% single-engine
, 11% multi-engine, <1% jet
and 3% helicopter
.
, a maker of database software, some have speculated that the airport code
of SQL is a humorous reference to this large neighbor; in databases, SQL stands for Structured Query Language. It is just a coincidence, though one that many technically-inclined residents of the Bay Area and Silicon Valley were sure to notice. The airport was given this code well before the founding of the Oracle corporation.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
in San Mateo County
San Mateo County, California
San Mateo County is a county located in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. It covers most of the San Francisco Peninsula just south of San Francisco, and north of Santa Clara County. San Francisco International Airport is located at the northern end of the county, and...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located two nautical miles (3.7 km) northeast of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of San Carlos, California
San Carlos, California
San Carlos is a city in San Mateo County, California, USA on the San Francisco Peninsula, about halfway between San Francisco and San Jose. It is an affluent small residential suburb located between Belmont to the north and Redwood City to the south. San Carlos' ZIP code is 94070, and it is within...
. The FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems
National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems
The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems is an inventory of U.S. aviation infrastructure assets. It is developed and maintained by the Federal Aviation Administration . Its purposes are:* to identify all the airports in the U.S...
(NPIAS) classifies San Carlos as a reliever airport for San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport is a major international airport located south of downtown San Francisco, California, United States, near the cities of Millbrae and San Bruno in unincorporated San Mateo County. It is often referred to as SFO...
.
The airport is off U.S. Route 101
U.S. Route 101
U.S. Route 101, or U.S. Highway 101, is an important north–south U.S. highway that runs through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, on the West Coast of the United States...
. The airport is home to Civil Air Patrol West Bay Composite Squadron 192. Adjacent to the airport is the Hiller Air Museum.
History
The San Carlos Airport was moved to its present location in 1950. Prior to that, the airport was located approximately one-half mile southwest of its current location at the site where a Best BuyBest Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
is now located. This original San Carlos airport was opened by Frank S. Cooley prior to 1928.
Facilities and aircraft
San Carlos Airport covers an area of 110 acres (44.5 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 5 feet (2 m) above mean sea level. It has one 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...
designated 12/30 which measures 2,600 by 75 feet (792 x 23 m).
An attempt to lengthen the runway by 400 feet was quelled by neighbors in 1999. Aircraft with maximum gross weight in excess of 12,500 lb (5,670 kg) are prohibited from operating from San Carlos Airport.
The San Carlos Airport is home to over 30 aviation related businesses. Facilities and FBO
Fixed base operator
A Fixed-base operator or commonly abbreviated FBO is a term developed in the United States after the passage of the Air Commerce Act of 1926...
s at KSQL include: Zanette Aviation Insurance, West Valley Flying Club, Bel-Air Aviation, Air West Aircraft Engines, and Diamond Aviation.
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2007, the airport had 155,273 aircraft operations, an average of 425 per day: 98% 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...
, 2% 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 372 aircraft based at this airport: 86% 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...
, 11% multi-engine, <1% 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...
and 3% 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...
.
Origin of SQL airport code
Given its proximity to the headquarters of the Oracle CorporationOracle Corporation
Oracle Corporation is an American multinational computer technology corporation that specializes in developing and marketing hardware systems and enterprise software products – particularly database management systems...
, a maker of database software, some have speculated that the airport code
Airport code
An airport code is a short code used to identify a specific airport. There are two international systems used:*IATA airport code, a three-letter code which is more commonly known to the public...
of SQL is a humorous reference to this large neighbor; in databases, SQL stands for Structured Query Language. It is just a coincidence, though one that many technically-inclined residents of the Bay Area and Silicon Valley were sure to notice. The airport was given this code well before the founding of the Oracle corporation.
Experimental Aircraft Association
The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) has a local chapter at San Carlos Airport. EAA Chapter 20 has about 50 members as of 20101999 Proposed Runway Extension
In 1999, a proposal was given to extend the runway into the marsh before runway 30. The proposed extension to runway 30 caused trouble in Redwood Shores and Foster City, where critics complained the buzz from small planes shattered the peace. Despite promises by San Mateo County officials, opponents felt a longer runway would lead to bigger and noisier planes, in particular, more corporate aircraft.External links
- San Carlos Airport page at San Mateo County Department of Public Works website
- San Carlos Airport Pilots Association