Airman closed until further notice..

[cmdrworf]

Ca

Back to me good ol' hometown of Medford, Oregon (KMFR - Rogue Valley "International", based on their weekly hop to Vancouver, I believe ).

Speaking of which, I haven't been back there since before I got my Private. Anyone familiar with the flight instruction/future job opportunities in the Southern Oregon/Northern California general area? I probably won't stay there after I get my Commercial and CFI/I, MEI, etc., but it's always good to know.

MFR

I'm from the Sacramento area. Have you check out The Sacramento area yet??

 

[mattpilot]

Just took a quick peek at some of the towered airports on an Oklahoma VFR chart and looked them up on AirNav. Obviously these numbers are averages, but it gives you a look at the ops of airports comparable to Westheimer.

KADM - 125/day
KSWO - 236/day
KAMA - 302/day
KOUN - 311/day
KOKC - 316/day - even Rogers ain't that busy

Maybe it's dropped off a bit thanks to Airman, but it's definitely busier than Ardmore and Stillwater. I think someone mentioned it before, but what about game day jet traffic and what not?

Not that I really care, since in another few weeks, I'll be out of Oklahoma anyhow.

MFR

Only 311 a day? Jeezzz'us ... We got 820 a day at KRVS average (trust me, you don't ever want to fly on a friday evening when the day is nice). 40th busiest airport in the nation. And its only a part-time tower.


As for SWO, i thought that was a privately run tower?

 

[MFRskyknight]

Only 311 a day? Jeezzz'us ... We got 820 a day at KRVS average (trust me, you don't ever want to fly on a friday evening when the day is nice). 40th busiest airport in the nation. And its only a part-time tower.

Actually, it's only like 818 a day at RVS, isn't it? Definitely the busiest in Oklahoma, if the tales be true. There's a tower that'll stay open awhile.

I'm from the Sacramento area. Have you check out The Sacramento area yet??

Haven't looked at it too indepth yet, but I have a lot of family in/around Sacramento, Santa Rosa, Clearlake, etc. It'll be on my way when I drive back to Oregon, so I'll stop in and see what there is.

MFR

 

[mattpilot]

Gawd damn... it took my almost 30 min to find this link, but i finally did.

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/aba/admin_factbook/media/aug05.pdf


Its the "FACT BOOK" - lots of stats about everything you always (or never?) wanted to know . I took a quick look and it looks like KRVS slipped from 40th to 41st busiest airport in the nation. Look on page 11 for control towers.

 

[User546]

I agree RVS has got to be the busiest airport in the state, however I do disagree that there isn't enough training aircraft to keep OUN busy.

When we were departing out of there the other day at about 9 am in the morning, the OU Cherokee's were swarming like bees on all runways. Thought we were goign to have to pick our way thru there before takeoff. That could really be a dangerous situation with no control tower. Especially on game day as one person noted.

 

[JonJohn82]

Whoa!!! Osu? The aircraft I was in was Crimson and Cream.

 

[User546]

Whoa!!! Osu? The aircraft I was in was Crimson and Cream.

Aiy, Aiy, Aiy.... I so didn't mean to screw that up! Sorry to insult the best college in Oklahoma!

Editing original post!

 

[JonJohn82]

Perhaps will have the best football team in Oklahoma AND Texas after Saturday.

Also, Westheimer is busy as ever.

 

[SmokingWires]

... sorry, but I have to disagree with that. On an average day, Airman would add about 100-150 ops. I live under the downwind legs, and I haven't heard nearly so many aircraft in the pattern. You can't lose a school operating 15+ aircraft, and about 50 active students, and not lose a lot of operations.

 

[phantomdriver]

Im glad that airman is closed because it is easier to fly in the norman area.

 

[JonJohn82]

You're right, but it hasn't dropped off significantly enough to warrant the closing of the tower.

 

[MFRskyknight]

When did the tower first open at OUN, does anybody know, and was Airman present when it did?

Too lazy to research it myself.

MFR

 

[JonJohn82]

I'm not at all sure. I imagine it was opened when it was a Naval Air Station years ago.

 

[User546]

There's several black and white photos in the main hallway that were taken in 1940, and one was showing the tower cab. So I'm guessing well before then.

 

[SmokingWires]

The tower closed for a period in the Eighties, due to inadequate traffic after the oil boom died and the Confederate AF closed their base at Norman and moved their aircraft. When Airman switched from being primarily an FBO to more of a flight school, the tempo increased enough for the FAA to fund a tower. So, it has closed before, and it can close again.

Yes, with Airman now closed, plenty of people can practice flight maneuvers in the immediate vicinity of Sooner intersection without pesky Airman aircraft shooting the LOC 3 interfering.