Gnoss Field
Encyclopedia
Marin County Airport or Gnoss Field , formerly O56, is a public airport
located two miles (3.2 km) northeast of Novato
, serving Marin County
, California
, USA
. The airport covers 90 acres (364,217.4 m²) and has one runway
and one helipad
. It is used mostly for general aviation
.
Although most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier
for the FAA
and IATA
, Marin County Airport/Gnoss Field is assigned DVO by the FAA and NOT by the IATA (which assigned DVO to Francisco Bangoy International Airport
in Davao City
, Philippines
). The airport's ICAO
identifier is KDVO.
There is currently a plan to extend the length of Gnoss' sole runway by 1100' to a length of 4400'. The county of Marin is currently commissioning an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and a joint Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to explore the impact of such an extension.
The Wrights original privately owned airport had a dirt runway and was located immediately west of the current airport, in what is now a grassy field. The last vestiges of the Wright airport buildings were burned down in a grass fire about 2005.
In 1973, the County of Marin purchased the airport and moved it to its present location, just east of the original location.
Most airport runways are laid out in a direction that takes the prevailing wind direction into account, in line with the prevailing winds – but somehow (and the stories are numerous), Gnoss's single runway is laid out almost exactly perpendicular to the prevailing offshore west winds.
One of the stories is that county money was tight and somebody decided to lay out the runway similarly to Hamilton AFB's main runway.
Gnoss Field celebrates its 50-year anniversary in 2009–2010.
The single (31/13) runway is laid out on a similar heading as the close by Hamilton Air Force Base
(closed) and Petaluma Municipal Airport
(K069) runways, but the prevailing summer afternoon offshore west wind direction and speed at Gnoss Field are changed and amplified by the runway's close proximity to 1555 feet (474 m) Burdell Mountain, just west of the airport.
When Gnoss Field's crosswinds exceed pilot personal or aircraft limitations, local pilots generally choose to land at Petaluma Municipal / K069 (7.2 nautical miles (13.3 km), 327 magnetic heading) or Napa County Airport
/ KAPC (13.6 nautical miles (25.2 km), 058 magnetic heading). Petaluma Municipal rarely has significant crosswinds on its single runway (29/11) and Napa has multiple runways to choose from to accommodate the prevailing wind direction.
The typical Gnoss Field crosswind landing conditions expected on runway 31 are a stronger than reported headwind on right base and, in a typical training aircraft, a slight amount of wind shear about 100 feet (30.5 m) before the runway 31 threshold, settling down to a steady crosswind - but then adding to a slight headwind component, just past the near west side hangars.
Most locally based small plane pilots either land short to be going below flying speed before the end of the near west hangars or touchdown after the end of the near west side hangars for more consistent wind conditions during landing.
Typical left traffic pattern 13 landings during high crosswinds are flown through varying rotor wind turbulence on the backside of Burdell Mountain and a relatively constant crosswind near the ground.
AWOS reports more closely conditions on the 31 end of the runway, and wind conditions are commonly significantly different on each end of the runway.
Gnoss has two windsocks. During remodeling in 2007 the "13" windsock was removed. By immediate popular demand, the 13 end windsock was replaced by airport management as soon as a replacement was located.
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...
located two miles (3.2 km) northeast of Novato
Novato, California
Novato is a city located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, in northern Marin County. Novato is located about north-northwest of San Rafael, at an elevation of 30 feet above sea level . The 2010 U.S. Census estimated the city population to be about 51,904. Novato is about ...
, serving Marin County
Marin County, California
Marin County is a county located in the North San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. As of 2010, the population was 252,409. The county seat is San Rafael and the largest employer is the county government. Marin County is well...
, 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...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The airport covers 90 acres (364,217.4 m²) and has one 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...
and one helipad
Helipad
Helipad is a common abbreviation for helicopter landing pad, a landing area for helicopters. While helicopters are able to operate on a variety of relatively flat surfaces, a fabricated helipad provides a clearly marked hard surface away from obstacles where a helicopter can safely...
. It is used mostly for 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...
.
Although most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier
Location identifier
A location identifier is a symbolic representation for the name and the location of an airport, navigation aid, or weather station, and is used for manned air traffic control facilities in air traffic control, telecommunications, computer programming, weather reports, and related services.-ICAO...
for the FAA
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
and IATA
International Air Transport Association
The International Air Transport Association is an international industry trade group of airlines headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the International Civil Aviation Organization is also headquartered. The executive offices are at the Geneva Airport in SwitzerlandIATA's mission is to...
, Marin County Airport/Gnoss Field is assigned DVO by the FAA and NOT by the IATA (which assigned DVO to Francisco Bangoy International Airport
Francisco Bangoy International Airport
Francisco Bangoy International Airport , also called Davao International Airport , is the main airport serving Davao City in the Philippines. It is the busiest airport in the island of Mindanao...
in Davao City
Davao City
The City of Davao is the largest city in the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. Its international airport and seaports are among the busiest cargo hubs in the Philippines....
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
). The airport's ICAO
International Civil Aviation Organization
The International Civil Aviation Organization , pronounced , , is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth...
identifier is KDVO.
There is currently a plan to extend the length of Gnoss' sole runway by 1100' to a length of 4400'. The county of Marin is currently commissioning an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and a joint Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to explore the impact of such an extension.
History
The airport was opened by the Wright family just after WW2 to serve what was expected to be thousands of ex-military pilots who would be flying for recreation and business after the war.The Wrights original privately owned airport had a dirt runway and was located immediately west of the current airport, in what is now a grassy field. The last vestiges of the Wright airport buildings were burned down in a grass fire about 2005.
In 1973, the County of Marin purchased the airport and moved it to its present location, just east of the original location.
Most airport runways are laid out in a direction that takes the prevailing wind direction into account, in line with the prevailing winds – but somehow (and the stories are numerous), Gnoss's single runway is laid out almost exactly perpendicular to the prevailing offshore west winds.
One of the stories is that county money was tight and somebody decided to lay out the runway similarly to Hamilton AFB's main runway.
Gnoss Field celebrates its 50-year anniversary in 2009–2010.
Gnoss' famous crosswinds
Gnoss Field is well known to local pilots and flight instructors as an excellent airport to practice crosswind landings, especially during afternoons in the late spring and summer months when the west wind picks up.The single (31/13) runway is laid out on a similar heading as the close by Hamilton Air Force Base
Hamilton Air Force Base
Hamilton Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located along the western shore of San Pablo Bay, south of Novato, California.-History:...
(closed) and Petaluma Municipal Airport
Petaluma Municipal Airport
Petaluma Municipal Airport is a public airport located one mile northeast of the central business district of Petaluma, a city in Sonoma County, California, USA. The airport covers and has one runway 3601 x 75 feet. It is mostly used for general aviation.-External links:*-See also:*List of...
(K069) runways, but the prevailing summer afternoon offshore west wind direction and speed at Gnoss Field are changed and amplified by the runway's close proximity to 1555 feet (474 m) Burdell Mountain, just west of the airport.
When Gnoss Field's crosswinds exceed pilot personal or aircraft limitations, local pilots generally choose to land at Petaluma Municipal / K069 (7.2 nautical miles (13.3 km), 327 magnetic heading) or Napa County Airport
Napa County Airport
Napa County Airport , also known as Napa Valley Airport, is a public airport located five miles south of Napa, in Napa County, California, USA. It has three runways....
/ KAPC (13.6 nautical miles (25.2 km), 058 magnetic heading). Petaluma Municipal rarely has significant crosswinds on its single runway (29/11) and Napa has multiple runways to choose from to accommodate the prevailing wind direction.
The typical Gnoss Field crosswind landing conditions expected on runway 31 are a stronger than reported headwind on right base and, in a typical training aircraft, a slight amount of wind shear about 100 feet (30.5 m) before the runway 31 threshold, settling down to a steady crosswind - but then adding to a slight headwind component, just past the near west side hangars.
Most locally based small plane pilots either land short to be going below flying speed before the end of the near west hangars or touchdown after the end of the near west side hangars for more consistent wind conditions during landing.
Typical left traffic pattern 13 landings during high crosswinds are flown through varying rotor wind turbulence on the backside of Burdell Mountain and a relatively constant crosswind near the ground.
AWOS reports more closely conditions on the 31 end of the runway, and wind conditions are commonly significantly different on each end of the runway.
Gnoss has two windsocks. During remodeling in 2007 the "13" windsock was removed. By immediate popular demand, the 13 end windsock was replaced by airport management as soon as a replacement was located.
External links
- Marin County Airport at Gnoss Field (County of Marin web site)