Holtville Airport
Encyclopedia
Holtville Airport is a county-owned, public-use airport
located five nautical miles (9 km) northeast of the central business district
of Holtville
, a city in Imperial County
, California
, United States
. Holtville was a U.S. Navy airfield during World War II
.
flying per year. The airfield was commissioned in 1943, with two concrete runways. Holtville was used by the Navy to train pilots in skip bombing, night flying, and air-to-ground rocket firing. F6F Hellcat
s and F4U Corsair
s were among the aircraft operated from Holtville. In 1944 Holtville was significantly expanded. The upgrades included the runway being extended to 6000 feet (1,828.8 m) and two new ground training buildings. In 1944 Holtville had a total complement of 2,980 officers & enlisted.
In 1947 Holtville was transferred to Imperial County to be used as a civilian airport.
Holtville may have been reactivated as a military airfield at some point between 1951–55, as it was depicted once again as a Navy airfield on the 1955 San Diego Sectional Aeronautical Chart. Holtville was evidently relinquished by the military (again) at some point between 1955–66, as "Holtville" was depicted as a civil airport on the 1966 San Diego Sectional Chart.
Due to the field's proximity to Yuma MCAS & El Centro NAF, it is apparently still used for infrequent military aircraft training, as the Airport Facility Directory includes the notes "Be alert frequent military training activity during daylight hours & dark; includes tactical aircraft, helicopters & parachuting. No vertical takeoffs or landings permitted at airport AV-8 Harrier."
of 59 feet (18 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway
designated 8/26 with a concrete
surface measuring 6,000 by 150 feet (1,829 x 46 m). Federal Aviation Administration
records show the airport and runway as being "closed indefinitely".
For the 12 month period ending March 6, 2000, there were no recorded aircraft operations and no aircraft based at the airport.
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 five nautical miles (9 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 Holtville
Holtville, California
Holtville is a city in Imperial County, California. Holtville is located east of El Centro, The population was 5,939 at the 2010 census, up from 5,612 at the 2000 census. It is part of the 'El Centro, California, Metropolitan Statistical Area'...
, a city in Imperial County
Imperial County, California
Imperial County is a county located in the Imperial Valley, in the far southeast of the U.S. state of California, bordering both Arizona and Mexico. It is part of the El Centro Metropolitan Area, which encompasses all of Imperial County. The population as of 2000 was 142,361. The county seat is the...
, 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...
. Holtville was a U.S. Navy airfield during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
U.S. Navy
In 1937 the U.S. Navy purchased 1397 acres (5.7 km²) to build an airfield to support flight training. Holtville was chosen by the Navy because it boasted 360 days of Visual flight rulesVisual flight rules
Visual flight rules are a set of regulations which allow a pilot to operate an aircraft in weather conditions generally clear enough to allow the pilot to see where the aircraft is going. Specifically, the weather must be better than basic VFR weather minimums, as specified in the rules of the...
flying per year. The airfield was commissioned in 1943, with two concrete runways. Holtville was used by the Navy to train pilots in skip bombing, night flying, and air-to-ground rocket firing. F6F Hellcat
F6F Hellcat
The Grumman F6F Hellcat was a carrier-based fighter aircraft developed to replace the earlier F4F Wildcat in United States Navy service. Although the F6F resembled the Wildcat, it was a completely new design powered by a 2,000 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800. Some tagged it as the "Wildcat's big...
s and F4U Corsair
F4U Corsair
The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and...
s were among the aircraft operated from Holtville. In 1944 Holtville was significantly expanded. The upgrades included the runway being extended to 6000 feet (1,828.8 m) and two new ground training buildings. In 1944 Holtville had a total complement of 2,980 officers & enlisted.
After the war
Following the end of WW2, Holtville was used for a few months to store 111 "PV-2 Privateers" In 1946 Holtville was redesigned from “Holtville NAAS” to “Holtville Airport”.In 1947 Holtville was transferred to Imperial County to be used as a civilian airport.
Holtville may have been reactivated as a military airfield at some point between 1951–55, as it was depicted once again as a Navy airfield on the 1955 San Diego Sectional Aeronautical Chart. Holtville was evidently relinquished by the military (again) at some point between 1955–66, as "Holtville" was depicted as a civil airport on the 1966 San Diego Sectional Chart.
Due to the field's proximity to Yuma MCAS & El Centro NAF, it is apparently still used for infrequent military aircraft training, as the Airport Facility Directory includes the notes "Be alert frequent military training activity during daylight hours & dark; includes tactical aircraft, helicopters & parachuting. No vertical takeoffs or landings permitted at airport AV-8 Harrier."
Facilities
Holtville Airport covers an area of 1100 acres (445.2 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 59 feet (18 m) above mean sea level. It 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...
designated 8/26 with a concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
surface measuring 6,000 by 150 feet (1,829 x 46 m). Federal Aviation Administration
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...
records show the airport and runway as being "closed indefinitely".
For the 12 month period ending March 6, 2000, there were no recorded aircraft operations and no aircraft based at the airport.
External links
- Aerial photo as of 8 June 2002 from USGS The National Map