Lake Tahoe Airport
Encyclopedia
Lake Tahoe Airport is a public airport
located three miles (3.8 km) southwest of South Lake Tahoe
, serving El Dorado County
, California
, USA
. This general aviation
airport covers 348 acres (141 ha) and has one runway
. The airport is sometimes called Tahoe Valley Airport.
The airport formerly offered commercial to several destinations by various carriers from the late 70s to the early 2000s. For the first few years of airline service, the airport had a ban on pure-jet traffic. As a result, Pacific Southwest Airlines
and Air California
(later AirCal) delayed the retirement of their Lockheed L-188 Electra
to continue service to the airport. PSA ended up retiring their Electras and ending service to Lake Tahoe in 1979 before the ban was lifted. Air California, however, remained at the airport and eventually began pure-jet service with Boeing 737
s and MD-80s which served the airport until the airline was acquired by American Airlines
in 1987. American continued service briefly with former-AirCal Boeing 737s, but soon gave all Lake Tahoe service to its regional partner American Eagle
who continued to serve the airport with Saab 340
s and Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner
s into the 90s.
In 1999, Casino Express Airlines started a Tahoe-based carrier under the name of Tahoe Air
. The carrier flew Boeing 737-200s serving San Jose(CA) and Los Angeles offering low fares. Around the same time, Allegiant Air
, then based in Fresno, began service to Tahoe from Fresno and Las Vegas with DC-9s. The airport was unable to house two large carriers, and Tahoe Air was chosen to stay while Allegiant ended service. Tahoe Air ceased operations that same year, and Lake Tahoe has yet to see airline service since.
The Tahoe area is currently served by the nearby Reno-Tahoe International 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 three miles (3.8 km) southwest of South Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe, California
South Lake Tahoe is the most populous city in El Dorado County, California, in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The population was 21,403 at the 2010 census, down from 23,609 at the 2000 census...
, serving El Dorado County
El Dorado County, California
El Dorado County is a county located in the historic Gold Country in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and foothills of the U.S. state of California. The 2010 population was 181,058. The El Dorado county seat is in Placerville....
, 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...
. This 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...
airport covers 348 acres (141 ha) 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...
. The airport is sometimes called Tahoe Valley Airport.
The airport formerly offered commercial to several destinations by various carriers from the late 70s to the early 2000s. For the first few years of airline service, the airport had a ban on pure-jet traffic. As a result, Pacific Southwest Airlines
Pacific Southwest Airlines
Pacific Southwest Airlines was a United States airline headquartered in San Diego, California, that operated from 1949 to 1988. It was one of the first large discount airlines in the United States and is considered a precursor to Southwest Airlines...
and Air California
Air California
Air California, later AirCal, was a regional airline using mainline equipment and serving different points in the state of California and some neighboring western U.S. states. It was founded by a partnership of Orange County businessmen as an alternative to other airlines and what was left of the...
(later AirCal) delayed the retirement of their Lockheed L-188 Electra
Lockheed L-188 Electra
The Lockheed Model 188 Electra is an American turboprop airliner built by Lockheed. First flying in 1957, it was the first large turboprop airliner produced in the United States. Initial sales were good, but after two fatal crashes which prompted an expensive modification program to fix a design...
to continue service to the airport. PSA ended up retiring their Electras and ending service to Lake Tahoe in 1979 before the ban was lifted. Air California, however, remained at the airport and eventually began pure-jet service with Boeing 737
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
s and MD-80s which served the airport until the airline was acquired by American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
in 1987. American continued service briefly with former-AirCal Boeing 737s, but soon gave all Lake Tahoe service to its regional partner American Eagle
American Eagle Airlines
American Eagle Airlines is a brand name used by American Eagle Airlines, Inc. , based in Fort Worth, Texas, and Executive Airlines based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the operation of passenger air service as regional affiliates of American Airlines. All three airlines are wholly owned subsidiaries...
who continued to serve the airport with Saab 340
Saab 340
The Saab 340 is a discontinued Swedish two-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by a partnership between Saab and Fairchild Aircraft in a 65:35 ratio...
s and Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner
Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner
The Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner or the Fairchild Aerospace Metro is a 19-seat, pressurised, twin turboprop airliner first produced by Swearingen Aircraft and later by Fairchild at a plant in San Antonio, Texas, United States....
s into the 90s.
In 1999, Casino Express Airlines started a Tahoe-based carrier under the name of Tahoe Air
Tahoe Air
Tahoe Air was started by Casino Express Airlines to serve destinations within California from the South Lake Tahoe Airport. Operations were planned with MD-80s, however, before any orders for MD-80s were made, operations began with a single Boeing 737-200, registered N233TM and operated by parent...
. The carrier flew Boeing 737-200s serving San Jose(CA) and Los Angeles offering low fares. Around the same time, Allegiant Air
Allegiant Air
Allegiant Air is an American low-cost airline owned by Allegiant Travel Co. that operates scheduled and charter flights. Allegiant Travel Company is a publicly traded company with 1,300 employees and one billion USD market capitalization...
, then based in Fresno, began service to Tahoe from Fresno and Las Vegas with DC-9s. The airport was unable to house two large carriers, and Tahoe Air was chosen to stay while Allegiant ended service. Tahoe Air ceased operations that same year, and Lake Tahoe has yet to see airline service since.
The Tahoe area is currently served by the nearby Reno-Tahoe International Airport.