Catalina Airport

Catalina Airport
Buffalo Springs Airport
Catalina Airport; Buffalo Springs Airport
	Aerial view of the airport from the East.
	Catalina Airport runway diagram
	IATA: AVX – ICAO: KAVX – FAA LID: AVX; – WMO: 72292
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	Catalina Island Conservancy
Serves	Avalon, Catalina Island, California
Location	Avalon, California
Elevation AMSL	1,602 ft / 488 m
Coordinates	Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Map
	KAVX Location of Catalina Airport
Runways
Statistics (2006)
Aircraft operations	23,000
Based aircraft	10
	Source: Federal Aviation Administration

Catalina Airport (IATA: AVX, ICAO: KAVX, FAA LID: AVX) is a privately owned airport located six miles (10 km) northwest of the central business district of Avalon, California^[2] in the middle of Catalina Island. The airport is open to the public and allows general aviation aircraft to land there. The only requirement is that inbound pilots state their intention to land and that they pay a $25 landing fee.^[3] The airport is primarily used for general aviation. The airport is also used for airfreight from the mainland. Supplies for the island are delivered via Douglas DC-3 aircraft daily.

Historical airline service

In the early 1950s, United Airlines served the airport with scheduled passenger service with nonstop flights to Long Beach Airport (LGB) and direct, one stop service to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) operated with Douglas DC-3 aircraft.^[4] During the mid 1950s, Catalina Airlines was operating de Havilland Dove twin prop aircraft on nonstop flights to Los Angeles International and Burbank Airport (BUR, now Bob Hope Airport).^[5] By the late 1950s, Pacific Air Lines was providing flights with Douglas DC-3 aircraft to Los Angeles International, Long Beach Airport, and Burbank Airport.^[6] In the late 1960s, Catalina-Vegas Airlines was operating nonstop service to San Diego Lindbergh Field (SAN).^[7] Golden West Airlines provided flights as well during the early 1970s with de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter short takeoff and landing STOL capable twin turboprop aircraft with nonstop service to LAX and Orange County Airport (SNA, now John Wayne Airport).^[8] Golden West also acquired Catalina Air Lines which served the island with seaplane flights operated from Avalon and Two Harbors. The airport currently has no scheduled passenger service.

The airfield is also known as the Airport in the Sky due to the fact it lies near the island's highest point at an elevation of 1,602 ft (488 m) All roads to the airport from the island's population centers climb steeply upward.^[9]

File:Douglas-DC3---Catalina.1024.jpg

Douglas-DC3---Catalina

The airport originally opened as "Buffalo Springs Airport" in the late 1930s and was made by leveling off the top of a hill. The Wrigley family - who owned Santa Catalina Island for decades - used to keep their DC-3 in the large hangar at the airport.

Some exterior shots in the movie The In-Laws were shot at Catalina Airport, it doubling as a rural Latin airport.^[10] The tower is readily identifiable.