Victoria Regional Airport
| Victoria Regional Airport | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||
| Victoria Regional Airport, 27 Jan 1996 | |||
| IATA: VCT – ICAO: KVCT – FAA LID: VCT | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Operator | County of Victoria | ||
| Location | Victoria, Texas | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 115 ft / 35.1 m | ||
| Coordinates | 28°51′09″N 96°55′07″W / 28.8525°N 96.91861°WCoordinates: 28°51′09″N 96°55′07″W / 28.8525°N 96.91861°W | ||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 12L/30R | 9,101 | 2,774 | Asphalt |
| 12R/30L | 4,643 | 1,415 | Concrete |
| 17/35 | 4,899 | 1,493 | Asphalt |
| 6/24 | 4,200 | 1,280 | Asphalt |
| Helipads | |||
| Number | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| H1 | 60 | 18 | Asphalt |
Victoria Regional Airport (IATA: VCT, ICAO: KVCT, FAA LID: VCT), formerly Foster Air Force Base, is a public airport located five miles (8 km) northeast of the central business district (CBD) of Victoria, in Victoria County, Texas, USA. The airport covers 1,766 acres (715 ha) and has four runways and one helipad. It is mostly used for general aviation, but is also served by one commercial airline. Service is subsidized by the Essential Air Service program.
Contents |
[edit] Airlines and destinations
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| United Express operated by Colgan Air | Houston-Intercontinental |
[edit] History
[edit] World War II
Foster Field began as a United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) facility that was established in 1941 as an advanced single-engine flying school for fighter pilots. Originally known as Victoria Field, it was renamed in 1942 in memory of 1st Lt Arthur L. Foster, a United States Army Air Corps instructor killed in a crash at Brooks Field in 1925. Foster's son received his training and commission at the base in the spring of 1942.
After World War II, Foster Field was deactivated and the site was returned to its private owners, the Buhler and Braman estates. It was later reactivated as an Air Force base from 1951-1958, during which time it operated F-86 Sabre and F-100 Super Sabre aircraft and served as Headquarters for 19th Air Force (19 AF). The base closed in December 1958 and formally inactivated in January 1959.
[edit] Post Military Use
The local economy suffered greatly from the closure of Foster AFB. In the summer of 1960, the General Services Administration approved the exchange of Aloe Field for Foster Field, and Victoria County Airport was moved to the latter site. The growth of the county airport slowly replaced the loss of Foster AFB as numerous businesses located there.
Two of the largest businesses to locate at Victoria County Airport were the Devereux Foundation, a therapeutic-education center, and Gary Aircraft, which repaired surplus C-54 Skymaster (Douglas DC-4) aircraft in 1968. In 1976 Foster became the site of Victoria Regional Airport, which provides passenger service and connections with major carriers.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Victoria Regional Airport (official web site)
- FAA Airport Master Record for VCT (Form 5010 PDF)
[edit] External links
- Resources for this airport:
- AirNav airport information for KVCT
- ASN accident history for VCT
- FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
- NOAA/NWS latest weather observations
- SkyVector aeronautical chart, Terminal Procedures
