The site of Aspen/Pitkin County Airport was first occupied by settlers in 1881, with the establishment of the Stapleton ranch, a 320-acre homestead. The first building on the site, a log cabin, sat on the east side of the present-day runway. The Stapleton family grew potatoes and raised animals, including sheep, cattle, and hogs.[4][5]
A private gravel airstrip opened on the Stapleton ranch in 1946, promoted by Walter Paepcke and John Spachner. The airstrip was open to the public, but was mostly used by the aviation department of the Aspen Institute, the precursor of Aspen Airways.[6]
The Pitkin County government gained control of the gravel airstrip in the 1956, and began a project to pave the runway. County commissioner Tom Sardy headed the project, and the airport was renamed Sardy Field in his honor in 1958.[7][6]
The original paved runway was 5,000 by 50 feet (1,524 by 15 m). The runway has been expanded four times since, reaching its current dimensions in 2011.[6]
Facilities
Runway 33
For the 12-month period ending November 30, 2020, the airport had 38,584 aircraft operations, an average of 106 per day: 52% general aviation, 29% air taxi, 18% scheduled commercial, and 1% military. In November 2020, there were 95 aircraft based at this airport: 66 single-engine, 10 multi-engine, 13 jet, 5 helicopter, and 1 glider.[1]
Aspen/Pitkin Co. Airport has more regular service from major carriers than any other regional ski town airport in North America. In the winter, its regular, weekly flights number more than 170 (not including extra flights often run during busy holiday seasons). In addition to regular service from Denver, Aspen sees more than 20 flights a week from Chicago and Los Angeles.[8]
Runway
In 2007, the runway was completely rehabilitated with new grooved asphalt. A partial length parallel taxiway A is located 320 ft (98 m) from the runway centerline on the east side of the runway, and serves general aviation on the north end of the airport and the commercial terminal on the south end. The airport meets modified FAA D-III airport reference code standards.
On April 4, 2011, the airport began a $15.5 million runway extension project which added 1,000 feet of runway length to the existing 8,006 feet long runway. This project was completed on November 2, 2011.[9]
Terminal
This article needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (December 2016)
The Aspen/Pitkin County airport terminal is a 44,000 square feet (4,100 m2) single floor facility, which has undergone several renovations since its original construction in 1976. The airport terminal hosts six rental car operations, a year-round guest services operation, plus Jeddadiahs restaurant and gift shops. The terminal has a cellphone parking lot to accommodate motorists waiting to pick up passengers. The 40 spaced parking lot is located in a manner to allow motorists to loop and re-access the terminal without getting back on HWY-82. Parking is not allowed in front of Aspen’s airport terminal.[10]
Operations
Safety
The Aspen/Pitkin County Airport is certificated as a Class I, ARFF Index B commercial service airport under FAR Part 139. The airport's operations department is responsible for daily compliance with FAA Part 139, including daily airport safety inspections, rules and regulations enforcement, and aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF). In July 2009, the airport took delivery of a new Oshkosh Striker 1500 Index B ARFF truck. Mutual aid response to airport incidents is provided by the Aspen Fire Department, Pitkin County Sheriffs Department, Aspen Ambulance, and others.
Airport operations staff operates from the airport's Operations Center, constructed in 2006 on the west side of the airport. This facility houses airport operations and facilities maintenance staff, as well as the airport's fleet of ARFF, snow removal, and other airport equipment.
The FAA has installed an FAA Weather Camera in addition to the Automated surface observing system (ASOS) available to help pilots determine the weather conditions at Aspen airport and the surrounding area.[11]
Restrictions
The airport has several unique operating limitations, due to local legislation and the constrained size of the airfield. As of 2023[update], aircraft at ASE are restricted to a wingspan of 95 ft (29 m) and a maximum weight of 100,000 lb (45,000 kg).[12] These restrictions influence the airline services provided at ASE, which must use regional airliners that comply with the weight limit. Most mainline aircraft, such as the Boeing 737, are generally prohibited from the airport due to these restrictions.[13]
ASE has a curfew in place, which prohibits operations between 11 PM and 7 AM. No aircraft departures are permitted after 10:30 PM. Jet aircraft with louder engines, under the FAA Stage II category, are permitted to take off no more than 30 minutes after official sunset.[14][15]
For most aircraft operations, especially commercial operations using CRJ-700 planes, aircraft must land to the south and take off to the north. This can lead to occasional delays, cancellations, and weight restrictions depending on wind strength and direction.[16]
On January 14, 1970, an Aspen AirwaysConvair CV-240-12 (registration N270L) landed on the runway with its landing gear raised. The pilot in command wanted to keep the airspeed above 130 knots in case a go-around was required, and failed to extend the landing gear on short final. The gear warning horn did not sound. There were no injuries.[20]
On January 5, 1989, a Federal ExpressCessna 208B Super Cargomaster (registration N945FE) executed a missed approach but failed to do so in accordance with published missed approach procedures, resulting in a collision with trees. The pilot, the only occupant, was uninjured.[21]
On February 13, 1991, a Richmor Aviation Learjet 35A (registration N535PC) stalled and collided with terrain and killed all three people on board. The FAA determined the flight crew's failure to maintain airspeed and control of the aircraft, as well as the execution of an unstabilized approach and the snow-covered mountainous terrain, to be contributing factors.[22]
On January 6, 1996, a Learjet 60 (registration XA-ICA) touched down in a snow-covered field 1,000 ft from the runway threshold and 25 feet right of the runway centerline. The nose gear collapsed and the aircraft slid through several snow berms before coming to a halt on the runway at the 4,000 ft mark. It was determined by FAA investigators that sun glare, the snow-covered runway, and the airport's failure to properly remove snow from the runway were the causes for the crash.[23]
On March 29, 2001, a Gulfstream III (registration N303GA), owned by Avjet Corporation, crashed on approach to runway 15 killing all 18 occupants on board. The flight crew's operation of the aircraft below minimum descent altitude without visual reference with the runway was determined to be the main cause, but the FAA also recognized that an unclear NOTAM that was issued for the approach confused the flight crew. Additionally, the FAA's failure to communicate the restrictions to Aspen Tower controllers contributed. The pilot was also under pressure to land from the charter customer.[24]
On June 7, 2009, a Learjet 60 (registration N500SW) veered off the runway on landing and came to rest on the right side of the runway with a collapsed right main gear, with no injuries to the eight persons on board.[25]
On January 5, 2014, a Bombardier Challenger 600 (registration N115WF) crashed upon landing and experienced a post-impact fire, killing one occupant and seriously injuring the other two persons on board.[26] A National Transportation Safety Board report in 2017 concluded that the crash was due to pilot inexperience as they attempted to land with 25 knot wind gusts and failed "to conduct a go-around when the approach became unstabilized".[27]
^McGhee, Tom (January 6, 2014). "Aspen airport remains closed after crash that killed 1, injured 2". The Denver Post. Retrieved January 27, 2017. The Aspen/Pitkin County Airport remains closed and investigators are waiting until a private jet that sits belly up after an accident that killed one and injured two others can be stabilized so they can begin examining the wreckage.
