Valdez Airport Pioneer Field
Valdez Airport, left background, as seen in an aerial photo taken 1974
IATA: VDZ ICAO: PAVD FAA LID: VDZ
Summary
Airport type	Public
Operator	State of Alaska DOT&PF - Northern Region
Serves	Valdez, Alaska
Elevation AMSL	128 ft / 39 m
Coordinates	61°08′02″N 146°14′54″W / 61.13389°N 146.24833°W / 61.13389; -146.24833
Map
VDZ
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 6/24 6,500 1,981 Asphalt
Statistics (2021)
Aircraft operations 10,300 Based aircraft 35
Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1]

Valdez Airport (IATA: VDZ, ICAO: PAVD, FAA LID: VDZ),^[2] also known as Pioneer Field, is a state-owned public-use airport located three nautical miles (6 km) east of the central business district of Valdez, a city in the Valdez-Cordova Census Area of the U.S. state of Alaska.^[1]

Facilities and aircraft

Valdez Airport covers an area of 836 acres (338 ha) at an elevation of 128 feet (39 m) above mean sea level. It has one asphalt paved runway designated 6/24 which measures 6,500 by 150 feet (1,981 x 46 m).^[1]

For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2021, the airport had 10,300 aircraft operations, an average of 28 per day: 37% air taxi, 53% general aviation, 5% commercial, and 5% military. At that time there were 35 aircraft based at this airport: 25 single-engine, 1 multi-engine, 7 helicopter and 2 ultralight.^[1]

Airlines and destinations

Historically, the airport had scheduled passenger jet service provided by Alaska Airlines during the mid-1970s. The Alaska Airlines system timetable dated February 1, 1975 lists a Boeing 727-100 flight nonstop to Anchorage. Era Aviation served the airport during the 1980s with Convair 580 and de Havilland Canada DHC-7 Dash 7 turboprops.

Accidents near VDZ

• On April 25, 1964, an Air National Guard Fairchild C-123 Provider impacted Prince William Sound 1.5KM off shore 3 minutes after takeoff at night during heavy snowfall. All 4 occupants were killed.^[4]
• On February 25, 1985, a USAF Boeing RC-135 crashed into a mountain after a few MLS approaches to Valdez Airport in poor visibility. All 3 occupants died.^[5]