Pearson Field (ICAO: KVUO, FAA LID: VUO) [2] also once known as Pearson Airpark, is a city-owned municipal airport located one mile (2 km) southeast of the central business district of Vancouver, a city in Clark County, Washington, United States.[1]
Pearson Field | |||||||||||
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Summary | |||||||||||
Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
Owner | City of Vancouver | ||||||||||
Serves | Vancouver, Washington | ||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 29 ft / 9 m | ||||||||||
Coordinates | 45°37′14″N 122°39′23″W / 45.62056°N 122.65639°W | ||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||
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Statistics (2022) | |||||||||||
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Pearson Field is the oldest continuously operating airfield in the Pacific Northwest and one of the two oldest continuously operating airfields in the United States, receiving recognition in 2012 as an American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics historic aerospace site.[3][4] Pearson Field's history began with the landing of a Baldwin airship, piloted by Lincoln Beachey, upon the polo grounds of the Vancouver Barracks in 1905.[5][6] It is located in the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site immediately to the east of the reconstructed fort. Primarily used for general aviation, the airfield's lone runway is located directly beneath the final approach to runway 10L at nearby Portland International Airport. The airport lies adjacent to Washington State Route 14 and the Columbia River.
Pearson Field's history dates back to the early 1900s and is named for local resident First Lieutenant Alexander Pearson Jr. of the United States Army.
Pearson Field covers an area of 82 acres (33 ha) which contains one runway designated 8/26 with a 3,275 ft × 60 ft (998 m × 18 m) asphalt pavement. For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2022, the airport had 52,700 aircraft operations, an average of 144 per day: 100% general aviation, <1% military and <1% air taxi. At that time there were 151 aircraft based at this airport: 144 single-engine, 4 multi-engine, 2 helicopter, and 1 glider.[1]
The airfield has a 150 T-hangars and tiedown facilities, with capacity for 175 light aircraft.
Located adjacent to the airfield are the Pearson Air Museum and Aero Maintenance Flight Center, a full service FBO, maintenance station, avionics station, and part 61 and part 141 approved flight school,[14] and the Pearson Field Education Center.
The state of Washington provides economic impact studies of airports within the state. In the 2001 report, Pearson Field contributed about 600 jobs to the area. Salaries drawn in relation to business at Pearson total about US$11 million. The total economic activity related to Pearson totals about US$38 million.[15] There was an updated report in 2012.[16]
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Debate rages—maybe simmers is a better word—as to which airport is the oldest in the United States. While many make the claim worldwide, the battle comes down to two: College Park Airport, Maryland, and Pearson Field in Vancouver, Washington.
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