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The History of Contra Costa
County Airports
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1942 |
Contra Costa County
purchases over 400 acres of land to build an airport in Central County for
$88,000.
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1943 |
An airport is being
developed by the County when World War II necessitates that the United
States Army expropriates the site. The Army adds an additional 100+ acres
of land and spends $2 million on the construction of airport facilities.
They build a training base where they train pilots to fly the P-39 Airacobra.
The airport is named The Concord Army Air Base.
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1946 |
After World War II was
over, the War Assets Administration (WAA) returns the airport to the County
for public use.
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1947 |
The reversion of the
airport was formalized on October 9th when an Instrument of
Transfer between the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors and the
WAA was executed. The airport was renamed after County Supervisor William
J. Buchanan, who served 40+ years as a board member.
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1949 |
Lights are installed on
the north-south facing runway (1L/19R).
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1951-1953 |
U.S. Army uses Buchanan
Field Airport to transport troops to and from Stoneman Base during the
Korean War.
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1961 |
A five-story Air Traffic
Control tower was built.
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1968 |
SFO Helicopter Airlines
begins service.
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1970 |
Golden Pacific Airlines
is the first airline to fly fixed-wing aircraft (Beech 99) at Buchanan
Field.
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1977 |
Buchanan Field Airport reaches its peak level of activity
with 357,000 operations. Buchanan Field is ranked the 16th busiest
airport in the nation, ahead of San Francisco, JFK, LaGuardia, and
Washington Airports.
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1986 |
Pacific Southwest
Airlines (PSA) begins commercial jet service to Buchanan Field. The airline
was later purchased by US Air, and subsequently replaced by US Air Express.
American Eagle begins service during the same period (until 1992).
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1988 |
The Board of Supervisors
institutes a County Noise Ordinance restricting certain aircraft from
operating at Buchanan Field.
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1989 |
Over 100 general
aviation pilots flew over 50,000 lbs. of emergency supplies from Buchanan
Field as part of an emergency airlift of food and supplies to earthquake
stricken residents of Santa Cruz County.
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1990 |
The Board of Supervisors
adopts the update to the Buchanan Field Airport Master Plan.
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1992 |
The Airport allows
development of the 13 acre property where Sam’s Club, Taco Bell, Sports
Authority and Jiffy Lube sit by Reynolds & Brown.
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1993 |
The County breaks ground
on its second airport in Byron.
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1994 |
On October 8th
Byron Airport is officially dedicated. The new airport has 1307 acres of
land. 814 acres are reserved for Habitat Management Land for the San
Joaquin Kit Fox, a federally listed endangered species, as well as many
other endangered and special status species.
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2003 |
Completion of the Byron
Airport Habitat Management Land Operating Manuel. This document prescribes
the steps necessary to ensure the endangered and special status species that
live at the airport survive and prosper.
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2005 |
The Board of Supervisors
adopts the update to the Byron Airport Master Plan.
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