Alpine Texas: Airport Accessibility And Aviation Options

Yes, Alpine, Texas has an airport. The Alpine-Casparis Municipal Airport is a public-use airport located about two miles northwest of downtown Alpine. The airport supports two small runways and is not meant for large commercial planes. It is used for recreational flying, flight training, small cargo shipping, refuelling stops, and medical flights. The airport provides an average of 2,100 patrons annually and earns the city about $908,000 a year.

Alpine-Casparis Municipal Airport's location

The Alpine-Casparis Municipal Airport is located 2 miles northwest of the central business district of Alpine, a city in Brewster County, Texas. The airport's address is 3401 N. Hwy 118, Alpine, Texas 79830.

The airport is easily accessible from the city of Alpine and is the only airport in Brewster County. It is also close to the largest city in the county, making it a convenient stop for small commercial or private aircraft. The airport covers an area of 196 acres and has two asphalt runways: 1/19 and 5/23. Runway 1/19 measures 6,003 feet by 75 feet, while runway 5/23 measures 5,018 feet by 60 feet.

The airport provides a range of services, including 24-hour self-service fuel, a courtesy car, and aircraft maintenance. It also offers recreational flying, flight training, small cargo shipping, refuelling stops, and medical flights. The airport is used by both general aviation (99%) and military (1%) aircraft and has an average of 2,100 patrons annually.

The City of Alpine is currently working on the Airport Layout Plan (ALP) project, which will guide the future development and operations of the airport to ensure it meets the community's needs. The ALP includes an inventory of current airport facilities and operations, projections of future aviation activity and demand, and an analysis of the infrastructure improvements needed to meet future demands.

Runway and facility specifications

The Alpine-Casparis Municipal Airport (IATA: ALE, FAA LID: E38) is a city-owned public-use airport located about two miles northwest of downtown Alpine, Texas. The airport covers an area of 196 acres and has two asphalt runways: 1/19 and 5/23. Runway 1/19 measures 6,003 ft × 75 ft (1,830 m × 23 m), while runway 5/23 measures 5,018 ft × 60 ft (1,529 m × 18 m). The airport offers 24-hour self-service fuel, a courtesy car, and aircraft maintenance.

Runway 1/19 is equipped with runway edge lights, providing guidance for pilots during takeoff and landing. The magnetic bearing is 014, while the true bearing is 023. The runway is in fair condition, with a weight-bearing capacity suitable for small commercial or private aircraft.

Runway 5/23 also features runway edge lights, with a magnetic bearing of 053 and a true bearing of 062. This runway is in good condition and has a weight-bearing capacity similar to runway 1/19.

The airport's facilities include three hangars, which are often full during the summer months when air travel in the area peaks. There are 46 aircraft based at the airport, with 85% being single-engine, 6% multi-engine, and 9% helicopter. The airport supports recreational flying, flight training, small cargo shipping, refuelling stops, and medical flights.

Aircraft operations and capacity

Alpine, Texas, is served by the Alpine–Casparis Municipal Airport, also known as Alpine Municipal Airport. The airport is located about two miles northwest of downtown Alpine on N Hwy 118. It is a city-owned public-use airport that is not meant for large commercial planes. Instead, it serves small commercial or private aircraft and supports recreational flying, flight training, small cargo shipping, refuelling stops, and medical flights.

The airport covers an area of 196 acres (79 ha) and features two asphalt-paved runways: 1/19, measuring 6,003 ft × 75 ft (1,830 m × 23 m), and 5/23, measuring 5,018 ft × 60 ft (1,529 m × 18 m). These runways are equipped with runway edge lights and a visual slope indicator to assist pilots during takeoff and landing. The airport also offers 24-hour self-service fuel, a courtesy car, and aircraft maintenance services.

In terms of aircraft operations, for the 12-month period ending 17 May 2021, the airport recorded 13,186 aircraft operations, averaging 36 per day. The majority of these operations were general aviation (99%), with a small percentage being military flights (1%). There are 46 aircraft based at the airport, consisting of single-engine (85%), multi-engine (6%), and helicopter (9%) configurations.

The airport has three hangars that are often full during the summer months when air travel in the area peaks. With an annual average of 2,100 patrons, the airport provides 17 jobs and contributes approximately US$908,000 to the city's economy each year.

Historical airline services

The Alpine-Casparis Municipal Airport, located about two miles northwest of downtown Alpine, Texas, has a history of airline services dating back several decades. Here is a detailed overview of the historical airline services associated with the airport:

The Alpine-Casparis Municipal Airport has a rich history of airline services, with several carriers serving the region over the years. The airport is owned by the City of Alpine and primarily serves small commercial and private aircraft.

During the late 1940s to the late 1950s, Trans-Texas Airways (TTa) provided airline services to Alpine via the Marfa Municipal Airport. They operated Douglas DC-3 "Starliners" on these routes.

In the early 1960s, Solar Airlines served the Alpine airport with Beechcraft 18 twin-prop aircraft. They operated round-trip flights twice a day on a route that included multiple stops in Texas, including Presidio, Marfa, Fort Stockton, Pecos, Monahans, Wink, and Dallas Love Field (DAL).

In the 1970s, Alpine-based Big Bend Airways offered flights to Midland/Odessa (MAF) and Lubbock (LBB).

During the early 1990s, Lone Star Airlines, a commuter air carrier, operated scheduled passenger services from the Alpine-Casparis Municipal Airport. They utilized Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner propjets for their flights. In 1992, they offered nonstop flights to Austin (AUS) and continued to provide direct service to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). By 1993, Lone Star modified its route to include a stop in Brownwood, Texas, en route to Dallas/Fort Worth.

The airport's only scheduled service as of January 2013 was a cargo flight operated by Martinaire on behalf of UPS to Midland, Texas, flying from Monday to Friday.

Nearby airports

The Alpine-Casparis Municipal Airport is located about two miles northwest of downtown Alpine, Texas. The airport covers an area of 196 acres and contains two asphalt runways: 6,003 ft x 75 ft and 5,018 ft x 60 ft. It is a city-owned public-use airport that supports small commercial or private aircraft and is not meant for large commercial planes. The airport is also used for recreational flying, flight training, small cargo shipping, refuelling stops, and medical flights.

There are several other nearby airports to Alpine, Texas. The Midland International Air and Space Port is located approximately 140 miles north of Alpine, between the cities of Midland and Odessa. El Paso International Airport is about 190 miles west of Alpine.

Other nearby airports include the Marfa Municipal Airport, which is located 17 miles west of Alpine, and the Fort Stockton-Pecos County Airport, which is 51 miles northeast of Alpine. The Presidio Lely International Airport is 57 miles southwest of Alpine, while the Pecos Municipal Airport is 61 miles north. The Culberson County Airport is also relatively close by, at 70 miles northwest of Alpine.

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