Taos Regional Airport

Infobox Airport
name = Taos Regional Airport
nativename =
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IATA = SKX
ICAO = KSKX
type = Public
owner =
operator = Town of Taos
city-served =
location = Taos, New Mexico
elevation-f = 7,091
elevation-m = 2,161.3
coordinates = Coord|36|27|29.48|N|105|40|20.74|W|type:airport|display=inline,title
website =
metric-elev =
metric-rwy =
r1-number = 4/22
r1-length-f = 5,798
r1-length-m = 1,767
r1-surface = Asphalt
stat-year =
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Taos Regional Airport Airport codes|SKX|KSKX is a public airport located eight miles (13 km) northwest of the town of Taos in Taos County, New Mexico, USA.

Facilities

Taos Regional Airport covers 180 acres and currently has one runway:
* Runway 4/22: 5,798 x 75 ft. Surface: Asphalt. The runway is oriented from NE to SW; about 75% of airport traffic departs on Runway 22 (towards the southwest) due to prevailing winds. Traffic departing Runway 22 is pointed towards the Rio Grande Gorge and Three Peaks until turning on course. Traffic departing Runway 4 (to the northeast) is pointed at Arroyo Seco until turning on course.
**Length of the runway is important for safety reasons: If a pilot must abort a takeoff near takeoff speed (100-150 mph), he or she needs to have enough runway remaining to bring the airplane safely to a stop. Aircraft engines produce less power the higher the elevation of the airport. Aircraft wings and propellers also are less efficient at developing lift for takeoff at higher elevations. Tao’s current runway would be of sufficient length if Taos was at sea level, but at 7,100 feet, it needs to be 2,000-3,000 longer to more safely accommodate current users. Pilots routinely use up to 80-90% of the available Taos runway length for takeoff and landing, leaving very little margin of safety if a problem (such as ice or wet pavement) occurs.
** Taos has the shortest runway of any city in northern New Mexico.
** Taos has the shortest runway of any city located above 5,000 feet above sea level in New Mexico.
** The Taos area is the largest population in New Mexico not served by a runway of 6,500 feet or longer.
** The existing runway is rated for aircraft having weights up 24,000 pounds per wheel. This is a recommendation only; pilots may land heavier aircraft, but would then have trouble departing the airport due to existing runway being too short. (If the runway is damaged by a pilot landing an aircraft which is too heavy, the aircraft’s owner would be liable. Such events are extremely rare nationwide and have never occurred at Taos.)

* A longer, crosswind Runway, 12/30, has been proposed for the airport. It would measure 8,600 x 100 ft. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement was released in Fall, 2006; the final EIS is expected in late 2007 or 2008. Traffic departing Runway 12 (towards the southeast) would be pointed at approximately Ranchos de Taos until turning on course. Traffic departing Runway 30 (towards the northwest) would be pointed at approximately Tres Piedres until turning on course.
** The new runway will be rated for aircraft having weights up to 60,000 pounds per wheel.
** After the new runway is built, the “main” existing runway will remain in service, but will be shortened by approx. 400 feet.
** While prevailing winds will only favor the new runway 6% of the time, almost all jets and most turboprop aircraft will use the longer runway because it affords a better margin of safety. However, small propeller aircraft, which don’t need the added length, will likely use the existing runway except for the 6% of the time wind conditions favor the new runway.
** After FAA approval of the Environmental Impact Statement, it could take 1-3 years for the FAA to allocate the funds needed to construct the runway. Construction would then take 6-9 months.
** The following government officials have sent letters of support for the project to the FAA: Taos Mayor, Director of the NM Dept. of Aviation, Governor Bill Richardson, both New Mexico US Senators, and US Rep. Tom Udall.
** Estimates for construction of the new runway range from $12-20 million.
** The FAA paid for the EIS. It will pay 95% of the cost of building the runway because it will be part of the National Airspace System. (Most of the funding for such projects comes from aviation fuel and airline ticket taxes.) The State of New Mexico will contribute 2.5% of the project. The Town of Taos will likely contribute land for the runway as its matching 2.5%.
* A small public terminal, owned by the Town of Taos, is located mid-field. It features free wireless Internet, bathrooms, meeting area, and seating for up to 15 people.
* A "Fixed Base Operator" (FBO), operates from a hangar and office complex 100 yds. southwest of the terminal. The FBO operates on a lease with the Town of Taos.

Services

* Taos Aviation Services provides fuel, parking and rental car services from the large tan hangar 100 yards southwest of the terminal.
* There is no aircraft pre-heating service available at the airport.
* There is no aircraft maintenance facility or mechanic on the field.
* There is no place at which a pilot may rent an airport on the field. Taos pilots and student pilots typically co-own aircraft in groups of 2-5. This allows a pilot to start flying for about $3,500 down, $350/mo., and $90 per flight hour, including fuel.
* There is no flight school at the airport. However, there are 3 instructors on the field for students who own or co-own aircraft
* There is no airline which currently serves the airport. The last airline to serve Taos was Westward Air, now-defunct, which tried using 9-seat Pilatus PC-12 turboprops to and from Albuquerque for a few months in the mid-2000s under subsidy from the US Department of Transportation. Before that, Rio Grande Air provided service to Albuquerque for several years, 9-seat Cessna Caravan turboprops, from their facilities in the Taos Aviation Services hangar, 100 yards southwest of the terminal.
* The nearest airports which have airline service to Taos are Alamosa, CO (a 1:45 drive to the north) and Santa Fe, NM (a 1:30 drive to the southeast). Cheyenne, WY-based regional airline Great Lakes Airways serves both with 19-seat Beech 1900D turboprops to Denver.
* Great Lakes was invited in 2006 to participate in serving Taos but did not respond to requests for proposals. Based on fares-per-mile currently charged for their routes between Alamosa, Gunnison, and Telluride, CO and Denver, the fare for service from Taos to Denver would range from $150 to $250, each way (Note: An air fare analysis is listed in the files section of the Taos Airport Forum. See External Links section below.)
* The Experimental Aircraft Assn. has an active branch at Taos Regional Airport. The Taos Mountain Flyers branch holds an annual fly-in for tourists and also gives rides to children under 17 the 3rd weekend in June. In June 2007, the Young Eagles event gave rides to 100 Taos area children.

External links

* [http://www.taosairport.org/ Taos Regional Airport] - Official Town of Taos page for the airport
* [http://groups.google.com/group/taos-airport-forum/ Taos Airport Forum on Google] - Learn about and discuss issues regarding the Taos Regional Airport online in this easy-to-use forum
* [http://groups.google.com/group/taos-airport-forum/files/ Files Section on Taos Airport Forum] - Comparisons with other NM & CO airports, design of proposed airport improvements, data on aircraft which use the airport, airport traffic graphs, airport fact sheet, Taos Pueblo overflight discussion and more
* [http://www.taosaviation.com/ Taos Aviation Services] - Provider of fuel and hangar service at Taos Regional Airport
* [http://www.skymachines.com/ SkyMachines USA] - Aircraft brokerage & mountain flight instruction center headquartered near the Taos Airport
* [http://www.airnav.com/reserve/hotel?in=TAOS,NM,US&near=KSKX Book Lodging in Taos] - Courtesy AirNav.com
* [http://www.100ll.com/showfbo.php?HashID=b728fea568d023c6a2400fcc08efccb1 Current Taos Aviation Fuel Price] - Courtesy 100LL.com