Zephyrhills Municipal Airport

Zephyrhills Municipal Airport (IATA: ZPH[2], ICAO: KZPH, FAA LID: ZPH) is a public use airport in Pasco County, Florida, United States.[1] It is owned by the City of Zephyrhills and located one nautical mile (2 km) southeast of its central business district.[1] This airport is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorized it as a general aviation facility.[3]

Zephyrhills Municipal Airport
USGS 1999 orthophoto
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerCity of Zephyrhills
ServesZephyrhills, Florida
Elevation AMSL90 ft / 27 m
Coordinates28°13′41″N 082°09′21″W
Websiteci.zephyrhills.fl.us/...
Map
ZPH
Location of airport in Florida
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
4/22 4,999 1,524 Asphalt
18/36 4,954 1,510 Asphalt
Statistics (2009)
Aircraft operations37,750
Based aircraft174

History
For the World War II use of this facility, see Zephyrhills Army Airfield.

Opened in January 1942, the airport was used by the United States Army Air Forces, specifically the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics (AAFSAT) tactical combat simulation school headquartered at Orlando Army Air Base. The military use of the airport ended on October 31, 1944, and in 1947 the airport was deeded to the city, which has run it ever since.

Facilities and aircraft

Zephyrhills Municipal Airport covers an area of 813 acres (329 ha) at an elevation of 90 feet (27 m) above mean sea level. It has two runways with asphalt surfaces: 5/23 is 4,999 by 100 feet (1,524 x 30 m) and 19/01 is 4,954 by 100 feet (1,510 x 30 m).[1]

For the 12-month period ending December 11, 2009, the airport had 37,750 aircraft operations, an average of 103 per day: 98% general aviation, 1.6% military, and 0.4% air taxi. At that time there were 174 aircraft based at this airport: 82% single-engine, 11% multi-engine, 3% glider, 2% helicopter, and 1.7% ultralight.[1]

Skydiving

This airport has a long history of skydiving, possibly the longest continuous history of skydiving at any U.S. airport. Skydive City, Inc., founded in 1990, operates a skydiving center, or drop zone, on the southeast side of the airport. The predecessor drop zone was Phoenix Parachute Center, operated by George Kabeller, just north of the current drop zone. Prior to that, a drop zone was operated on the southwest side of the airport. Jim Hooper became the manager of Zephyrhills Parachute Center in December, 1976. Si Fraser owned The Zephyrhills Parachute Center. The drop zone was previously managed by Searles.

Accidents and incidents

On March 23, 2013, two skydivers at Skydive City, instructor, Orvar Arnarson, 41, and student Andrimar Pordarson, 25 were found dead after their reserve parachutes did not inflate completely before impact.[4]

Incidents
  • On April 20, 1993, Douglas C-47B N8056 of Phoenix Air was written off in a wheels-up landing at Zephyrhills following an engine failure while engaged in a parachuting flight based at the airport.[5] An investigation by the NTSB found that the aircraft should have been able to climb on one engine. The pilot's type rating for the DC-3 was suspended following the accident with the requirement that he should pass a Federal Aviation Administration proficiency check before it was restored.[6]

See also

References
  1. FAA Airport Form 5010 for ZPH PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective November 15, 2012.
  2. "IATA Airport Code Search (ZPH: Zephyrhills)". International Air Transport Association. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
  3. "2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A" (PDF). National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. Federal Aviation Administration. October 4, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF, 2.03 MB) on September 27, 2012.
  4. http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/world/orvar-arnarson-and-andrimar-pordarson-icelandic-skydivers-killed-near-zephyrhills-municipal-airport
  5. "N8056 Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved June 25, 2010.
  6. "NTSB Order No. EA-3973" (PDF). National Transportation Safety Board. Retrieved June 28, 2010.
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