Aviation View | Volume 1, Issue 2

73 AVIATION VIEW VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 goes, one of the owners of the mine was a pilot and an avid aviation enthusiast and decided he wanted to put an airport in.” Ownership was transferred to Tuolumne County in the mid-1940s when it officially became the Columbia Airport. Today, it is comprised of two runways. One is paved, lighted and 4,650 feet long. The other is 2,600 feet long and has a turf surface. The airport is also home to a CalFire Air Attack Base That has two S2-T air tankers, a helicopter dispatched hotshot crew, and an OV- 10 observation aircraft. The CalFire Air Attack crews respond to fires throughout the area and provides additional support for fighting wildfires. Also on-site: Courtney Aviation has several fixed wing aircraft for charter, ranging from a four- seat Cessna to a twin turbo prop; Inter Mountain Helicopters provides helicopter charters to those who require remote access or special aircraft services; and Aero Resources provides aircraft inspection, maintenance, and repair. Their facility COLUMB I A A I RPORT is FAA Repair Station R10R313Y, and their services include annual inspections, Transponder Pilot Static Certification, aircraft scales, an ACF50 treatment center, and dynamic prop balancing. In addition, Bald Eagle Aviation provides fuel service via truck or a 24-hour fuel island. They sell both 100LL and Jet A, and they also operate the airport terminal and lobby. “They’re a great, valued partner,” says Stuth. “They work diligently day in and day out to keep the fuel prices low and always strive be the lowest price in the area for fuel. They will bend over absolutely backwards to get anybody anything that they need for their stay here. They’ve done a lot to turn that business around and get it really strong.” Springfield Flying Service offers flight instruction for private pilots through commercial ratings. They have several instructors and aircraft, as well as an IFR certified simulator. “One of the main people there does biplane