Bremerton National Airport

Bremerton National Airport (IATA: PWT, ICAO: KPWT, FAA LID: PWT) is eight miles southwest of downtown Bremerton, in Kitsap County, Washington.[1] It is owned by the Port of Bremerton.[1] The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 categorized it as a general aviation facility.[2]

Bremerton National Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerPort of Bremerton
ServesBremerton, Washington
Elevation AMSL444 ft / 135 m
Coordinates47°29′25″N 122°45′53″W
WebsitePortOfBremerton.org
Map
PWT
Location in Washington
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
2/20 6,000 1,829 Asphalt
Statistics (2014)
Aircraft operations66,000
Based aircraft168

It is the largest airport on the Kitsap Peninsula with an all-weather, fully lit 6,000-foot runway.[3] It was known as Kitsap County Airport until July 1, 1983.[3]

History

In 1936, about 15 local residents founded an airport, then known as Fleet Field which later became Bremerton National Airport. They turned an old lake bed known as Bayes' Bog into a 600-foot-long, 15-foot-wide gravel landing strip.[4] During World War II, Kitsap County Airport was used by the United States Navy as an outer landing field for NAS Seattle.[5] Military use continued throughout the Cold War and it would occasionally host temporary detachments of aircraft from the Navy.[6]

The taxiways and runways of the Kitsap County Airport hosted a NASCAR Grand National (now Cup Series) event, on August 4, 1957, for the 1957 NASCAR season.[7] Parnelli Jones won in a Oscar Maples Ford.[7]

The airport has a second runway which has been closed for some time and is currently used as a drag strip by Bremerton Motorsports Park.[8] In 1954, Kitsap County Airport was the site for the SCCA Seafair Nationals. This was Ferrari's debut on a Northwest track at a time when the company was just starting to dominate west coast sports car racing.[9]

Facilities

The airport covers 1,729 acres (700 ha) at an elevation of 444 feet (135 m). Its one runway, 2/20, is 6,000 by 150 feet (1,829 x 46 m) asphalt.[1]

In the year ending August 31, 2014, the airport had 66,000 aircraft operations, average 181 per day: 98% general aviation, 1% military, and <1% air taxi. 168 aircraft were then based at this airport: 88% single-engine, 7% multi-engine, 2% jet, 2% helicopter, 1% glider, and 1% ultralight.[1]

References
  1. FAA Airport Form 5010 for PWT PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective December 10, 2015.
  2. "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 2012-09-27.
  3. "Port of Bremerton celebrates the grand re-opening of the Bremerton Marina on May 31, 2008,". HistoryLink.org. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
  4. "Rising on Wings of Memory". Kitsap Sun.
  5. "Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Washington, Seattle area". Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
  6. "Enterprise". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
  7. "NASCAR race results". Racing Reference. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  8. "Bremerton Motorsports Park Home Page". Bremerton Motorsports Park. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
  9. Baer, Arnie. "1954: The First Ferrari Invasion" (PDF). Rudow Specialty Publishing. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
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