John H. Batten Airport

John H. Batten Airport (IATA: RAC, ICAO: KRAC, FAA LID: RAC), also known as Batten International Airport, is a public use airport located 2 miles (3 km; 2 nmi) northwest of the central business district of Racine, a city in Racine County, Wisconsin, United States, North America. It is privately owned by the Racine Commercial Airport Corporation.[1] It is included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2019–2023, in which it is categorized as a regional reliever general aviation facility.[2]

John H. Batten Airport

Batten International Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerRacine Commercial Airport Corp.
ServesRacine, Wisconsin
Elevation AMSL674 ft / 205 m
Websitewww.BattenAirport.aero
Map
RAC
Location of airport in Wisconsin, United States
RAC
RAC (the United States)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
4/22 6,574 2,004 Concrete
14/32 4,422 1,348 Asphalt
Statistics
Aircraft operations (2018)47,000
Based aircraft (2020)98

History

The airport was founded in 1941 by Carlyle Godske on roughly 160 acres (65 ha) of land purchased from local businessman J.A. Horlick. For most of its history, the airport was known as Racine-Horlick Field, but on September 5, 1989, the name was changed to John H. Batten Field. John H. Batten was one of the airport's early founders and supporters as well as the longtime CEO of Racine's Twin Disc, Inc.[3]

During World War II (ca 1941-1945), the newly established airport was used as a flight and ground school for the Army. Students were housed at Racine College on the south side of Racine. Ground school instruction was given at Horlick High School and the actual flight training took place at the airport. Today, the airport is used primarily by local aviation enthusiasts and by the corporate jets of large local companies such as S.C. Johnson & Son and Twin Disc, Inc.[3]

On July 30, 2010, plans were announced to have a full-time aviation maintenance firm on the field, planned to have opened on September 1, 2010.[4]

Facilities and aircraft

John H. Batten Airport covers an area of 467 acres (189 ha), including two paved runways:[1]

  • 4/22 with a 6,574 x 100 ft (2,004 x 30 m) concrete surface
  • 14/32 measuring 4,422 x 100 ft (1,348 x 30 m) with asphalt pavement

For the 12-month period ending July 5, 2018, the airport had 47,000 aircraft operations, an average of 129 per day: 96% general aviation and 4% air taxi. In December 2020, there were 98 aircraft based at this airport: 79 single-engine, 10 multi-engine, 4 jet, 4 helicopter and 1 ultra-light.[1]

References
  1. FAA Airport Form 5010 for RAC PDF, effective December 3, 2020.
  2. "NPIAS Report 2019-2023 Appendix A" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. October 3, 2018. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  3. UW-Parkside Archives, John Sullivan Collection, MC 011
  4. Burke, Michael (2010-07-30). Aviation maintenance firm coming to Batten Airport. Journal Times, 30 July 2010. Retrieved from http://www.journaltimes.com/news/local/article_3b728e8e-9c12-11df-94b5-001cc4c002e0.html.
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