Valdez Airport

Valdez Airport, also known as Pioneer Field, is a state-owned public-use airport located three nautical miles (6 km) east of the central business district of Valdez, a city in the Valdez-Cordova Census Area of the U.S. state of Alaska.

Facilities and aircraft
Valdez Airport covers an area of 836 acre at an elevation of 128 feet (39 m) above mean sea level. It has one asphalt paved runway designated 6/24 which measures 6,500 by 150 feet (1,981 x 46 m).

For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2021, the airport had 10,300 aircraft operations, an average of 28 per day: 37% air taxi, 53% general aviation, 5% commercial, and 5% military. At that time there were 35 aircraft based at this airport: 25 single-engine, 1 multi-engine, 7 helicopter and 2 ultralight.

Airlines and destinations
Historically, the airport had scheduled passenger jet service provided by Alaska Airlines during the mid-1970s. The Alaska Airlines system timetable dated February 1, 1975 lists a Boeing 727-100 flight nonstop to Anchorage. Era Aviation served the airport during the 1980s with Convair 580 and de Havilland Canada DHC-7 Dash 7 turboprops.

Accidents near VDZ

 * On April 25, 1964, an Air National Guard Fairchild C-123 Provider impacted Prince William Sound 1.5KM off shore 3 minutes after takeoff at night during heavy snowfall. All 4 occupants were killed.
 * On February 25, 1985, a USAF Boeing RC-135 crashed into a mountain after a few MLS approaches to Valdez Airport in poor visibility. All 3 occupants died.