Victoria Regional Airport is a county owned, public use airport located five nautical miles (6 mi, 9 km) northeast of the central business district of Victoria, a city in Victoria County, Texas, United States. It is mostly used for military and general aviation, but is also served by one commercial airline. Service is subsidized by the Essential Air Service program.
As per Federal Aviation Administration records, the airport had 10,138 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2007, 8,415 enplanements in 2008,[2] 5,625 in 2009, and 5,038 in 2010. It is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorized it as a non-primary commercial service airport based on enplanements in 2008 (between 2,500 and 10,000 per year).
VICTORIA REGIONAL AIRPORT HISTORY
Foster Field began as a United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) facility that was established in 1941 as an advanced single-engine flying school for fighter pilots. Originally known as Victoria Field, it was renamed in 1942 in memory of 1st Lt Arthur L. Foster, a United States Army Air Corps instructor killed in a crash at Brooks Field in 1925. Foster’s son received his training and commission at the base in the spring of 1942.
After World War II, Foster Field was deactivated and the site was returned to its private owners, the Buhler and Braman estates. It was later reactivated as an Air Force base from 1951-1958, during which time it operated F-86 Sabre and F-100 Super Sabre aircraft and served as Headquarters for 19th Air Force (19 AF). The base closed in December 1958 and formally inactivated in January 1959.
The local economy suffered greatly from the closure of Foster AFB. In the summer of 1960, the General Services Administration approved the exchange of Aloe Field for Foster Field, and Victoria County Airport was moved to the latter site. The growth of the county airport slowly replaced the loss of Foster AFB as numerous businesses located there.
During the 1960s, the Victoria County Airport had regularly-scheduled passenger service via DC-3 aircraft of Trans-Texas Airways.
Two of the largest businesses to locate at Victoria County Airport were the Devereux Foundation, a therapeutic-education center, and Gary Aircraft, which repaired surplus C-54 Skymaster (Douglas DC-4) aircraft in 1968. In 1976 Foster became the site of Victoria Regional Airport, which provides passenger service and connections with major carriers.
VICTORIA REGIONAL AIRPORT LOCATION
VICTORIA REGIONAL AIRPORT FACTS
ICAO/IATA: KVCT/VCT
Lat: 28°51′09″N
Long: 096°55′07″W
Elevation: 115 ft.
Runway length available: 06/24 4200×75 ft. :: 12R/30L 4643×150 ft. :: 12L/30R 9101×150 ft. :: 17/35 4899×150 ft.
