Calaveras County

Alaina Belli, the Airport Manager, elaborates on the facility’s essential characteristics and operations. “Calaveras County Airport is primarily a hub for private pilots, many of whom are small business owners using their flights for commuting purposes,” she explains. The runway, extending 3602 feet in length and 60 feet in width, accommodates a steady flow of aviation activity, positioned about 40 miles east of Stockton. This town hosts a larger airport and a flight school. The airport’s proximity to Stockton’s educational facilities plays a part in its daily operations. “JC Air Academy often sends its students here to practice takeoffs and landings,” Belli notes, highlighting the interdependence between regional aviation institutions. This relationship enhances the training experience for emerging pilots and increases the usage of Calaveras County’s facilities, enriching its role in the aviation community. ENHANCING AIRPORT INFRASTRUCTURE Calaveras County Airport is more than just a quaint landing strip in the picturesque hills of California; it’s a facility on the brink of substantial upgrades to serve the community and its pilots better. Belli outlines recent and planned improvements with an eye toward future needs. “In June 2023, we resurfaced our main runway,” she begins. The necessity for this maintenance became apparent as significant wear and tear had developed. “We had cracks that were not just horizontal but had vertical lifts of an inch or two, disrupting the smoothness of the runway.”The repair, conducted by contractors Mead and Hunt and VSS International, was a temporary solution—a “Band-Aid job,” as Belli describes it—that involved drilling out damaged sections, repaving, and re-slurring the entire surface. The refresh significantly improved the runway’s appearance and functionality. However, the aspirations for the airport extend beyond mere surface repairs. “Ultimately, we’re aiming for a completely new runway,” Belli reveals. Financial and logistical support through FAA grants is part of the strategy, though total funding and planning alignment with the FAA are still pending. “There’s also talk of extending the runway, which 3 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 11, ISSUE 05 CALAVERAS COUNTY & CALAVERAS COUNTY AIRPORT