BajaNomad

San Felipe International Airport

Arthur - 5-18-2005 at 08:10 AM

What does the cocoanut telegraph say about the chances of the San Felipe International Airport actually getting to the point of having scheduled US flights coming in? There sure is a lot of building (and, I imagine, speculation) going on around there, so there should be money to be made from all that traffic at some point.

What had to happen before Loreto got their flights?

David K - 5-18-2005 at 08:20 AM

Arthur you might pose this question over on Baja Bush Pilots forums... San Felipe actually had AeroMexico flights briefly around 1970-72, I believe. Then, they landed at the Playa Blanca airstrip, just north of town... as it was far better than the old downtown runway (located behind today's Pemex station on the south bound road).

There was talk of scheduled flights into the new paved airport (built in 1974, but not open for business for over ten more years... we used to drive down the runway, going south to Shell Island, via Percebu).

wornout - 5-18-2005 at 08:29 AM

Haven't heard anything specific but the powers to be say it is coming. (Right along with the four lane road from Mexicali. Actually that road is done but the problem was nobody explained that the second two lanes would be put on top of the first two lanes (filling one pot hole at a time)).

The last scheduled airline was an outfit that flew in to here, in the mid-90s, a couple of times a week from Long Beach and San Diego.

I think I heard the government is trying to sell some of the airports in Mexico to private concerns. So far, none have stepped up and purchased the San Felipe Airport.

Bruce R Leech - 5-18-2005 at 09:00 AM

we are in the same situation here in Mulege. AroCalifornia will start with one flight a week. but some one needs to grantee 80 seats out of 100 will be full or pay the deference. not Me:biggrin:

Arthur - 5-18-2005 at 09:10 AM

Supposedly SF International is already in private hands -- the only such one.

Bruce R Leech - 5-18-2005 at 09:15 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Arthur
Supposedly SF International is already in private hands -- the only such one.


Not so. Mulege sold a couple years ago to private Americans. and I think Loreto also .

Hey Bruce......

Hook - 5-18-2005 at 01:21 PM

.....I am curious about where there is a landing strip in Mulege that could accommodate a 100 passenger jet.

Are you talking about an expansion of the strip just south of San Lucas Cove? If not, then where?

comm'l activities at SF???!!! hahahahaha

capt. mike - 5-18-2005 at 02:45 PM

that's a good one..............:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

1. takes a huge capital investment
2. full of risk
3 tentative market at best
4. one slip in demand, no wait - after/if there is sufficient demand...and. whammy, a biz slammy.
5. even at ok vol, lousy return on investment due to small economy of scale - turn small $$, make small $$ - who would want that?
6. plus all the infrastructure you have to create to support a scheduled service.............

this is why baja is THE paradise for the private flyer. The reason all these past attempts at scheduled service failed is because the public, general public that is couldn't afford the real cost to work a small air taxi service, or didn't want to pay those rates. Charter groups, and i mean real for profit going concerns charge bookoo bonzo bucks for simple charters and get real biz - just not regularly scheduled runs. those that can afford it like the convenience, they figure value on what their time is worth.

While waiting to load up to fly chase for DP racing at the SF 250 last march, i was talking to Mark McMillan, he was on the ramp waiting for his nephew Andy to show up, couldn't get in fri due to a game so Family chartered a King Air 200, which glided in around 7:30, then ONE guy got out, 17yr old Andy, who that day took 1st overall in the race!
That King air runs about $1500 per hour to operate.

lifestyles.....yeah......:bounce:

Mike Supino - 5-18-2005 at 02:52 PM

Quote:

That King air runs about $1500 per hour to operate.

lifestyles.....yeah......:bounce:


Whoa!
What would you guess it costs to operate a Commander?

David K - 5-18-2005 at 04:31 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Hook
.....I am curious about where there is a landing strip in Mulege that could accommodate a 100 passenger jet.

Are you talking about an expansion of the strip just south of San Lucas Cove? If not, then where?


Hook, they built a paved airstrip between Hwy. 1 and Punta Chivato... 5,681' runway per Senterfitt, called it 'San Bruno' in 1987... It is known now as 'Palo Verde' and located at N 27 deg. 06' X W 112 deg. 06'.

The plan was a dual use airport (Santa Rosalia and Mulege).

That sounds like.....

Hook - 5-18-2005 at 05:31 PM

....the strip that I referred to. You're right, it definitely is closer to San Bruno.

Bruce R Leech - 5-18-2005 at 05:51 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Quote:
Originally posted by Hook
.....I am curious about where there is a landing strip in Mulege that could accommodate a 100 passenger jet.

Are you talking about an expansion of the strip just south of San Lucas Cove? If not, then where?


Hook, they built a paved airstrip between Hwy. 1 and Punta Chivato... 5,681' runway per Senterfitt, called it 'San Bruno' in 1987... It is known now as 'Palo Verde' and located at N 27 deg. 06' X W 112 deg. 06'.

The plan was a dual use airport (Santa Rosalia and Mulege).


that is the one at Palo Verde it sold to a lady by the name of Campbell along with most of the land between high way 1 and Punta Chivato she lands her jet there every month. it is the size of a D.C.9. I believe.