Eugene Airport (IATA: EUG, ICAO: KEUG, FAA LID: EUG), also known as Mahlon Sweet Field, is a public airport 7 miles (11 km) northwest of Eugene, in Lane County, Oregon, United States. Owned and operated by the City of Eugene, it is the fifth-largest airport in the Pacific Northwest.[3]

Eugene Airport

Mahlon Sweet Field
Eugene Municipal Airport
2006 USGS orthophoto
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorCity of Eugene
LocationLane County, near Eugene, Oregon
Elevation AMSL374 ft / 114 m
Coordinates44°07′23″N 123°13′07″W / 44.12306°N 123.21861°W / 44.12306; -123.21861
Websitewww.flyeug.com
Map
EUG is located in Oregon
EUG
EUG
EUG is located in the United States
EUG
EUG
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
16R/34L 8,009 2,441 Asphalt
16L/34R 6,000 1,829 Asphalt
Statistics (2023)
Passengers1,719,629[1]
Aircraft operations58,552[1]
Air cargo enplaned (lbs.)943,041[1]
Based aircraft119 (2018)[2]

The terminal building has "A" gates on the upper level and "B" gates, ticketing, and baggage claim on the lower level. The airport has an expanded air cargo facility and three fixed-base operators (FBOs) to handle general aviation. In 2023, the Eugene Airport handled 1,719,629 passengers, a 9.2% increase from the previous year.[1]

The airport was named for Mahlon Sweet (1886–1947), a Eugene automobile dealer who was a strong supporter of aviation and pushed to get the now-defunct Eugene Air Park built in 1919, followed by the current airfield in 1943.[4]

In 2010, a new airport rescue and firefighting facility was built.[5]

EUG covers 2,600 acres (1,052 ha) of land.[2][6]

History edit

At the request of Mahlon Sweet the original Eugene Air Park was built in 1919 at what is now the southeast corner of West 18th Avenue and Chambers Street. This first airstrip took care of all aviation operations until the modern Mahlon Sweet Field opened in 1943.

During World War II, the airfield was used by the United States Army Air Forces. The December 1951 C&GS diagram shows three runways forming an asterisk: the 026-deg runway was 5229 ft long, the 111-deg was 5205 ft and the 158-deg was 3999 ft.

Historical service edit

Current service edit

Horizon Air doing business under the name Alaska Airlines operates Embraer E175s to Eugene from Seattle–Tacoma and Los Angeles. they have also expanded to service San Diego, California

Allegiant Air flies Airbus A319 and A320s to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Oakland, and Phoenix-Mesa, and Santa Ana.

American Eagle (SkyWest Airlines) Canadair CRJ-700s fly nonstop to Phoenix-Sky Harbor; American mainline service to Dallas/Fort Worth began in 2021, operated by[Airbus A319 and A320.

Delta Connection (SkyWest Airlines) Embraer E175s fly to Salt Lake City and Seattle-Tacoma.Delta Airlines also serves the airport with mainline aircraft.

United Airlines flies the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 nonstop to Denver and San Francisco, and United Express (SkyWest Airlines) Airbus A319s fly to Denver and San Francisco.

In May 2021, Avelo Airlines launched service to Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California, using 737-700s and -800s. They later launched service to Palm Springs from Eugene using their 737-700s.

In late August 2021, Southwest Airlines began Boeing 737 service to their Focus Cities of Oakland, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Service to San Jose, California began on June 5, 2022, & Denver, Colorado began on June 11, 2022.

Airlines and destinations edit

 
FAA airport diagram for EUG

Passenger edit

AirlinesDestinationsRefs
Alaska Airlines Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle/Tacoma [43]
Allegiant Air Austin (begins May 31, 2024),[44] Las Vegas, Orange County, Phoenix/Mesa
Seasonal: San Diego
[45]
American Airlines Dallas/Fort Worth
Seasonal: Phoenix–Sky Harbor
[46]
American Eagle Phoenix–Sky Harbor [46]
Avelo Airlines Burbank
Seasonal: Palm Springs[47]
[48]
Delta Air Lines Salt Lake City [49]
Delta Connection Salt Lake City, Seattle/Tacoma [49]
Southwest Airlines Burbank, Denver,[50] Las Vegas, Oakland, Sacramento (begins June 4, 2024),[51] San Jose (CA)
Seasonal: San Diego
[52]
United Airlines Denver, San Francisco [53]
United Express Denver, San Francisco [53]

Destinations map edit

Cargo edit

AirlinesDestinations
Airpac Airlines Portland (OR), Seattle/Tacoma
Ameriflight Portland (OR), Redmond/Bend, Roseburg
FedEx Feeder Portland (OR), Roseburg
Martinaire Portland (OR)

Statistics edit

Top destinations edit

Top domestic routes out of EUG
(November 2022 – October 2023)
[54]
Rank City Passengers Carriers
1 Seattle/Tacoma, Washington 161,000 Alaska, Delta
2 Denver, Colorado 127,000 Southwest, United
3 San Francisco, California 89,000 United
4 Oakland, California 70,000 Allegiant, Southwest
5 Las Vegas, Nevada 66,000 Allegiant, Southwest
6 Burbank, California 52,000 Avelo, Southwest
7 Phoenix-Sky Harbor, Arizona 50,000 American
6 Salt Lake City, Utah 49,000 Delta
9 Los Angeles, California 39,000 Alaska, Allegiant
10 San Jose, California 36,000 American

Airline market share edit

 
The airport's A-gates, with jet bridges
Largest airlines at EUG (November 2022 – October 2023)[55]
Rank Airline Passengers Share
1 Southwest 435,000 26.41%
2 SkyWest 318,000 19.35%
3 United 313,000 19.01%
4 Horizon 160,000 9.71%
5 Allegiant 133,000 8.05%
6 Other 287,000 17.47%

General aviation edit

There is one fixed-base operator on field that caters to general aviation, Atlantic Aviation. Atlantic specializes in maintenance and working on larger general aviation aircraft like Gulfstreams and Learjets. They are the only on-airport company that has fuel trucks. There is also a general aviation self-serve fuel station located on the field.

Eugene Flight Center, a flight school and charter operation, operates on the north end of the airport. They offer charter and aerial photography flights as well as flight instruction. Fairbanks Aircraft Service LLC is collocated with Eugene Flight Center and offers general aviation maintenance and repair services.

Mahlon Sweet is also home to the Lane Community College Flight Academy. LCC's Flight Technology Center provides flight instruction for private, commercial, instrument, multi-engine and flight instructor. Their fleet includes several Cessna 152s, a few Piper Warrior IIs, Piper Arrow IV, and a Piper Seminole. Lane Aviation Academy is located at the southern end of Mahlon Sweet Field. The Aviation Maintenance Technician program is one of the oldest FAA Pt. 147 approved AMT schools in continuous operation. The AMT program also operates a Pt. 145 Approved Repair Station. During the two-year program the students are taught all aspects of aircraft and helicopter maintenance and repair in preparation to pass the written and oral and practical exams to obtain FAA Airframe and Powerplants (A&P) certificates.

Panorama of the airport

Parking edit

 
Terminal at Eugene Airport, March 2015

The parking facility is attended 24 hours a day and contains 237 short-term and more than 1000 long-term parking spaces in the main lot, with an additional 582 spaces in the overflow lot.

Incidents and accidents edit

  • On January 24, 1933, a Pacific Air Transport Ford Trimotor on a cargo flight crashed on takeoff, killing 2 out of the 3 occupants on board.[56]
  • On May 2, 1986, a Horizon Air Fairchild Metroliner was hijacked during a flight from Eugene to Portland. The flight was carrying 12 passengers and two pilots when it was hijacked by Douglas Burton Thomas, an unemployed Oklahoma man who was checking into a rehabilitation center in Eugene. The pilots convinced the hijacker to allow the plane to stop in Hillsboro, where the pilot left the plane and called the FBI. The hijacker held passengers and crew hostage on the aircraft while he demanded fuel, drinking water, and four parachutes and threatened to kill one passenger or blow up the plane if these demands were not met. During negotiations with the FBI, four of the passengers were released shortly and the remainder about half an hour later. This left the hijacker alone on the aircraft, however he surrendered about 15 minutes later. It was later discovered that the hijacker had boarded the aircraft without a ticket.[57]
  • On November 10, 1988, an American Airlines flight from San Jose to Seattle made an emergency landing in Eugene after severe vibrations were observed during the flight. Of the 31 passengers on board, there were no injuries reported. The passengers were flown to their destinations on other airlines.[58]

Gallery edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "Eugene Airport 2023 Operating Statistics". eugene-or.gov. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  2. ^ a b FAA Airport Form 5010 for EUG PDF, effective February 22, 2024.
  3. ^ "Airport Manager Recruitment Brochure" (PDF). City of Eugene. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2007-05-28.
  4. ^ "Friendly Area neighborhood website". Archived from the original on May 19, 2005.
  5. ^ "Eugene Airport Master Plan Executive Summary". Archived from the original on 2012-10-25. Retrieved 2013-04-28.
  6. ^ "EUG airport data at skyvector.com". skyvector.com. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  7. ^ "Republic halts Eugene service". The Register-Guard. July 7, 1984. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
  8. ^ http://www.timetableimages.com, April 28, 1968 West Coast Airlines timetable
  9. ^ http://www.timetableimages.com, July 1, 1968 Air West timetable
  10. ^ http://www.departedflights.com, Sept. 1, 1980 Hughes Airwest timetable
  11. ^ "Despite setbacks, airport is growing". The Register-Guard. October 19, 1980. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  12. ^ "Airport commission approves design for remodeling". The Register-Guard. April 25, 1979. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
  13. ^ a b "Century Airlines to start service at Mahlon Sweet". The Register-Guard. December 1, 1979. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
  14. ^ http://www.departedflights.com, June 1, 1981 Air Oregon system timetable
  15. ^ "Republic Airlines taking over Hughes". The Register-Guard. September 19, 1980. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
  16. ^ "Airline to cut Eugene flights". The Register-Guard. October 16, 1980. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
  17. ^ http://www.departedflights.com, June 1, 1984 Republic Airlines route map
  18. ^ http://www.departedflights.com, April 28, 1985 Republic Airlines map
  19. ^ http://www.cascadeairways.com, Oct. 15, 1984 Cascade Airways timetable
  20. ^ a b "Economy to offer few surprises". The Register-Guard. December 31, 1985. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
  21. ^ "Something special is happening to Eugene". The Register-Guard. June 18, 1985. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
  22. ^ http://www.departedflights.com, Feb. 15, 1985 Official Airline Guide
  23. ^ "Frontier Airlines Closes". The St. Petersburg Times. August 25, 1986. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
  24. ^ "Continental to start flying from Eugene". The Register-Guard. March 7, 1987. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
  25. ^ a b http://www.departedflights.com, Dec. 15, 1989 Official Airline Guide
  26. ^ "Airline to provide Eugene with 3 flights to San Jose". The Register-Guard. October 5, 1988. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  27. ^ "Airport expects boost from Hyundai". The Register-Guard. June 8, 1995. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  28. ^ "Officials upbeat about airport's future". The Register-Guard. April 20, 1994. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
  29. ^ "Eugene close to landing Delta". The Register-Guard. January 13, 2004. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
  30. ^ "Airport gets new carrier". The Register-Guard. January 25, 1995. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
  31. ^ http://www.departedflights.com, June 1, 1999 Official Airline Guide
  32. ^ "U.S. Airways, America West to join". The Register-Guard. May 20, 2005. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  33. ^ "Flights to Utah set to take off May 1". The Register-Guard. February 24, 2004. Retrieved August 1, 2012.
  34. ^ a b "Allegiant Air will offer nonstop flights to L.A." The Register-Guard. April 7, 2010. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
  35. ^ "Airlines cut some Eugene flights". KVAL News. April 30, 2008. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  36. ^ "Delta to cut more L.A. flights". The Los Angeles Times. July 4, 2008. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  37. ^ "Small Airline Adding Service To Eugene". OPB News. August 7, 2008. Retrieved July 20, 2012.[permanent dead link]
  38. ^ "Allegiant Announces New Flights From the Mainland to Hawaii" (Press release). Allegiant Air. May 15, 2012. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
  39. ^ Russo, Edward (February 19, 2013). "Frontier touching down in Eugene". The Register-Guard. Retrieved April 18, 2013.[permanent dead link]
  40. ^ McDonald, Sherri Buri (April 5, 2013). "American Airlines plans L.A. flights". The Register-Guard. Retrieved April 18, 2013.
  41. ^ Zavoral, Linda. "New nonstop flights between San Jose, Eugene's Willamette Valley". The Mercury News. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  42. ^ Chan, Julie (June 11, 2016). "United Airlines mainline service returns to Eugene Airport". KVAL News. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  43. ^ Airlines, Alaska. "Flight Timetable". Alaska Airlines. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  44. ^ https://ir.allegiantair.com/news-releases/news-release-details/allegiant-announces-twelve-new-routes-one-way-fares-low-49[bare URL]
  45. ^ "Allegiant Air route map". Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  46. ^ a b "American Airlines schedule". Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  47. ^ "Avelo airline coming to PSP with service to Santa Rosa, Eugene and Redmond". Desert Sun. August 4, 2022.
  48. ^ "Avelo Airlines route map". Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  49. ^ a b "Delta Airlines schedule". Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  50. ^ Aaron Karp (December 17, 2021). "Southwest To Add Three New Routes In 2022 Summer". Routes Online. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  51. ^ "Airline to begin new non-stop service between Eugene and Sacramento". 26 October 2023.
  52. ^ "Southwest Airlines service for Eugene, Ore., to begin Aug. 29, 2021, with fares as low as $39 One-Way". Southwest Airlines. April 15, 2021.
  53. ^ a b "United Airlines schedule". Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  54. ^ "Eugene, OR: Mahlon Sweet Field (EUG)". Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  55. ^ Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA). "Palm Springs, CA: Palm Springs International (PSP) Scheduled Services except Freight/Mail". U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT). Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  56. ^ Accident description for NC431H at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on August 14, 2023.
  57. ^ "Man forces arraignment on charge of air piracy". The Bulletin. May 5, 1986. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
  58. ^ "Emergency landing". The Modesto Bee. November 11, 1988. Retrieved August 9, 2012.[permanent dead link]

External links edit