I am looking for the longest unpaved (turf, dirt, gravel, etc) runway
in the continental US that is publicly owned and operated.  A
reference check to Airnav.com or FAA database would be appreciated.

---

Clarification of Question by drdaveb-ga on 08 Mar 2005 02:26 PST

Appreciate the thoroughness of your answer but there appears to be
something wrong, maaybe with the database.  I am very familiar with
many of the airports on your list and know for a fact that there are
many with no unpaved runway 5009'.  For example, Ft Lauderdale
Executive Airport (ID = FXE), there is no unpaved runway.  You have
the correct parameters for the runway surface (GRAVEL, TURF, DIRT,
etc.) and although some asphalt pavement may be so old to appear to be
gravel, I don't think the FAA would list it as such :).

This is also curious since I found a refence to only one unpaved
runway greater than 3,047m (9996')

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/tra_air_wit_unp_run_ove_304_m

Can you crosscheck with another source?

Thanks

Dr. Dave

Source: [ http://prairiemap.wr.usgs.gov/ftp/unitedstates/BTS/runway.zip ]

=======================

Citing from documentation included in the database:

"The Public Use Airport Runways database is a geographic dataset of
runways in the United States and US territories containing information
on the physical characteristics of the runways. The 4844 runways in
the dataset are runways associated with the 19755 airports in the
companion airport data set. This geospatial data is derived from the
FAA's National Airspace System Resource Aeronautical Data Product
(Effective 21 February 2002).

This data provides users with information about the runway locations
and attributes for national and regional analysis applications.

Time_Period_Information: 21 February 2002"

=======================

So it appears that the runways in the database are all located at
public airports.  You can expect that any information more recent than
2/21/02 is not included in this search.

The longest non-paved runway is technically HARRY P WILLIAMS MEMORIAL
in Lousianna at 10000 feet.  I say technically because it is a water
runway.  I'm figuring it's not exactly what you are looking for,
unless you want your plane ride to suddenly turn into a snorkelling
tour.

=======================

I included only runways with a surface type listed among the
following: DIRT DIRT-TRTD GRAVEL GRAVEL-G GRAVEL-P GRVL-F GRVL-G
GRVL-P GRVL-TURF TURF-G TURF-P  (G=Good, F=Fair, P=Poor)

The longest non-water, non-paved runway is 5009 feet long but
unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), there were 208 that all had
this same length, so I'm including the whole list.  All of the
airports in this list had a surface type of GRAVEL and a length of
5009 feet.

LOCID	ST_CD	APT_NAME
=====	=====	========
JNU	AK	JUNEAU INTL
OTZ	AK	RALPH WIEN MEMORIAL
Z73	AK	NELSON LAGOON
UNK	AK	UNALAKLEET
1R8	AL	BAY MINETTE MUNI
02A	AL	GRAGG-WADE FIELD
7A3	AL	CHAMBERS MUNI
M03	AR	DENNIS F CANTRELL FIELD
DEQ	AR	J LYNN HELMS SEVIER COUNTY
HEE	AR	THOMPSON-ROBBINS
PGR	AR	KIRK FIELD
DUG	AZ	BISBEE DOUGLAS INTL
FHU	AZ	SIERRA VISTA MUNI-LIBBY AAF
PHX	AZ	PHOENIX SKY HARBOR INTL
YUM	AZ	YUMA MCAS/YUMA INTL
BLH	CA	BLYTHE
BUR	CA	BURBANK-GLENDALE-PASADENA
CMA	CA	CAMARILLO
DAG	CA	BARSTOW-DAGGETT
IPL	CA	IMPERIAL COUNTY
1O3	CA	LODI
L12	CA	REDLANDS MUNI
SNS	CA	SALINAS MUNI
IZA	CA	SANTA YNEZ
TNP	CA	TWENTYNINE PALMS
WVI	CA	WATSONVILLE MUNI
00V	CO	MEADOW LAKE
AFF	CO	USAF ACADEMY AIRSTRIP
DEN	CO	DENVER INTL
FTG	CO	FRONT RANGE
LHX	CO	LA JUNTA MUNI
LAA	CO	LAMAR MUNI
RIL	CO	GARFIELD COUNTY REGIONAL
4V1	CO	SPANISH PEAKS AIRFIELD
DXR	CT	DANBURY MUNI
55J	FL	FERNANDINA BEACH MUNI
FXE	FL	FORT LAUDERDALE EXECUTIVE
MAI	FL	MARIANNA MUNI
3FD1	FL	TAMPA BAY EXECUTIVE
OCF	FL	OCALA INTL-JIM TAYLOR FIELD
OMN	FL	ORMOND BEACH MUNI
PNS	FL	PENSACOLA REGIONAL
FTY	GA	FULTON COUNTY AIRPORT-BROWN FIELD
AGS	GA	AUGUSTA RGNL AT BUSH FIELD
BHC	GA	BAXLEY MUNI
CXU	GA	CAMILLA-MITCHELL COUNTY
HNM	HI	HANA
ITO	HI	HILO INTERNATIONAL
HDH	HI	DILLINGHAM AIRFIELD
CAV	IA	CLARION MUNI
FSW	IA	FORT MADISON MUNI
EOK	IA	KEOKUK MUNI
JER	ID	JEROME COUNTY
LWS	ID	LEWISTON-NEZ PERCE COUNTY
3CK	IL	LAKE IN THE HILLS
C73	IL	DIXON MUNI-CHARLES R. WALGREEN FIELD
05C	IN	GRIFFITH-MERRILLVILLE
3C5	IN	WHEELER
3I3	IN	SKY KING
K61	KS	MORITZ MEMORIAL
CNU	KS	CHANUTE MARTIN JOHNSON
13K	KS	EUREKA MUNI
K34	KS	GARDNER MUNI
MPR	KS	MC PHERSON
MEJ	KS	MEADE MUNI
EWK	KS	NEWTON-CITY-COUNTY
NRN	KS	NORTON MUNI
OEL	KS	OAKLEY MUNI
HVC	KY	HOPKINSVILLE-CHRISTIAN COUNTY
LEX	KY	BLUE GRASS
ESF	LA	ESLER REGIONAL
3R7	LA	JENNINGS
L83	LA	THIBODAUX MUNICIPAL
0R5	LA	DAVID G JOYCE
PSF	MA	PITTSFIELD MUNI
2G4	MD	GARRETT COUNTY
AUG	ME	AUGUSTA STATE
41G	MI	UNIVERSITY AIRPARK
48D	MI	CLARE MUNI
6G0	MI	ATHELONE WILLIAMS MEMORIAL
Y66	MI	DRUMMOND ISLAND
6D9	MI	IOSCO COUNTY
60G	MI	SKYWAY ESTATES
4Y9	MI	BUNCH'S HALF ACRE
BIV	MI	TULIP CITY
MCD	MI	MACKINAC ISLAND
AIT	MN	AITKIN MUNI-STEVE KURTZ FIELD
DXX	MN	MADISON-LAC QUI PARLE COUNTY
D39	MN	SAUK CENTRE MUNI
12D	MN	TOWER MUNI
94K	MO	CASSVILLE MUNI
1MO	MO	MOUNTAIN GROVE MEMORIAL
1S3	MT	TILLITT FIELD
LVM	MT	MISSION FIELD
M75	MT	MALTA
MRH	NC	MICHAEL J. SMITH FIELD
GSB	NC	SEYMOUR JOHNSON AFB
PGV	NC	PITT-GREENVILLE
ASY	ND	ASHLEY MUNI
5B4	ND	BOWBELLS MUNI
FAR	ND	HECTOR INTL
D24	ND	FESSENDEN MUNICIPAL
ND14	ND	FORDVILLE
9G9	ND	GACKLE MUNI
GAF	ND	GRAFTON MUNI
GFK	ND	GRAND FORKS INTL
ND24	ND	INKSTER
7K5	ND	KENMARE MUNI
D55	ND	ROBERTSON FIELD
D56	ND	MAYVILLE MUNI
4R6	ND	MILNOR MUNI
MOT	ND	MINOT INTL
5B5	ND	NAPOLEON MUNI
4V4	ND	NORTHWOOD MUNI-VINCE FIELD
Y99	ND	TRULSON FIELD
91N	ND	TURTLE LAKE MUNICIPAL
6D8	ND	BARNES COUNTY MUNI
5C8	ND	WASHBURN MUNI
OGA	NE	SEARLE FIELD
LCI	NH	LACONIA MUNI
VAY	NJ	SOUTH JERSEY REGIONAL
N85	NJ	ALEXANDRIA
SMQ	NJ	SOMERSET
ABQ	NM	ALBUQUERQUE INTL SUNPORT
CNM	NM	CAVERN CITY AIR TRML
CVN	NM	CLOVIS MUNI
DMN	NM	DEMING MUNI
HOB	NM	LEA COUNTY RGNL
LRU	NM	LAS CRUCES INTERNATIONAL
Q34	NM	PORTALES MUNICIPAL
Q58	NM	SANTA ROSA ROUTE 66
SVC	NM	GRANT COUNTY
TCC	NM	TUCUMCARI MUNI
06N	NY	RANDALL
MGJ	NY	ORANGE COUNTY
HZY	OH	ASHTABULA COUNTY
CQA	OH	LAKEFIELD
HTW	OH	LAWRENCE COUNTY AIRPARK
I73	OH	MORAINE AIR PARK
7D8	OH	GATES
22I	OH	VINTON COUNTY
MWO	OH	HOOK FIELD MUNI
I86	OH	PERRY COUNTY
I17	OH	PIQUA
AXV	OH	NEIL ARMSTRONG
AVK	OK	ALVA RGNL
CHK	OK	CHICKASHA MUNI
CUH	OK	CUSHING MUNI
TUL	OK	TULSA INTL
AST	OR	ASTORIA REGIONAL
BKE	OR	BAKER CITY MUNICIPAL
9S9	OR	LEXINGTON
N13	PA	BLOOMSBURG MUNI
BTP	PA	BUTLER COUNTY/K W SCHOLTER FIELD
N53	PA	STROUDSBURG-POCONO
CXY	PA	CAPITAL CITY
LNS	PA	LANCASTER
22N	PA	JAKE ARNER MEMORIAL
P53	PA	ROSTRAVER
N70	PA	PENNRIDGE
PHL	PA	PHILADELPHIA INTL
N79	PA	NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY
BQN	PR	RAFAEL HERNANDEZ
SJU	PR	LUIS MUNOZ MARIN INTL
34A	SC	LAURENS COUNTY
5J9	SC	TWIN CITY
9D2	SD	HARDING COUNTY
98D	SD	ONIDA MUNI
SPF	SD	BLACK HILLS-CLYDE ICE FIELD
CSV	TN	CROSSVILLE MEMORIAL-WHITSON FIELD
DKX	TN	KNOXVILLE DOWNTOWN ISLAND
ALI	TX	ALICE INTL
54T	TX	R W J AIRPARK
18TE	TX	AMBASSADOR FIELD
HRL	TX	VALLEY INTL
HDO	TX	HONDO MUNI
IAH	TX	GEORGE BUSH INTERCONTINENTAL ARPT/HOUSTON
JCT	TX	KIMBLE COUNTY
Q24	TX	LEVELLAND MUNI
LBB	TX	LUBBOCK INTL
MRF	TX	MARFA MUNI
F21	TX	MEMPHIS MUNI
PSX	TX	PALACIOS MUNI
PSN	TX	PALESTINE MUNI
PIL	TX	PORT ISABEL-CAMERON COUNTY
HYI	TX	SAN MARCOS MUNI
31F	TX	GAINES COUNTY
SNK	TX	WINSTON FIELD
CDC	UT	CEDAR CITY REGIONAL
ENV	UT	WENDOVER
MKJ	VA	MOUNTAIN EMPIRE
OLM	WA	OLYMPIA
CLM	WA	WILLIAM R FAIRCHILD INTL
VUO	WA	PEARSON FIELD
AIG	WI	LANGLADE COUNTY
BCK	WI	BLACK RIVER FALLS AREA
3T3	WI	BOYCEVILLE MUNI
3CU	WI	CABLE UNION
57C	WI	EAST TROY MUNI
63C	WI	ADAMS COUNTY LEGION FIELD
Y77	WI	BAYFIELD COUNTY
UNU	WI	DODGE COUNTY
CWA	WI	CENTRAL WISCONSIN
Y50	WI	WAUTOMA MUNI
MRB	WV	EASTERN WV REGIONAL/SHEPHERD
I16	WV	KEE FIELD
CPR	WY	NATRONA COUNTY INTL
CYS	WY	CHEYENNE

Drdaveb --

This question may fall into the category of "unanswerable" because
being unpaved means that grass, sand or water is used -- and many will
argue over runway length.

My example: there is only one beach runway in the U.S. -- Copalis
State (S116) -- on the Washington Coast at the mouth of the Copalis
River:
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/aviation/airports/Copalis.htm

The airport has a windsock, but since the ocean washes across it twice
each day, there's no "beginning" or "end" to the runway, which is on
hard-packed Pacific Coast sand.  I've been there and the runway's
really at least 5500'.

Best regards,

Omnivorous-GA

I don't think the question is unanswerable, all public landing areas
will have an FAA published runway length paved or not.  Water landing
areas do not apply and the fact the there is areference to only one
runway in the US with a length over 3,047m (9996'), I'd like to know
which one it is.

I believe the source for your fact is the CIA World Factbook [
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/ ].  This reference
documents that there is one non-paved runway in the United States with
a length greater than 3047 meters.

The current edition of the World Factbook provides figures for the
number of airports having unpaved runways in the United States at [
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/us.html ] as:

total: 9,729 
over 3,047 m: 1 
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 
1,524 to 2,437 m: 160 
914 to 1,523 m: 1,718 
under 914 m: 7,843 (2004 est.) 
 
It defines unpaved as:

"This entry gives the total number of airports with unpaved runways
(grass, dirt, sand, or gravel surfaces) by length. For airports with
more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to
the following five groups - (1) over 3,047 m, (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m,
(3) 1,524 to 2,437 m, (4) 914 to 1,523 m, and (5) under 914 m. Only
airports with usable runways are included in this listing. Not all
airports have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic
control"

The Factbook cites the sources for its information at [
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/docs/contributor_copyright.html
]
 as follows:

"Information is provided by Antarctic Information Program (National
Science Foundation), Bureau of the Census (Department of Commerce),
Bureau of Labor Statistics (Department of Labor), Central Intelligence
Agency, Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs, Defense
Intelligence Agency (Department of Defense), Department of State, Fish
and Wildlife Service (Department of the Interior), Maritime
Administration (Department of Transportation), National
Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (Department of Defense), Naval
Facilities Engineering Command (Department of Defense), Office of
Insular Affairs (Department of the Interior), Office of Naval
Intelligence (Department of Defense), US Board on Geographic Names
(Department of the Interior), US Transportation Command (Department of
Defense), and other public and private sources."

The World Factbook, unfortunately in your case, does not provide the
raw underlying data that its figures have been compiled from,
specifically the single airport in the United States with an unpaved
runway exceeding 3047m.

Note also that the World Factbook does not specifically describe the
airports it is summarizing as public airports, so I'd suspect that its
figures includes military air bases and other non-public airfields.

==============================================================

After additional searching I found several references to DAFIF, the
Digital Aeronautical Flight Information File, a product of the
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (DOD).  This file provides
very current and highly detailed information for aeronautical
facilities, navigation, and related information for 232 different
countries.  The information in this file appears much more thorough
than the information I reviewed before my last comment.  I'd even
speculate that the data in this file is in fact the source for many of
the publicly available airport reference sites on the Internet,
including [ http://airnav.com ].

The DAFIF file (database) is in the public domain and available for
download from [ https://www2.nima.mil/products/digitalaero/index.cfm
].  I obtained the file that is valid for 17 March 2005 to 13 April
2005.  In particular, I downloaded Version 0503, Ed. 8 [
ftp://164.214.2.112/dafif/dafif_0503_ed8/dafift.zip ] for analysis.

==============================================================

There are 9,969 airports listed in the DAFIF database with 4,306 in
the United States.  Among the entries in the United States are
airports such as ANDREWS AFB, DAVIS MONTHAN AFB and HILL AFB, so it
would seem the list includes public and non-public airports.  Even so,
this is far short of the number cited in the World Factbook (9,729).

According to the DAFIF database I consulted, the top three unpaved
runways by length are:

YUCCA AIRSTRIP (NV11)     9000 feet  2743 meters
WILLIS (7MN8)             9413 feet  2869 meters
BICYCLE LAKE AAF (KBYS)   9500 feet  2895 meters

The surface type listed for these runways is "GRADED OR ROLLED EARTH,
GRASS ON GRADED EARTH."

Salt flats in Utah?

The space shuttle has landed there, and it is technically publicly
owned and operated since it's a public area.