Point Roberts Airpark

Point Roberts Airpark (FAA LID: 1RL) is a single-grass-runway airport located in the town of Point Roberts, Washington. The airport, along with the marina, provide the only access to the rest of Washington state without first having to pass through British Columbia.

Point Roberts Airpark
The Airpark's runway (left)
Summary
Airport typePublic
Owner/OperatorLily Point Holdings
ServesPoint Roberts, Washington
Elevation AMSL10 ft / 3 m
Coordinates48°58′47.0″N 123°04′44.0″W
Map
1RL is located in Washington (state)
1RL
1RL
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
16/34 2,265 690 Turf
Statistics (2007)
Aircraft operations200
Sources: FAA[1]

In 2000,[2] a new five-plane hangar was built. It also features several couches and serves as a makeshift waiting room.[3]

History

Point Roberts Airpark was created by Ray Young. He was a cartoonist at Buena Vista Studios who had a lifelong interest in flying.[4] Ray moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1967 and purchased land in Point Roberts, developing it into an air strip he called Ray Young Field. He moved to Point Roberts with his wife, Uvon, in 1972. Later, he bought more land and extended the runway to its current length. Ray died in 1985; wife Uvon closed the runway and put the land up for sale in 1990. In 1996, she sold it to Robin Lamb, a retired Air Canada captain with 22,000-plus hours total flight time.[2][5]

In the 1996-1998 period, using a 1955 Galion grader and a 1956 International TD-91 bulldozer, the airstrip was made usable again. The bulldozer cleared the trees, the grader put a 3-foot (0.91 m) crown on the runway and cleared the 8 acres (32,000 m2) of the parking/air park area.[6]

In November 1998, the runway was seeded with a low-maintenance turf. In the intervening years, except for mowing, the runway has needed no further maintenance and is used year-round.[6]

Lamb died in 2012 and his surviving family members appointed Romi Singh, a local pilot and airport consultant to become the facility manager.[7][8] The current manager is Bob Granley.[9] Plans for the future include hangar homes and more hangar space. A GPS approach and customs clearance are being worked on.[6]

Airlines and destinations
AirlinesDestinations
San Juan Airlines[10] Bellingham

References
  1. FAA Airport Form 5010 for 1RL PDF
  2. "Parcel 405309 534540 0000 Appeals/Permits/Sales". Whatcom County Assessors Office. Retrieved 2009-09-06.
  3. Lamb, Robin. "PRAP Features". Archived from the original on 2006-04-23. Retrieved 2009-09-06.
  4. "Charter to Point Roberts Airpark". www.aircharterserviceusa.com. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
  5. Relyea, Kie (2005-05-22). "Get to the Point". The Bellingham Herald. Retrieved 2009-09-06. ...boasts Robin Lamb, a nine-year resident and owner of Point Roberts Airpark.
  6. "Living and Visiting Point Roberts, WA 98281". Point Roberts Now. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
  7. "San Juan Airlines inaugurates regular flights". All Point Bulletin. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
  8. "Robin LAMB Obituary (2012) - Saskatoon StarPhoenix". www.legacy.com. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
  9. "AirNav: 1RL - Point Roberts Airpark". www.airnav.com. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
  10. "Flying With Us". San Juan Airlines. Retrieved 2022-12-06.


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