Pullman–Moscow Regional Airport

Pullman–Moscow Regional Airport (IATA: PUW, ICAO: KPUW, FAA LID: PUW) is a public airport in the northwest United States, located in Whitman County, Washington, two miles (3 km) east of Pullman and four miles (6 km) west of Moscow, Idaho. The airport is accessed via spurs from State Route 270, and has a single 7,101-foot (2,164 m) runway, headed northeast/southwest (5/23), which entered service in October 2019.[2][3] The former runway (6/24) was 6,730 feet (2,051 m) and aligned with Moscow Mountain (4,983 feet (1,519 m)) twelve miles (20 km) to the northeast, the highest summit in the area.

Pullman–Moscow Regional Airport
Main terminal in July 2006
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerPullman–Moscow
Regional Airport Board
ServesPullman-Moscow Combined Statistical Area
LocationWhitman County, Washington
Time zonePacific (UTC−8)
 • Summer (DST)(UTC−7)
Elevation AMSL2,567 ft / 782 m
Coordinates46.744°N 117.108°W / 46.744; -117.108
Websiteflypuw.com
Map
PUW
PUW
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
5/23 7,101 2,164 Asphalt
Statistics
Aircraft operations (2014)29,350
Based aircraft (2018)71
Total passengers (12 months ending Oct 2017)119,000
A charter flight at PUW in 2013
(Alaska Airlines, Boeing 737-890)
The post-security waiting area
at PUW in July 2006
Pullman–Moscow Regional Airport
from the southwest in June 2000, runway 6, aligned with Moscow Mountain in Idaho

The rural airport in the Palouse region is the primary air link for its two land-grant universities, Washington State University in Pullman and the University of Idaho in Moscow.[4] Both universities use the airport for jet charters from Alaska Airlines, Frontier Airlines, and Allegiant Air for their intercollegiate athletic teams.

Aviation at the site began in the 1920s as a grass strip, which was later improved by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and Works Progress Administration (WPA); the runway was first paved in 1946.[4]

Horizon Air (marketed and sold as Alaska Airlines) is the sole commercial airline serving the airport, flying Bombardier Q400 turboprop aircraft. It began limited service to Pullman–Moscow 39 years ago in December 1981 with Fairchild F-27 aircraft (Friday & Sunday),[5] and daily service (along with Lewiston) in March 1983, on F-27 and Metroliner aircraft.[6][7][8] Horizon Air offers 4-5 daily scheduled flights to Seattle/Tacoma. Historically, flight schedules have sometimes included a stop in Lewiston, but currently all scheduled flights at PUW are nonstop to/from Seattle.

Prior to Horizon, Cascade Airways (1969–1986) was the main carrier at the airport, starting Palouse service in late 1971.[9] United Express operated at Pullman–Moscow for over two years, from May 1988 to September 1990.[10]

Seattle air traffic control, 250 miles (400 km) west, manages commercial traffic for the airport. The nearest major airport is Spokane International, ninety miles (145 km) north.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2017–2021 categorized the airport as a non-hub primary commercial service facility.[11]

Facilities and aircraft

Pullman–Moscow Regional Airport covers an area of 467 acres (1.89 km2) at an elevation of 2,567 feet (782 m) above sea level. It has one asphalt paved runway designated 5/23, which measures 7,101 by 100 feet (2,164 m × 30 m).[1] The airport was annexed by the City of Pullman in August 1988,[12] and the present terminal opened in February 1990 at a cost of $2.7 million,[13] with a formal dedication and airshow in May.[4][14] A new and significantly larger terminal is expected in the early 2020s.[15]

The modest commercial terminal is a single large room, divided between pre- and post-security areas by a single security checkpoint and glass walls. The waiting area occupies all space beyond the checkpoint but is not commonly used for waiting, as most passengers pass through the security checkpoint immediately before boarding. Both passenger gates are ground-level doors to the tarmac; passengers board via the fold-down aircraft-door stairs, or airstairs (for larger charter aircraft). Gate 1 on the east side of the terminal is used by Horizon Air.

The public airport shares the runway with a fixed-base operator, Interstate Aviation, which conducts chartered air service and flight school. Local engineering firm Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc. owns and operates private hangars at the airport.

For the 12-month period ending January 1, 2014, the airport had 29,350 aircraft operations, an average of 80 per day: 85% general aviation, 14% scheduled commercial, 1% air taxi, and <1% military. Occasionally, the airport has accepted Boeing 737 aircraft on Alaska Airlines charter flights.

In January 2018, there were 71 aircraft based at this airport: 60 single-engine, 7 multi-engine, 3 jet, and 1 glider.[1]

Airline and destination
AirlinesDestinations
Alaska Airlines Seattle/Tacoma

Top destinations
Busiest domestic routes out of PUW
(Nov 2016 – Oct 2017)[16]
Rank City Passengers Carriers
1 Seattle, WA 59,980 Horizon Air

Accidents and incidents
  • On December 28, 1981, a twin-engine Cessna 402 crashed 1.5 miles (2.5 km) north of the airport during a morning snowstorm, killing its pilot, the sole occupant. A cargo flight from Spokane to Lewiston, it had diverted to Pullman due to a weather closure at Lewiston.[17][18][19]
  • On December 29, 2017, Horizon Air flight 2184, a DHC-8-402Q Dash 8 (N412QX) arriving from Seattle, landed on a taxiway parallel to runway 6, whose lights were not operating. There were no injuries to the 42 passengers and crew onboard and the airplane was not damaged. It occurred around 6:40 p.m. PST, several hours after sunset, in driving rain.[20]

References
  1. FAA Airport Form 5010 for PUW PDF, effective January 4, 2018.
  2. "Pullman airport closing temporarily to bring new runway online". WSU Insider. (Pullman, Washington): Washington State University. (Coug Life). August 29, 2019. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
  3. Viydo, Taylor (October 10, 2019). "Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport completes work on new runway". KREM-TV. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  4. Long, Ben (May 19, 1990). "New airport model of cooperation". Idahonian. (Moscow). p. 12A.
  5. "Horizon Air makes initial flight to Moscow-Pullman Airport". Lewiston Morning Tribune. December 5, 1981. p. 9C.
  6. "Horizon to add region stops". Spokesman-Review. February 5, 1983. p. 9.
  7. "Horizon plans three flights to Quad Cities". Lewiston Morning Tribune. February 5, 1983. p. 5B.
  8. "Horizon begins operations at Lewiston, Pullman". Lewiston Morning Tribune. March 16, 1983. p. 3B.
  9. Harrell, Sylvia (April 5, 1973). "Cascade Airways plans flights into Lewiston". Lewiston Morning Tribune. p. 20.
  10. Harriman, Peter (September 14, 1990). "United Express says goodbye". Idahonian. (Moscow). p. 1A.
  11. "List of NPIAS Airports" (PDF). FAA.gov. Federal Aviation Administration. 21 October 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  12. Fisher, David (August 17, 1988). "Pullman annexes airport". Idahonian. (Moscow). p. 1A.
  13. Semerad, Tony (February 15, 1990). "Weather foils plans for first day". Idahonian. (Moscow). p. 1A.
  14. "Palouse's 'front door' opens". Idahonian. (Moscow). May 21, 1990. p. 1A.
  15. Trubey, Devin (April 1, 2019). "Design of new terminal at Pullman Moscow Airport in the works". (Lewiston, Idaho): KLEW-TV. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  16. "RITA BTS Transtats - PUW". www.transtats.bts.gov. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  17. "Spokane pilot killed at crash in Pullman". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). December 29, 1981. p. 5.
  18. "Pilot dies when plane goes down". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. December 29, 1981. p. 1B.
  19. "Federal investigator begins inquiry into fatal plane crash". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). December 30, 1981. p. 3B.
  20. "ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 230443". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
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