North Palm Beach County Airport (FAA LID: F45), also known as North County Airport, is an uncontrolled (non-towered) general aviation airport located 12 nautical miles (22 kilometres) northwest of West Palm Beach[1] off the Bee Line Highway in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The airport is owned by Palm Beach County[1] and operated by the Palm Beach County Airports Department. Opened in 1994, it is the county's newest airport.[2] It is located next to the site of the "fake" town of Apix, Florida.
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The field is in proximity to, and shares services with, William P. Gwinn Airport (FAA LID: 06FA) (more commonly referred to as Gwinn Airfield) which is owned by United Technologies Corporation (UTC). It was previously operated by its Pratt & Whitney jet engine business unit and is currently operated by its Sikorsky Aircraft business unit. Due to its proximity to the Sikorsky test grounds, North County is often used to test ILS approaches on experimental or prototype helicopters such as the RAH-66 Comanche, SH-60 Seahawk and the S-92.
DayJet previously provided an on-demand jet air taxi service from this airport to Jacksonville, Lakeland, Tallahassee, Pensacola, Gainesville, Boca Raton, Opa-Locka/Miami Dade County, Naples, Sarasota/Bradenton, Savannah, Macon, and Montgomery until its liquidation in bankruptcy in 2008.
North Palm Beach County General Aviation Airport covers an area of 1,832 acres (741 ha) at an elevation of 22 feet (6.7 m) above mean sea level, with over 1,100 acres being dedicated to environmental preserves that surround the airport.[2] It has one turf runway designated 9L/27R which measures 3,679 by 75 feet (1,121 by 23 m) and two asphalt paved runways: 9R/27L measuring 4,300 by 100 feet (1,311 by 30 m) and 14/32 measuring 4,300 by 75 feet (1,311 by 23 m).[1] It is a designated reliever for Palm Beach International Airport and serves both reciprocating engine and jet aircraft.[2]
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2018, the airport had 97,400 aircraft operations, an average of 267 per day, 93% general aviation, 7% air taxi, and <1% military. At that time there were 264 aircraft based at this airport: 189 single-engine, 45 multi-engine, 11 jet, 1 glider and 18 helicopter.[1]
The airport is home to many Cirrus aircraft, along with Piper Cubs, Commanders, various Cessna models, Piper Cherokees, Piper Arrows, Beechcraft Bonanzas, Beechcraft Barons, Pilatus PC-12s, numerous Cessna Citation Jets and many more.
The airport facilities consist of a terminal, a large storage hangar, an aircraft maintenance hangar, and 176 aircraft storage hangars.[2] There are two active helicopter landing pads.
The airport has one fixed-base operator, Signature Flight Support, located in the middle of the apron.[3]
North County is home to Cloud 9 Helicopters[4] which maintains a fleet of Robinson helicopters and is a FAA Certified Part 141 Flight School. Aamro Aviation is the only fixed wing school which conducts Part 61 and FAA Certified Part 141 flight training and aircraft rentals in Cessna 172's.[5]