Draft EUG Master Plan Update, February 2010

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BACKGROUND AND INVENTORY CHAPTER 1 5. Aviation Activity This sections reviews historic aviation activity trends at EUG (passenger enplanments, aircraft operations and based aircraft) and recent changes in domestic scheduled commercial and general aviation activity at the national level. 5.1 Enplanements Graph1-1 Passenger enplanements (see ) are broken down into two categories: major/national and regional/commuter. For decades, major/national enplanements at EUG fluctuated between 150,000 and 280,000. A downward trend began in 1999, until there were no major/national enplanements at EUG in 2003. In contrast, regional/commuter enplanements have increased, even dramatically in the last few years. In 2001, regional/commuter enplanements first exceeded major/national enplanements at EUG, and today regional/commuter enplanements dominate EUG’s activity. EUG, like many similar airports across the US, has experienced a decrease in major/national airlines. In 1988, United Airlines, US Air, and Continental Airlines served EUG. In 1998 only United remained, and today no major/national carrier serves EUG, resulting in no major/national enplanements. The number of regional/commuter airlines at EUG has fluctuated since 1988, although Horizon Air and United Express have maintained service for nearly two decades. Similar to national trends, regional/commuter airlines continue to play an increasingly important role at EUG, and are now the sole provider of scheduled commercial passenger service. In 2006, regional passenger enplanements reached a high of 360,258. 5.2 Operations An aircraft operation is a take off or landing of an aircraft. An operation is counted for each landing and each departure, such that a touch-and-go flight is counted as two operations. There are two basic types of operations—local and itinerant. Graph 1-2 Aircraft operations (see ) at EUG from 1976 to 1994 have shown relative volatility and from 1995 to 2005 relative stability. There have been two major spikes in aircraft operations at EUG—one in late 1979 and another in 1990. The first peak was due to a combination of strong operations levels across the board. The second peak was due to exceptionally high levels of local general aviation operations. From 1990 to 2002, operations steadily declined and have since leveled out. Instrument operations, generally aircraft that are on an instrument flights rules flight path, have steadily increased. 1-27 Eugene Airport Master Plan Update (February 2010)