Are you tired of the same old airport hamburger? Fly north for a helping of almond chicken at Peter Chu's Skyroom restaurant. Do you know where to find the houseboat capital of California? Fly north. Do you know where you'll soon be able to see a single-support suspension bridge that doubles as a sundial? I'll tell you about that later, but the same hint applies — fly north.
Fly north to find outdoor sports, boating, a huge gathering of pre-1976 cars, and the beauty and peace of a small town along a wide river. Redding has all this and more.
The two airports at Redding — Redding Municipal and Benton Field — are very different, and this difference contributes to making Redding a year-round fly-in destination.
Flight Planning Resources
Redding is home to 80,000 people, and its climate makes it a great destination for pilots. Winds rarely exceed 13 mph and the city averages 300 VFR days annually. In fact, Yuma, Arizona, is the only city in the United States to enjoy more sunny days in a typical year.
Sleepy awakens
Redding is north of almost every place in California — it's 126 miles north of San Francisco, 419 miles north of Van Nuys, and 523 miles north of San Diego. Although surrounded on three sides by mountain ranges, the town is only 600 feet above sea level. Mount Shasta, a 14,162-foot-high dormant volcano, is 55 miles north of town. Mount Lassen, which last erupted in 1915, is 37 miles to the east and is the centerpiece of Lassen Volcanic National Park.
A short distance west are historic gold rush-era towns, such as Weaverville and Old Town Shasta. The Trinity Alps and Shasta-Trinity National Forest and Wilderness, also to the west, are rugged, natural lands that draw tourists from near and far. Stretching more than 350 miles to the south-southeast are the lowlands of California's vast Central Valley.
Motorists may know Redding as the last big town before the long climb to crest the Siskiyou Mountains and cross the Oregon border 100 miles north. They even may have spent a few days in Redding waiting for the weather to clear. Because of recent changes, Redding has grown from a motel stop along a major north-south highway into an attractive town worth visiting in its own right.
In 1995, a new city manager was hired to move the city into the twenty-first century. As a result, money has been found to build a new convention center, create the ambitious Turtle Bay Exploration Park — with its revolutionary Sundial Bridge for pedestrians across the Sacramento River — and put up a modern government office building. Redding townspeople know that visitors will always be drawn to the vast and varied outdoor attractions nearby — beautiful mountains, hiking, water sports, snow skiing, fishing, hunting, river rafting, and waterfalls — but now they have more reasons to invite their guests to linger in Redding.
Kool April Nites — a hot-rod festivity
Although it's only 14 years old, Redding's Kool April Nites Car Show ( www.koolaprilnites.com) is quickly becoming the first big show of the year for pre-1976 car lovers.
If the movie American Graffiti brings back fond memories, then you'll want to reserve April 9 through 13 and head to Redding. Settle in on the curb of Hilltop Drive and get ready to be transported back to the 1950s as bobbysocks, poodle skirts, rock 'n roll music, restored classics, low-riding Chevys, and beautifully modified street rods take over Redding. Draggin' Main is a reality on Friday night as hundreds of cars from yesteryear circle a blocked-off loop of city streets. There's also drag racing (an abandoned taxiway at Redding Municipal Airport has been converted into a NHRA-sanctioned dragstrip), poker runs, and plenty of shine 'n show events. Kool April Nites is a great showcase for the new Redding.
Visiting Turtle Bay Exploration Park is a good start to your Redding tour. You can get to the park by driving up to the entrance (rental cars are available at the Redding Municipal Airport terminal, or Enterprise will bring a car to Benton Field with prior reservations) or by walking along the Sacramento River trail, which winds along both sides of California's biggest river for miles. Future plans are focused on developing a series of trails to link Redding and Trinity County through the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, which is located west of town.
Turtle Bay Exploration Park ( www.turtlebay.org) weaves together wildlife exhibits, art, and history to tell the story of California's northern region. The Turtle Bay Museum, Paul Bunyan's Forest Camp, McConnell Arboretum, and Sundial Bridge (scheduled to be completed in 2004) are the cornerstones of this interactive learning experience located along the Sacramento River.
A density-altitude solution, and fog-free Benton Field
Summer daytime temperatures seldom dip below 90 degrees Fahrenheit in Redding so pilots must understand the effects of above-standard temperatures on their airplane's performance.
When the outside air temperature rises to 90 degrees F the effects of density altitude tell the airplane that Benton Field's 719-foot-msl runway is at 2,804 feet. At 105 degrees F, the density altitude increases to 3,669 feet. At 105 degrees, this translates into a 40-percent increase in takeoff run (over standard day conditions) and a 25-percent reduction in climb rate. This loss of performance must be taken into account, especially when operating heavily loaded aircraft out of Benton Field, since the runway length is 2,420 feet. With more than 7,000 feet of runway, Redding Municipal Airport is a better choice for conducting summertime operations.
During winter months, California's Central Valley is often covered with low-lying tule fog. This radiation fog closes Redding Municipal Airport to VFR fliers for morning operations. Benton Field, which is located seven miles northwest of the municipal airport, is almost always fog-free when the municipal airport, only 210 feet lower at 509 feet msl, remains socked in. If you are planning an early morning takeoff during winter months, fly up to Benton Field the night before. This weather-savvy preplanning allows you to get airborne and on your way hours before the fog burns off enough to permit a VFR departure from Redding Municipal Airport.
Lake Shasta, located just a few miles north of Redding, is a huge water-fun paradise that's surrounded by wooded hills and watched over by Mount Shasta. This lake, with its 77-degree water temperature, is home to the largest houseboat rental fleet in the United States. There are rental boats that can accommodate up to 16 and still rival the luxury level of the finest resort condominiums. For help in planning your Redding area visit the Web site ( www.visitredding.org) or call the Redding Convention and Visitors Bureau at 530/225-4100.
Fly fishing and snow
Pilots who are headed north can view an online camera that shows real-time Shasta weather ( www.shastacam.com). Winter snows draw skiers and boarders to the slopes of Mount Shasta. Winter months, because of calm days, clear, rain-washed skies, and cool temperatures, are an excellent time to fly.
One of the biggest fly-fishing stores in the country sits next to Interstate Highway 5 a few miles south of town. The Fly Shop is known to fishermen from coast to coast and offers the finest gear, guided fishing trips on local fishing streams, and weeklong classes for old and young, novice and expert alike. See the Web site ( www.theflyshop.com) for more information and a schedule of events.
Redding is being discovered, and the town is opening its arms to visitors. This is good news for the fliers of California because there's plenty to do and explore in and around Redding.
E-mail the author at [email protected].
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