Buchanan Field Airport

Brother and I went here this morning to view the WWII airplanes that are here on a yearly tour. It’s called «The Wings of Freedom Tour» by the Collings Foundation. It’s wonderful.
They always have four planes that you can go into and also take a tour in. The refurbished planes are: P-​51/​Mustang (you can take a tour in this one); B-​25/​Mitchell (you can take a tour in this one); B-​24/​Liberator; and B-​17/​Flying Fortress.
We spent about 4.5÷5 hours there. If you like history then you’ll enjoy viewing these planes… it’s part of our American (and World) history!

Great place for the little ones to run and play. Fenced in and has some shade. The planes take off right next to the play area and there are tables for snack time.
Lots of fun!

Sweet Cherry Pie! Some of my fondest memories of «Cali» were born at this airfield. Whenever I’m feeling low, I stop here for a while and just like that, my spirits are lifted! On the 4^th of July, I was able to see Pleasant Hill and Concord fireworks simultaneously. No one was there either, hidden gem in Concord I guess.
It serves as an overflow lot for the Kia lot down the street, a flight school and military training base too. A lot goes on here, yet it stays so hidden and calm from the rest of the public. Great place to come and think, read, stare off into space, night or day.
I had a run in with a huge, albino praying mantis here also. He was in my car, on my lap one night. Having been traumatized as a youth when 3 – 4 mice appeared in my buddies back seat while we were driving, I slapped him pretty good off my lap. I felt bad, after assisting him out, we had a stare-​off through the windshield of my car. Pretty creepy.

I spent a great deal of my youth flying all over, into smaller airports/​airfield as my dad was a private pilot. This is one he would have enjoyed — easy access, parking etc.
Kinda cool they have a rest/​play area for folks waiting/​watching — not sure I have seen that before. This place makes me want to take up flying lessons.

Nice little airport! There is the REACH emergency helicopter at one end and CALSTAR at the other end. Whether you want to take flying lessons on their various planes or small helicopters, they have it here. Personal hangars for your small aircraft. Many private pilots fly in and out of here.

LIKE FATHER, LIKE HUSBAND
I spent a lot of time at Buchanan as a young adult because my Father had an enclosed hanger here for his Sessna. He used to take me flying and I developed a love for the air at a young age. And a love for this airport!
I can here his voice loudly call «CLEAR PROP» before he started up. And I remember asking him why the tower referred to his plane as «Sessna #-#-# uniform gulf», when the plane clearly only read «#-#-#-UG» on the side :) My Dad taught me then the pilot’s alphabet (probably so that I wouldn’t ask any more stupid questions.)
* * Twenty something years later… * *
So as chance would have it, the man who became my husband is also a pilot. But not the fixed-​wing type I had so much love for as a kid. He flies helicopters. My first (and second) flights ever in a helicopter were out of Buchanan. Just him and I. I remember the first take-​off; and the first landing. So very different from a plane!
It was a good thing I had some idea about the pilot alphabet because my husband quizzes me on it. Makes me say it backwards. Long drives are the worst when he makes me translate the freeway signs before we pass them. GOLF-​ECHO-​ECHO-​ZULU!!!
* * Now for the happy ending * *
My dad’s plane still flies but it’s home is now at the Livermore Airport. It took a little coaxing but he has finally agreed to let my husband learn to fly it. Which is really cool! I just wish he were going to be learning out of Concord instead.

Super folks that work here. Very little air traffic so it is usually a breeze to get in and out.

This is a great place for the kids. Super windy out here so bring a jacket. Looks like an awesome place for a picnic too (my dad says there’s a subway nearby). Can’t wait for a return visit. For some reason the Unilocal address is wrong, so double check the directions.

Had my first small plane experience here. Our neighbor’s dad picked us up for the weekend. Seems well organized and I love how convenient it was!

This is the best airport I’ve seen in my 45 years of aviating, all over this country. I am lucky to have my plane here. Everyone, from the tower personnel to the administration folks to the fuel truck operators, is highly professional, really good at their jobs, and also, is of good cheer. This is highly exceptional in the general aviation airport world. Even the weather patterns favor this spot, which was extremely well chosen. I see ospreys, hawks and eagles most days above the airport, from the traffic pattern. They like it too. So might you. It’s the best.

In 1942 Contra Costa County purchased land to build an airport for $ 88,000. When World War II broke out and the United States Army Air Forces Fourth Air Force expropriated the site. The Army added additional land and built the airport facilities. They also built a training base for pilots and the base was known as Concord Army Airfield.
In 1946, the War Assets Administration (WAA) returned the airport to the County for public use. It was then renamed after County Supervisor William J. Buchanan, who served was a board member for more than forty years. The airport continued to be used on occasion by the U.S. Army to transport troops, especially during the Korean War.
In 1977 Buchanan Field reached its peak level of activity and was at that time the 16^th busiest airport in the nation, ahead of SFO and New York’s Kennedy and LaGuardia Airports. During this time noise became a concern and in 1988 the Board of Supervisors instituted a county noise restriction ordinance restricting certain aircraft from operating.
The future direction of this airport is always in question because of its location on prime property in the middle of the city of Concord with no room to grow, and noise concerns. I also express that concern as I watch the planes fly overhead when I’m on the freeway.
I have also taken a flight out of here. My friend Bob is has a pilot’s license and when he comes to town (which isn’t often anymore), he rents a plane at Buchanan and off we go. And seeing my Community from this vantage point is pretty cool.

My daughter and I love coming here, at the base of the control tower they have a little gated area with a tarmac runway, bleach seating, picnic tables, and now plastic structures of a airplane and control tower for the little ones to play with. I bring my daughter here to practice riding her bike, very family friendly area. The best part is you can hear the control tower communicate with the airplanes.

I’ve never taken a flight out of here. But, after a stop at Caffino, me and the wee ones like stop off here to watch the puddle jumpers take-​off and land. Once in a while, we’re pleasantly surprised with a fleet of military planes there for a show. Reno gets all giggly.