Watsonville Municipal
WVI · KWVI · Watsonville, California · Santa Cruz County · map
Watsonville Municipal is a public-use airport owned by the City of Watsonville, 3 miles northwest of Watsonville, California, 163 feet above sea level. It has 4 runways; the longest, 02/20, is 4,502 feet of asphalt. It has fuel (100LL avgas, Jet A, G100UL unleaded avgas) and about 282 general-aviation aircraft based on the field by the FAA's count. The receiver network heard 5 different aircraft arrive or depart here in the last seven days. The FAA counts about 60,000 takeoffs and landings a year. About 3 passengers boarded flights here in the FAA's fiscal year 2024.
Quick answers answers refresh every morning
What is the airport code for Watsonville Municipal?
Its FAA code is WVI, and its ICAO code is KWVI.
Where is Watsonville Municipal?
It is 3 miles northwest of Watsonville, California, 163 feet above sea level.
How long is the longest runway at Watsonville Municipal?
The longest of its 4 runways, 02/20, is 4,502 feet long.
Does Watsonville Municipal have a control tower?
No, it has no control tower.
What fuel can you buy at Watsonville Municipal?
The FAA's airport file lists 100LL avgas, Jet A, G100UL unleaded avgas.
Where can you fly nonstop from Watsonville Municipal?
Airline flights go to 1 airport, the busiest of them Santa Barbara Municipal. Every route
Where are the nearest FAA examiners to Watsonville Municipal?
8 pilot examiners and 17 aviation medical examiners work within 50 nautical miles. See them by name
Weather and planning now, the forecast, warnings, pilot reports, winds aloft, restrictions
Fetching the weather now, the forecast, the warnings in force, pilot reports and the winds aloft for Watsonville Municipal…
Wind map live wind over the area, from Windy.com
Colours show wind speed, the moving lines its direction; drag the time bar for the coming days. Map and forecast by Windy.com.
The airport facts, runways, radio, fuel and services, the FAA's remarks
The airport
- Codes
- FAA WVI · ICAO KWVI
- Kind
- Airport · open to the public · publicly owned
- Owner
- City of Watsonville
- Elevation
- 163 feet above sea level
- Control tower
- No control tower
- Attended
- every day, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
- Lights
- runway lights see the remarks below; beacon sunset to sunrise
- Fuel and services
- 100LL avgas, Jet A, G100UL unleaded avgas; the services card below
- Notes
- landing fee
- On the chart
- San Francisco sectional
- Magnetic variation
- 14E
Runways 4
For understanding the field, not for navigation.
| Runway | Length × width | Surface | Lights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02/20 | 4,502 × 149 ft | Asphalt, fair | Medium-intensity lights |
| 09/27 | 3,998 × 98 ft | Asphalt, fair | |
| H2 | 40 × 40 ft | Asphalt | |
| H1 | 20 × 20 ft | Asphalt |
- Runway 02: LOCALIZER, PAPI, two lights on the left, trees 46 ft high 1,310 ft from the end
- Runway 20: PAPI, two lights on the left, threshold displaced 589 ft, tree 80 ft high 1,198 ft from the end
- Runway 09: PAPI, two lights on the right, tree 38 ft high 1,050 ft from the end
- Runway 27: tree 55 ft high 935 ft from the end
Radio frequencies
| Common traffic advisory (CTAF) · UNICOM | 122.8 | |
| Approach and departure · Class C airspace 136-360 mry | 127.15 | · All radials off mry airport. |
| Wvi and automated weather (ASOS) | 132.275 |
Automated weather (ASOS), by phone 831-724-8794.
Fuel and services as reported to the FAA
- Fuel
- 100LL avgas, Jet A, G100UL unleaded avgas
- Repairs
- airframe: minor repairs; engine: major repairs
- Parking
- tie-downs
- Oxygen
- bottled oxygen (low-pressure)
- Also here
- avionics, charter flights, flight instruction, parachute jumping, aircraft rental, aircraft sales, aerial surveying
- Notes
- landing fee charged
Other fields with jet fuel nearby: San Martin Airport (13 nm northeast), Marina Municipal (15 nm south), Hollister Municipal (18 nm east).
The FAA's file records what is sold and done at the field, as the airport manager reports it, not who sells it or the price; fuel sellers (FBOs) are not named in any public file. Airports selling jet fuel in California · avgas.
The FAA's remarks as written in the airport file, spelled out
- Seagulls on and in the vicinity of airport.
- Activate PAPI runway 02, 09 and 20; runway end identifier lights runway 02; medium-intensity runway lights runway 02/20 - the common traffic frequency.
- Refer to airport website for fee schedule.
- Unusable beyond 4.0 NM due to terrain.
- Runway 20 approach ratio 22:1 to displaced threshold.
- Airport has noise abatement procedures; see airport website.
- Runway 20 pref calm wind runway; STRAIGHT-IN approach not recommended.
- Helicopter actvty on and in the vicinity of airport.
- Coastal fog during summer months.
- Prcht operations on airport daily 9:00 am to 8:00 pm; landing area 1000 feet west of runway 20.
- All departures prohibited on runway 27 due to runway visibility blocked by hngrs.
- 130 feet trees 700 feet right of runway 9 thld, 85 feet trees 600 feet left of runway 9 thld.
Flights and activity in the air now, the airlines, based aircraft, takeoffs and landings
Activity now checking the volunteer receiver network…
Within ten miles
- Looking…
Arrivals and departures, last hour
- Looking…
From the volunteer receiver network, a few minutes behind at most; aircraft whose owners asked the FAA not to be displayed are left out; no person is named. Open the live map here.
Scheduled and charter flights from here the DOT's airline reports · August 2025 to July 2026
Airlines reported 2 departures from WVI in those twelve months, carrying 3 passengers in 17 seats (18% filled), to 1 destination on 2 airlines.
| Where to | Flights | Passengers | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watsonville Municipal → Santa Barbara Municipal WVI–SBA | 2 | 3 | Scott Aviation, LLC ..., ADVANCED AIR, LLC |
All 1 destinations, the airlines and the aircraft, month by month
From the Bureau of Transportation Statistics' T-100 table: every segment an airline reported flying, three months in arrears. Private, business and training flights are not in it; the live picture is in the activity card.
Based aircraft as counted for the FAA, fiscal year 2024
Based aircraft, as a table
| aircraft | |
|---|---|
| single-engine | 256 |
| multi-engine | 15 |
| jets | 4 |
| helicopters | 5 |
| other | 2 |
The FAA's count is the general-aviation aircraft kept on the field (singles, twins, business jets, helicopters) from its Terminal Area Forecast, the latest year with an actual count; airline fleets are never counted as based anywhere, so a big airline airport shows a small number. The aircraft heard arriving or departing are the site's own record from the volunteer receiver network, airliners included; aircraft whose owners asked the FAA not to be displayed are left out. The register section below shows how many aircraft are registered to owners in town, a different measure again.
Takeoffs and landings a year about 60,000, the FAA's fiscal year 2024 (October 2023 to September 2024)
Takeoffs and landings, as a table
| a year | |
|---|---|
| general aviation, travelling | 20,070 |
| general aviation, local | 39,900 |
| military | 30 |
Local flights stay in the traffic pattern or nearby, often practice; travelling flights arrive from or leave for somewhere else. Counts at airports without a tower are the FAA's estimates. How this compares nationally: Airports by the numbers.
Who flies and works here aircraft registered in town, the companies, the examiners nearby
Aircraft registered in Watsonville from the FAA register
71 aircraft are registered to owners in Watsonville, California: 49 piston singles, 11 helicopters, 3 business jets, 2 turboprops, 2 weight-shift and powered parachutes. Not every one of them is based at this airport; the based-aircraft count above is the FAA's figure for this airport alone.
Companies and organisations in town with two or more aircraft:
Individuals are counted, not named (the site's policy at this time). All aircraft registered in California.
Who works here from the FAA's certificate lists and the register
Charter operators and airlines based in Watsonville:
- Specialized Helicopters, INC 3 aircraft on the certificate Specialized Aviation operates helicopter and airplane tours, charter flights, and flight training from Watsonville and Hayward airports in California.
- San Francisco Helicopters, LLC 1 aircraft on the certificate
- Van Wagenen, Robert F 1 aircraft on the certificate
Repair stations in Watsonville:
- Calibro Avionics, LLC Calibro Avionics is an FAA Part 145 certified repair station at Watsonville Airport specializing in transponder and air data (pitot-static) inspections for general aviation aircraft.
- Norcal Avionics LLC
Companies in the same town as this airport, and schools within about 15 miles of it (each placed at the main public airport of its town, or at the town's centre); not every one of them works from this field. All operators · all repair stations · all flight schools · all FBOs.
Examiners and inspectors nearby designated by the FAA · within 50 nautical miles
8 pilot examiners (the FAA's designated pilot examiners, who give the practical tests for pilot certificates) are based within 50 nautical miles: 8 for private pilot, 7 for commercial and instrument, 2 for flight instructor, 3 for sport pilot; 7 for airplanes, 4 for multi-engine airplanes, 1 for seaplanes, 1 for helicopters. Also nearby: 1 sport aviation examiner, 17 aviation medical examiners, 2 mechanic examiners, 2 airworthiness representatives (maintenance), 2 airworthiness representatives (manufacturing), 1 engineering representative, 1 aircraft dispatcher examiner, 1 training center examiner.
- Margaret Watt private pilot, commercial and instrument, instructor renewals, ground instructor; airplanes · Hollister, CA (18 nm) · (209) 321-8108 · [email protected]
- Eric Alan Cook private pilot, commercial and instrument, flight instructor, instrument instructor, instructor renewals, military competency, ground instructor, foreign pilot certificates; airplanes, multi-engine airplanes · Jet West Annex - Main Terminal · Salinas, CA (19 nm) · (805) 459-8876 · [email protected]
- Clayton Miles Conrad private pilot, commercial and instrument, sport pilot, instructor renewals, ground instructor; airplanes, multi-engine airplanes · San Jose, CA (24 nm) · (140) 866-6696 · [email protected]
- Jennifer Rayne Watson private pilot, commercial and instrument, sport pilot, instructor renewals, ground instructor; airplanes, multi-engine airplanes · AeroDynamic Aviation · San Jose, CA (24 nm) · (916) 399-3669 · [email protected]
- R Rohlfing private pilot, commercial and instrument, flight instructor, instrument instructor, sport pilot, instructor renewals, military competency, ground instructor, foreign pilot certificates; airplanes, multi-engine airplanes · Trade Winds Aviation · San Jose, CA (24 nm) · (408) 234-8423 · [email protected]
- James Courtney Higgins private pilot, commercial and instrument, instructor renewals, ground instructor; airplanes · Palo Alto, CA (35 nm) · (530) 307-9776 · [email protected]
- Michael Healey private pilot, commercial and instrument, instructor renewals, military competency, ground instructor, foreign pilot certificates; airplanes, seaplanes · WP 27 Oakland FSDO · Foster City, CA (44 nm) · (650) 430-2730 · [email protected]
- Evan Paraskevopoulos private pilot, commercial pilot, instructor renewals, ground instructor; helicopters · Hayward, CA (46 nm) · (408) 887-0903 · [email protected]
All 35 nearby, by kind, with contact details
What each kind does
- DPE: Designated Pilot Examiner: gives the practical tests (checkrides) for pilot certificates and ratings.
- SAE: Sport Aviation Examiner: gives the tests for sport pilot certificates and light-sport aircraft.
- AME: Aviation Medical Examiner: a doctor who issues the medical certificates pilots must hold.
- DME: Designated Mechanic Examiner: tests candidates for the mechanic certificate (airframe and powerplant).
- DAR-T: Designated Airworthiness Representative, maintenance: issues airworthiness certificates and approvals for aircraft in service.
- DAR-F: Designated Airworthiness Representative, manufacturing: issues airworthiness certificates for newly built aircraft and parts.
- DER-T: Designated Engineering Representative: approves engineering data for repairs and alterations on the FAA's behalf.
- DADE: Designated Aircraft Dispatcher Examiner: tests candidates for the dispatcher certificate.
- DCTO-E: Designee at a certificated training organisation.
Designees are listed with the name and contact details the FAA publishes for them on its designee locator (read October 10, 2026): the FAA lists them so that pilots, mechanics and companies can find them. Private individuals are not named, the site's policy at this time. A designee who would rather not appear here can ask us through the contact address on the About page. Each designee is placed at the main public airport of the town the FAA lists (or the nearest one to its zip code), so "nearby" means the town, not an exact address. All examiners by state.
Safety record the NTSB's cases at or near this airport
Accidents and incidents at or near this airport NTSB records · 33 since 1982, 6 fatal
Cases the NTSB recorded with this as the nearest airport, newest first. Each opens the full report in plain English. The country as a whole: Where accidents happen.
Nearby within 30 nautical miles
Connections how this airport links to the rest of the register
- Aircraft registered in Watsonville 71 aircraft · 49 piston singles, 11 helicopters, 3 business jets
- Parker Helicopter LLC 12 aircraft in town
- Monterey Bay Aviation INC 5 aircraft in town
- Parker Helicopters INC 4 aircraft in town
- Strawberry Aviation INC 2 aircraft in town
- Specialized Helicopters, INC 3 aircraft on the certificate · charter operator
- San Francisco Helicopters, LLC 1 aircraft on the certificate · charter operator
- Van Wagenen, Robert F 1 aircraft on the certificate · charter operator
- Calibro Avionics, LLC · repair station
- Norcal Avionics LLC · repair station
- Santa Barbara Municipal (SBA) 2 flights in twelve months · Scott Aviation, LLC d/b/a Silver Air, ADVANCED AIR, LLC
- NTSB accidents and incidents at or near this airport 33 since 1982 · 6 fatal
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,069 since 1982 · 1,087 in the last ten years
- Nearby landing places within 30 nautical miles 8 airports, heliports and seaplane bases
- Public-use airports in California 244 landing places
- California 27,658 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/airport/WVI.json.
Facts from the FAA's airport file effective October 1, 2026, written out in plain English; weather from the National Weather Service's aviation weather service; registered aircraft from the FAA register as of October 27, 2026; accidents from the NTSB's public database. Owners are shown only when they are an organisation; no person is named. Check the official sources before a flight: this page is for understanding an airport, not for planning one.