Las Trancas Airport – Davenport, California

Las Trancas Airport (FAA Identifier: 27723) is a private-use general aviation facility located in Davenport, a small coastal community in Santa Cruz County, California, situated along Highway 1 approximately 10 miles north of Santa Cruz and 75 miles south of San Francisco. Nestled in the rugged terrain of the Santa Cruz Mountains near the Pacific coastline, Las Trancas Airport serves agricultural operators, private pilots, and rural landowners who rely on general aviation for access to this otherwise remote stretch of the Central Coast.

The airport sits at an elevation that reflects the rolling coastal hills characteristic of this part of Santa Cruz County. Davenport itself is known for its cement plant history, whale-watching opportunities along the bluffs, and proximity to Año Nuevo State Park, where elephant seals gather seasonally. For pilots operating in and out of Las Trancas Airport, the coastal marine layer presents a notable meteorological challenge — dense fog frequently rolls in from Monterey Bay and the open Pacific, particularly during summer mornings, requiring pilots to monitor METAR reports and NOTAMs closely before departure or arrival.

As a private-use facility, Las Trancas Airport is not open to the public without prior permission from the owner or operator. Pilots planning to use the airport must coordinate access in advance, which is standard practice for private strips throughout Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties. The airport is listed in FAA records under identifier 27723 and should be verified through current Chart Supplement publications for operational status and contact information before any planned operation.

The surrounding airspace along the Santa Cruz County coastline is relatively uncontrolled at lower altitudes, though pilots must remain vigilant regarding proximity to the San Jose International Airport (SJC) Class C airspace to the northeast, as well as Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) Class C to the southeast. Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations dominate this corridor, and pilots are encouraged to monitor advisory frequencies and maintain situational awareness given the terrain and coastal obstructions common to the area.

For those operating agricultural or ranching operations in the Davenport and northern Santa Cruz County area, small private airstrips like Las Trancas Airport provide essential utility that paved-road access alone cannot replicate. Emergency medical evacuation, crop dusting, aerial survey work, and private travel are among the most common uses of private general aviation facilities in this region. The agricultural character of the land surrounding Davenport — including Brussels sprout farms, flower fields, and coastal ranches — underscores the working-landscape context in which this airport operates.

Pilots new to the Davenport coastal corridor should be aware of the local topography: the Santa Cruz Mountains rise sharply just inland from Highway 1, creating terrain that can produce mechanical turbulence, rotor effects, and rapid weather changes. The combination of Pacific Ocean moisture and mountainous terrain means that conditions can deteriorate quickly, and preflight weather briefings through 1800wxbrief.com or ForeFlight are strongly recommended. Coastal Special Use Airspace and wildlife-sensitive overfly zones near Año Nuevo Point should also be reviewed prior to any flight in the area.

The nearest full-service public-use airports to Las Trancas Airport include Watsonville Municipal Airport (WVI), approximately 20 miles to the south, and San Jose International Airport (SJC), roughly 35 miles to the northeast. Pilots requiring fuel, maintenance, avionics services, or instrument approaches will find Watsonville Municipal Airport the most convenient option, offering a 4,500-foot paved runway, fuel service, and a fixed-base operator. Santa Cruz Sky Park (E16), located in Scotts Valley, is another option for smaller aircraft requiring basic services closer to the Santa Cruz metro area.

Las Trancas Airport represents the kind of essential private aviation infrastructure that supports rural California communities largely invisible to the traveling public. Its FAA designation (27723) ensures it remains documented in national aviation databases, providing pilots with the information needed to identify, plan around, or coordinate access to this coastal Santa Cruz County airstrip. Whether you are a local landowner, an agricultural operator, or a transient pilot curious about the general aviation landscape along California's spectacular Highway 1 corridor, Las Trancas Airport is a notable waypoint in the fabric of California's private aviation network.

Las Trancas Airport Contact Information

Address, Phone Number, and Hours for an Airports in Davenport, California.

Name Las Trancas Airport
Address 3564 California 1, Davenport CA 95017 Map
Phone (408) 423-4156
Website
Hours

Map of Las Trancas Airport


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Frequently Asked Questions – Las Trancas Airport (27723), Davenport, CA

No. Las Trancas Airport (FAA ID: 27723) is a private-use facility located in Davenport, Santa Cruz County, California. Access is restricted to authorized users, and pilots must obtain prior permission from the airport owner or operator before landing. This is consistent with the designation of private-use airports across the FAA's national airport database. Pilots should verify current operational status and contact information through the FAA Chart Supplement for the Pacific Coast region before planning any flight to this facility.

The nearest full-service public airport to Las Trancas Airport is Watsonville Municipal Airport (WVI), located approximately 20 miles to the south in Watsonville, California. It offers a paved 4,500-foot runway and fuel service. Santa Cruz Sky Park (E16) in Scotts Valley is another nearby option for smaller general aviation aircraft. For commercial air travel or instrument operations, San Jose International Airport (SJC) is roughly 35 miles northeast and offers full airline, FBO, and instrument approach services. Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) lies approximately 50 miles to the southeast and serves both commercial and general aviation traffic.

Pilots operating near Davenport and Las Trancas Airport face several notable weather hazards. The California coastal marine layer frequently produces dense fog, especially during summer months from May through August, often persisting into late morning hours. The proximity of the Santa Cruz Mountains immediately inland creates terrain-induced turbulence, rotor zones, and rapidly changing wind conditions. Pilots should obtain a thorough preflight weather briefing, monitor coastal METARs, and be prepared for rapid deterioration in visibility. VFR flight into IMC is a serious risk along this stretch of Highway 1 coastline and should be avoided through careful weather planning.

Davenport is a small unincorporated community in Santa Cruz County, historically known for its cement manufacturing plant — once one of the largest on the West Coast — and today recognized for its scenic coastal bluffs, whale-watching access, and proximity to Año Nuevo State Park, a major northern elephant seal breeding reserve. The area's agricultural and ranching heritage is significant: coastal farmland produces Brussels sprouts, artichokes, and flowers. Private airstrips like Las Trancas Airport support this rural economy by enabling aerial access for landowners and operators where ground transportation along winding Highway 1 can be time-consuming. Aviation activity in Davenport is light but purposeful, serving the working landscape of northern Santa Cruz County.

Las Trancas Airport (27723) is a private-use rural strip that serves a very specific local need in coastal Santa Cruz County, while Livermore Municipal Airport (LVK) is a full-service public-use general aviation airport located approximately 60 miles northeast in the Tri-Valley area of Alameda County. Livermore Municipal offers two paved runways (the longest at 5,255 feet), multiple FBOs, fuel, maintenance, flight training, and instrument approaches. Oakland International Airport (OAK) and facilities like Meadowlark Airport in Huntington Beach represent even broader ends of the general aviation spectrum. Las Trancas serves a niche rural purpose; pilots needing services, fuel, or training should plan operations at Watsonville Municipal or San Jose International instead.

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