Tews Airport — Redding, California (CA53)

Tews Airport, designated by the FAA with the identifier CA53, is a privately owned general aviation facility located approximately 5 miles northeast of downtown Redding, California. Situated at an elevation of 740 feet above mean sea level on a 40-acre parcel in Shasta County, Tews Airport serves as a utility-class airfield supporting private pilots, agricultural operations, and small aircraft owners throughout the greater Redding region. The airport was activated on October 1, 1993, and remains an active private-use facility under FAA records.

The airport features a single runway designated 8/26, oriented east-west on an asphalt surface measuring approximately 1,795 feet in length — a standard configuration for utility-class airports designed to accommodate single-engine and light twin-engine piston aircraft. With no on-site air traffic control tower, pilots operating at Tews Airport rely on standard traffic advisory procedures and self-announce communications on the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF). Flight service support is available through the Rancho Murieta FSS by calling 1-800-WX-BRIEF for weather briefings and NOTAMs applicable to the area.

Redding sits at the northern end of California's Central Valley, where the Sacramento River converges with rugged terrain leading into the Cascade and Klamath mountain ranges. This geography creates a dynamic flying environment around Tews Airport, where pilots must account for mountain wave activity, thermal updrafts during summer months, and winter valley fog that can significantly reduce visibility. The area surrounding Redding experiences hot, dry summers with temperatures regularly exceeding 100°F, and mild, wetter winters — conditions that directly influence flight planning for operations at CA53 and nearby facilities.

For pilots based at or transiting through northern California, Tews Airport serves as a convenient private facility northeast of the city, away from the busier traffic patterns of Redding Regional Airport (KRDD), the area's commercial service airport located to the southwest. KRDD operates two runways — a primary 7,003-foot strip (16/34) and a 5,067-foot crosswind runway (12/30) — handling commercial jet service by United Express and Alaska Airlines to destinations including San Francisco (SFO), Los Angeles (LAX), Denver (DEN), and Seattle (SEA). Redding Regional is city-owned, tracing its origins to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers airfield constructed in 1942 to train WWII aircrews flying Bell P-39 Airacobra fighters. The airport was transferred to the City of Redding in 1946 and has served the North State commercial region ever since, recording 88,676 enplanements in 2024.

Other general aviation airports in the broader region include Trinity Center Airport to the west in Trinity County, Hayfork Airport in the Trinity Alps area, and Fall River Mills Airport to the northeast near the Modoc Plateau. Pilots flying into northern California from the Bay Area or Sacramento often route through or near the Redding corridor, making local knowledge of private strips like Tews Airport valuable for cross-country flight planning and emergency alternate identification.

The Redding metropolitan area, home to approximately 90,000 residents, is the largest city north of Sacramento along the Interstate 5 corridor and functions as a regional hub for Shasta, Trinity, and surrounding counties. The area's aviation infrastructure — anchored by KRDD for commercial service and supported by private facilities like Tews Airport — reflects the broader role that general aviation plays in connecting rural northern California communities to urban centers, medical facilities, and business destinations. Shasta County's vast geography, spanning from the Sacramento Valley floor to volcanic peaks like Mount Shasta (14,179 ft) and Lassen Peak (10,457 ft), makes light aircraft a practical transportation mode for ranchers, timber operators, and outdoor recreation businesses throughout the region.

Pilots planning to operate at Tews Airport (CA53) should note its private-use designation and verify current operational status and landing permissions directly with the airport owner prior to arrival. As with all non-towered airports without NOTAM service listed, pilots should perform thorough pre-flight research using official FAA sources, AOPA Airport Directory, or ForeFlight to obtain the most current runway, obstruction, and contact information. The airport's east-west runway alignment (8/26) means morning and evening sun angles can be a factor during approach and departure, and the Redding area's dense summer smoke — driven by wildfires across Shasta, Trinity, and Tehama counties — can reduce visibility to IFR conditions even during otherwise clear seasonal weather patterns.

Tews Airport Contact Information

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

Name Tews Airport
Address Moody Creek Drive, Redding CA 96003 Map
Phone (916) 243-3932
Website
Hours

Map of Tews Airport

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Airports near Redding

Frequently Asked Questions — Tews Airport, Redding, California (CA53)

Tews Airport carries the FAA identifier CA53 and is located approximately 5 miles northeast of downtown Redding, California, in Shasta County. The airport sits at an elevation of 740 feet MSL on a 40-acre private parcel. It is a privately owned, private-use utility airport activated in October 1993, and should not be confused with the nearby commercial service airport, Redding Regional Airport (KRDD), which is located to the southwest of the city.

Tews Airport features a single asphalt runway designated 8/26, with a length of approximately 1,795 feet (547 meters). This east-west oriented runway is classified as a utility runway with visual approach capabilities under FAR Part 77 standards. The runway accommodates single-engine and light piston aircraft typical of private and agricultural aviation operations. There is no instrument approach procedure published for CA53, and all operations are conducted under visual flight rules (VFR).

Tews Airport (CA53) is a privately owned, private-use facility, meaning pilots must obtain prior permission from the airport owner before landing. It is not a public-use airport open to transient aviation without authorization. By contrast, Redding Regional Airport (KRDD) — located southwest of the city — is a public airport owned by the City of Redding that offers commercial airline service by United Express and Alaska Airlines, two full-length runways up to 7,003 feet, car rental desks (Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz), and recorded 88,676 enplanements in 2024.

Pilots operating at Tews Airport near Redding should be aware of several regional weather factors. Summer temperatures in Redding regularly exceed 100°F, causing density altitude increases that reduce aircraft performance on the 1,795-foot runway. Wildfire smoke from fires across Shasta, Trinity, and Tehama counties can reduce visibility to IFR minimums during June through October. Winter months bring Sacramento Valley tule fog that can persist through mid-morning, and mountain wave activity from the Cascade and Klamath ranges to the north and east can create significant turbulence at low altitudes near CA53. Pilots should obtain weather briefings via 1-800-WX-BRIEF (Rancho Murieta FSS) before each flight.

The closest major airport to Tews Airport (CA53) is Redding Regional Airport (KRDD, RDD), approximately 5–7 miles to the southwest, which provides commercial jet service and full FBO services. Further south in the Sacramento Valley, pilots can access Livermore Municipal Airport (LVK) and the Oakland metropolitan area airports including Oakland International Airport (OAK), which offers commercial airline connections to national and international destinations. For general aviation pilots in the North State region, other nearby fields include Trinity Center Airport (O46) to the west and Fall River Mills Airport (O85) to the northeast near the Modoc Plateau.

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