San Juan Pilots Association
Orcas Island

Orcas Island Eastsound Airport (KORS)

Important Note!

The Olympic TFR is now in effect. All aircraft inbound to or outbound from Orcas Island Airport must squawk 1207. This is in effect 24 hours a day, through March 24, 2010.

ATC contact is not required, but is recommended. South of ORS, contact Whidbey approach on 118.2. North of ORS, contact Victoria Terminal on 132.7. You are strongly advised to contact FSS at (800) 992-7433 for a briefing prior to flight into or out of ORS.

For details, see the full NOTAM at: http://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_0_4763.html

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It was the need for flight service to Bellingham that inspired Orcas resident Bob Schoen to turn his passion for flying into a business venture. In 1947 he started Orcas Island Air Service, renaming it "Island Sky Ferries" a year later. But landing on the private runways on Orcas could be difficult. Jan Ferris Koltun Titus, daughter of Capt. Harold Ferris who's land eventually became the port's airport property, can remember going out and put out "smudge pots" for aircraft arriving at night.

Capt. Ferris had learned to fly after World War II. He would pilot a plane to Seattle to monitor his ship. According to his daughter and newspaper accounts, the family had trouble making a go of an airport. In fact, Capt. Harris said the airport at Eastsound would close Autust. 1, 1958.

The Port of Orcas was established in 1958 to run the local airport. The property and airstrip were purchased from the Ferris family for $14,000.

You can activate the rwy 16 VASI with 5 clicks on 128.25. 7 clicks will get you the REIL for both runways, as well as the taxiway lights.

The big news this spring is the duck who's occupying the entry road. Its area is marked with an orange cone, and is locally known as the "Goose Bump". It's lucky that it's not on the runway. That would cause a few of us to add an extra bounce, for our third loggable landing.