Ken Jernstedt Airfield (4S2) and Twin Peaks Drive-in Restaurant are located not far from the banks of the Columbia River, 45 nautical miles east of Portland in the town of Hood River. Here the river forms the border between Washington on the north side and Oregon on the south. This is the heart of the Columbia River Gorge and the gorge is known for wind. This picturesque, prehistoric ice age cut canyon produces ever shifting, finicky winds making the gorge the perfect place to practice crosswind landings. Additionally, the Gorge has a long history of agriculture, winemaking, world-class windsurfing and is home of the award-winning Full Sail Brewing microbrewery.
Small airstrips have a certain atmosphere that can’t be found in larger airports and Ken Jernstedt doesn’t disappoint. It may seem unremarkable but this nontowered, GA airfield has quite a bit to offer. This aerodrome has a single 3,100-foot by 75-foot paved asphalt runway with an adjacent 1,200-foot grass strip. It doesn’t have published instrument procedures or any special arrival/departure procedures but it does have a beacon and pilot controlled lighting. There is no south taxiway, so when landing to the east, exit onto the north taxiway and crossover runway 7/25 at the 800 foot mark to arrive at Classic Wings Aero Services.
