Definition
Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ICAO: KASE; FAA: ASE) is a public-use, high-elevation mountain airport in Pitkin County, Colorado, with a field elevation of approximately 7,820 feet MSL and a single runway (15/33). It is surrounded by steep mountainous terrain, which constrains arrival and departure procedures and makes it a frequently cited example of a challenging energy-management environment.
Plain English
It is the airport at Aspen, Colorado. It sits high in the Rocky Mountains, close to 7,800 feet above sea level, with mountains all around it. That high elevation and surrounding terrain make flying in and out of it more demanding than a typical lowland airport.
Context Anchor
Seen on charts, flight plans, weather products, navigation displays, and FAA training figures that refer to Aspen/Pitkin County Airport.
Derivation
The 'K' prefix is used by the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) for airports in the contiguous United States. 'ASE' is the FAA location identifier for Aspen. So 'KASE' simply means 'the U.S. airport whose FAA identifier is ASE,' written in international format.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots reference this identifier when planning or conducting flights to this high-elevation mountain airport.
Intuition Check
Do not read KASE as a runway, route, or procedure. It is the identifier for a specific airport: Aspen/Pitkin County Airport.
Example Sentence 1
The handbook uses an arrival into KASE to show how a high field elevation and mountain terrain change the way a pilot manages energy on final.
Example Sentence 2
Weather reports for KASE showed calm winds and good visibility.