The Marin County Airport at Gnoss Field is just north of downtown Novato and adjacent to the Rush Creek preserve. With quick access to Highway 101, it is a key North Bay hub for business and commercial pilots of smaller aircraft. A dirt runway was constructed in 1960, and the county purchased it from private owners in 1973.The airport is staffed and maintained by the Marin County Department of Public Works. It has a 3,300-foot lighted runway, but there are plans to extend it by about 1,100 feet. The airport sits on 120 acres — about 90 are developed as part of the airport — and is surrounded by marshland. The area is known for rapidly changing wind patterns, giving pilots a constant lesson in how to handle crosswinds.