an aerial view of an airport with a runway in the background

Pease is a joint civil and military use airport located about a mile east of Portsmouth. The full name of the facility, Portsmouth International Airport at Pease, is a name used by exactly no one. Just call it Pease and the controllers will know you’re talking to them.


Flying in, you will see that the single 16/34 runway is really, really long. At 11,300 feet, it was long enough to have been an auxiliary landing strip for the Space Shuttle. I’m pretty sure I could take off and land a few times before I ran out of runway.


Being a mixed-use airport, Pease has some military touches. You can ask for PAR approaches, but the equipment may not be in service when you do. They are a lot of fun if you can get one. You may want to call ahead so they can warm up the equipment. It’s the tan-colored stuff, looking like Korean War surplus, on the north side of Runway 34.


When you see the military aircraft that fly in and out of Pease, you will understand why the place is so big. When I was there, I shared the enormous ramp with a military transport that could have had my Tiger for a snack. But military or not, they have to sign out the crew cars like anyone else. It was fun to sign one out after the British crew of that behemoth had just done the same. It made me feel like a big kid.


a fish eye view of an airport with a van parked on the tarmac

The ginormous ramp at Pease

The FBO at Pease is Port City Air. They are a full service FBO, and they are adept at handling a steady and eclectic mix of GA, corporate and charter aircraft, along with military equipment that is both based on the field and that wanders in from all over the world.

a black leather couch


The full-service part is important for hungry pilots, since the Grill 28 restaurant is off the field at the end of Runway 34. You can easily walk there, but it might be easier to snag one of Port City’s crew cars and drive on over. It will take you less than five minutes.

the entrance to a building with a sign on it
a man sitting at a table in a restaurant
a group of people sitting at a table in a restaurant

Grill 28 is in the clubhouse of the Pease Golf Course. The course is public, so you can play a round before you eat if you want!


The restaurant is open and attractive, with welcoming waitstaff to help you enjoy you meal. And they have long memories, too- our waitress remembered me from more than six years before. I felt honored.


The menu at Grill 28 is a mix of standard pub fare, from soups to burgers and salads, and more adventurous items that get pretty close to fine dining. Take a look at their menu to see what I mean. It’s all really good, and served in a fun, relaxed restaurant. Give it a try!