Editor’s note: here’s another in our planned series of stories describing state by state the airparks listed in the Living With Your Plane Directory. We started with Alaska and will tackle one state per issue unless there are a particularly low number of airparks in that particular state. In that case, we’ll try to do several states in the same story.
As always, we welcome your comments and ideas and of course, if your residential airpark isn’t listed or if you have information about other fly-in communities in the state for which we’re reporting, or any other state, please email me.
California lays claim to 35 fly-in communities ranging in size from four lots to a reported 2,000 (Rancho Tehama). One other shows 325 residential lots and another is listed with 127 lots.Most airparks fall between 20 and 40 with the next largest group under 20 lots each. There’s a group of seven with lots listed between 60 and 99.
California saw two residential airparks opened in 1946 –Sierra Skypark and Borrego Air Ranch. One airpark claims history going back to 1954, one in 1956 and a third in 1957. Nine airparks opened their runway to planes in the 1960s and another six came online in the 1970s. In the 1990s there were four opened and only a couple were reported in the 90s. Since the turn of the century, only four fly-in communities are listed as having become operational.
The majority of California’s airparks report residential lots of an acre or more. Actually, the number is 2 to 1 for the lots over an acre, according to the Living With Your Plane directory.
Fourteen airparks state runway length as under 3,000 feet with another 17 showing more than 3,000 feet but less than 5,000. There were four airparks with 5,000 or longer runways listed.
Paved runways was dominant with 27 showing the hard surface.
Gillespie Field at El Cajon reported it had established hangar homes on the airpark.
Residential airparks in California include:
- Abraham Ranch Airport, Johnson Valley
- Adelanto Airport, Adelanto
- Agua Dulce Airpark Ranch, Agua Dulce
- Alta Sierra Airport Estates, Grass Valley
- Ancient Valley Airpark, Mojave
- Billy Joe Airpark, Temecula
- Blackington Airpark, Valley Center
- Blake Sky Park, Vacaville
- Borrego Air Ranch, Borrego Springs
- Brownsville Aero Pines, Brownsville
- Burmuda Dunes Airport, Burmurda Dunes
- Cameron Airpark, Cameron Park
- Eagle Ranch Estates, Ione
- El Mirage Airport, El Mirage
- Emory ranch, Ocotillo
- Ernst Airfield, Hemet
- Fuller Town, Sacramento
- Gillespie Field Hangar Homes, El Cajon
- Hesperia Airport, Hesperia
- Holiday ranch Airport, Apple Valley
- Hyampon Airport, Hyampon
- Lake California Airport, Cottonwood
- Lake Riverside Estates, Aguanga
- Lloyds Landing, Rosamond
- Paradise Lakes Estates, Bakersfield
- Pauma Valley, Pauma Valley
- Pine Mountain Lake Airport, Groveland
- Pines Airpark, Winchester
- Rancho Tehama, Corning
- Rosamond Skypark, Rosamond
- Sierra Sky Park, Fresno
- Sonoma Sky Park, Sonoma
- Squirrel Acres, Red Bluff
- Trinity Center Airport, Trinity Center
- Yucca Valley Airport, Yucca Valley
6 replies on “Airparks info: California”
Just talked to the Sonoma Airpark about homes with hangars and access to the runway. Was told that they have no lots with access to the runway and is in an industrial area. There are 60 owners and all the hangars are individually owned. The person I talked with thought that having the name Airpark in the airport name was confusing.
Not sure the spartan Carmel Valley Airpark qualifies for your list, but it was the first in the world (according to them). I think they might have at least one lot available to build a hanger and house on it.
Richard’s Field Homeowners Assoc, Inc, Miami, Fl 33170
Use the above email address in lieu of a formal website.
I just listed a home for sale in the Wild Wings area of Watts-Woodland Airport in Woodland CA. Any ideas for the best ways/places for me to get the word out about this home. It has a taxi way to the back of property with a parking place for a plane. Many homes in the area actually have a hanger in their back yard.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Glenda… Placing a classified ad in General Aviation News (our sister publication) is a great way to promote the property to those looking for such a place. Pricing starts at $27 for 20-words for 1-month. Call 800-426-8538 for more information or to get started. Thanks.
Thanks Ben. That is a big help.