Mountain Valley Airport

Mountain Valley Airport
Tow plane and glider taking off
Summary
Airport type Public use
Owner Larry G. Barrett
Serves Tehachapi, California
Elevation AMSL 4,220 ft / 1,286 m
Coordinates 35°06′04″N 118°25′23″W / 35.10111°N 118.42306°W / 35.10111; -118.42306
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
9L/27R 4,890 1,490 Asphalt/Dirt
9R/27L 4,890 1,490 Asphalt/Dirt
Statistics (2011)
Aircraft operations 50,000
Based aircraft 98

Mountain Valley Airport (FAA LID: L94) is a privately owned public-use airport located two nautical miles (4 km) southeast of the central business district of Tehachapi, in Kern County, California, United States.[1][2]

The airport is used for glider operations and training.[3][4][5] It was established for its close proximity to various advantageous lift effects for soaring where the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Tehachapi Mountains and the Mojave Desert meet.

The Skylark North Glider School performs glider flight training for civilians as well as for the US Air Force Test Pilot School (from Edwards AFB), the National Test Pilot School (from the Mojave Air & Space Port), NASA and others. Due to the ongoing training contract with the US Air Force Test Pilot School, probably most or nearly all NASA Space Shuttle pilots who came from the Air Force have received glider training at Mountain Valley Airport.[6]

Facilities and aircraft

Mountain Valley Airport covers an area of 170 acres (69 ha) at an elevation of 4,220 feet (1,286 m) above mean sea level. It has two runways designated 9L/27R and 9R/27L, each with an asphalt and dirt surface measuring 4,890 by 36 feet (1,490 x 11 m).[1]

For the 12-month period ending May 2, 2011, the airport had 50,000 aircraft operations, an average of 136 per day: 98% general aviation and 2% military. At that time there were 98 aircraft based at this airport: 82% glider and 18% single-engine.[1]

There are a sandwich shop and an RV park & campground on field. The nearest fuel sales are at Tehachapi Municipal Airport 2 miles to the north.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 FAA Airport Master Record for L94 (Form 5010 PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. Effective 25 August 2011.
  2. ↑ "Mountain Valley Airport". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 4 May 2009.
  3. ↑ "Mountain Valley Airport". Skylark North Glider School. December 2004. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 14 August 2008.
  4. ↑ "Where to Fly - Mountain Valley Airport - Tehachapi, CA". Soaring Society of America. Retrieved 14 August 2008.
  5. ↑ "Places to Soar in Southern California". socalsoaring.com (Sean Ford). 2006. Retrieved 14 August 2008.
  6. ↑ Hawkins, Dale. "Mountain Valley Airport – Tehachapi's Soaring Airport". Tehachapi Skywatch column. Tehachapi News. Retrieved 2008-08-14.
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