New General Aviation Terminal for March Air Reserve Base in Riverside

Posted by: Prince Jets  Jun 18, 2014 01:06 PM

An environmental report was recently approved to support a plan to build about $6 million of airport improvements to March Air Reserve Base near Riverside California. The improvements would include building a new general aviation terminal along with new hangers and parking areas catering to private pilots and private charter flights. The goal is for the new terminal to be built and operational in the next year and a half, with most of the money coming from the FAA.

While the airport has been open to general aviation flights since 1997 very few private pilots use it. With just 26 departures and arrivals in 2011 and only 5 in 2010. Like most airport operations these days the plan, which has been discussed for several years, is vehemently opposed by nearby residents who fear high noise levels and plane crashes. Residents nearby had previously complaned about late night flights by DHL jets. DHL’s shipping operations at the airport ceased in 2008 after 3 years of flights.

With the new plan recently approved private pilots would have a place to park their planes, a new terminal to relax in along with hanger space for rent and easy access to refueling. Another big change would be that they won’t need permission to land like they do now.

The airports runway is large enough to accomodate almost any aircraft but only charter planes, corporate jets and other smaller propeller driven craft would be permitted to park near the new terminal. The runway is still an Air Force Base that serves fighter jets and C-17 military cargo planes. Col. Karl McGregor made it clear in comments made in July 2011 that the Air Force doesn’t mind sharing the runway with general aviation flights. They welcome the chance to defray some of the costs of upkeeping the airfield.

The Air Force staffs the control tower from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily except holidays. It is essentially closed overnight.

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