Mountain Valley Airport Explained

Mountain Valley Airport
Faa:L94
Type:Public use
Owner:Larry G. Barrett
City-Served:Tehachapi, California
Elevation-F:4,220
Elevation-M:1,286
Coordinates:35.1011°N -118.4231°W
Pushpin Map:California#USA California Southern
Pushpin Label:L94
R1-Number:9L/27R
R1-Length-F:4,890
R1-Length-M:1,490
R1-Surface:Asphalt/dirt
R2-Number:9R/27L
R2-Length-F:4,890
R2-Length-M:1,490
R2-Surface:Asphalt/dirt
Stat-Year:2023
Stat1-Header:Aircraft operations (year ending 5/24/2023)
Stat1-Data:51,570
Stat2-Header:Based aircraft
Stat2-Data:98
Footnotes:Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1]

Mountain Valley Airport 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.[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, 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, most NASA Space Shuttle pilots who came from the Air Force have probably 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).

For the 12-month period ending May 24, 2023, the airport had 51,570 aircraft operations, an average of 141 per day: 97% general aviation and 2% military. At that time there were 98 aircraft based at this airport: 80 glider and 18 single-engine.

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

See also

References

  1. . Federal Aviation Administration. Effective 28 December 2023.
  2. retired. 1654045 . Mountain Valley Airport . 4 May 2009 .
  3. Web site: Mountain Valley Airport . Skylark North Glider School . December 2004 . 14 August 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080510193858/http://www.tehachapi.com/glider/home.htm . 10 May 2008.
  4. Web site: Where to Fly - Mountain Valley Airport - Tehachapi, CA . . 14 August 2008 .
  5. Web site: Places to Soar in Southern California . socalsoaring.com (Sean Ford) . 2006 . 14 August 2008.
  6. News: Hawkins . Dale . Mountain Valley Airport – Tehachapi's Soaring Airport . Tehachapi Skywatch column . . 2008-08-14 .

External links