What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Building a Personal Airstrip in California

jimbabwe

Member
Hi,

I thought I'd post this just in case someone has already done this research.

Does anyone know in which California counties one can have a personal, private airstrip without first having to get a Special Use Permit from the county?

Any information about building a personal airstrip in California would be very welcome, too!

Thanks!

Jim
 
Hi,

I thought I'd post this just in case someone has already done this research.

Does anyone know in which California counties one can have a personal, private airstrip without first having to get a Special Use Permit from the county?

Any information about building a personal airstrip in California would be very welcome, too!

Thanks!

Jim

Even a long while back, a co-worker of my wife built an airstrip just North of the Los Angeles county line in Kern county because of planning issues...

I'm sure things haven't got any better of the following years...:rolleyes:

A simple thing to do might be just to call the owners of private strips in the area you are interested in. AirNav lists the owners and phone numbers.
 
Last edited:
Call Roger Rourke in Maricopa, New Cuyama Valley.........

He has a nice line of tarmac - F-15 touched it once...... Allegedly :D
 
Become a farmer

I heard once that it is a lot easier if it is a farm... so buy some farm land and grow something...

Don
 
Well, two things I can guarantee: There will be Red Tape. California will figure out a way to tax it! Push on. Best of luck!:)

DJ
 
Why personal?

From your original post I can see that you want an airstrip for yourself.
While this idea is appealing from a privacy standpoint, it is very unappealing from a cost standpoint.
Building and especially maintaining a runway can be almost a full time job.

Taken from your VAF profile you like country living, consider this one.
http://ranchotehamaairpark.com/joomla/
Airport property and hangars are available for sale and association fees are
$35.- per month. For that you get the runway maintained and if you do want to get involved, mowing and runway striping is done by volunteer pilots.

I purchased my hangar in Rancho Tehama from a pilot who bought 100 acres, 20 miles away in Tehama county with a personal airstrip.
 
Thank you, everyone!

I've been doing a bit of research and found that a few counties permit private airstrips by right on land with certain (generally agricultural) zoning. I shall concentrate my efforts there because getting a special use permit is most likely impossible.

Gil, good suggestion. I have the list and will do so.

Mike, I couldn't find Roger Rourke's number. Does he have an airstrip which I could find in AirNav? I did find 5CN4 which was just activated last year! I shall check with that owner, as well.

Don, you're right.

Rich, thanks for the link. I've been in touch with DOT. If one PERMITS an airstrip, one must get a special use permit from the county. If one has a private-use-only airstrip and it is exempt from permitting, one needs to do very little. That's my plan.

Ernst, thanks for the heads-up. I've been to Rancho Tehama and seriously considered a lot on the runway. However, 1 acre is just too small for me and has no privacy. A grass/dirt strip doesn't need much maintaining if one is going to use a Husky (or an RV without wheel pants!). I'll take my chances. Privacy is priority one. Can't have that on an acre. I guess your friend bought Deer Creek, as it's the only one I can see that's within about 20 miles.

So far it's looking like 40 acres minimum in a few counties. After doing my research I've found that it's pretty easy as long as property is zoned accordingly and the strip meets California requirements for being exempt from permitting:

(a) a runway length and width or FATO dimensions adequate to enable aircraft to operate safely, considering airport location and the performance data of the most demanding aircraft to utilize the airport;
(b) the ends of each runway shall be at least 200 feet from the airport property line or the closest point of each FATO shall be at least 80 feet from the airport property line;
(c) the distance from the runway centerline to the property line of another owner shall be at least 50 feet;
(d) the distance from the taxiway centerline to the property line of another owner shall be at least 50 feet; and
(e) if the airport is identifiable as an airport from the air, it shall be marked with the letter “R” in accordance with Section 3543(a) [for airports only] or the letters “PVT” in accordance with Section 3554(a)(3) [for heliports only]. If an airport lighting system is installed, it shall illuminate the required markings. The Department shall determine whether or not the airport is identifiable from the air if there is a dispute.

Jim
 
Last edited:
Hello Jim,

Although this thread is six years old, I am curious if you found the parcel you wanted and if you were able to build your personal airstrip. Do you have any follow up advice for others in California that are interested in the same thing?
 
Hello Jim,

Although this thread is six years old, I am curious if you found the parcel you wanted and if you were able to build your personal airstrip. Do you have any follow up advice for others in California that are interested in the same thing?

Steve, from another thread...

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?p=654124#post654124

...it appears Jim was planning on moving to an airpark in Tennessee. Although his last post (above) was in 2012, it appears he has visited our forums as recently as October of 2017.

P.S. From the video, it appears he settled in a nice neighborhood!
 
Last edited:
The last time I saw Jim, he was showing me the airstrip he is building near Fiddletown, in Amador county. Been a year or two ago-------

IIRC, his wife had recently gotten a job with the state of CA, so I doubt he is moving to TN.
 
The last time I saw Jim, he was showing me the airstrip he is building near Fiddletown, in Amador county. Been a year or two ago-------

IIRC, his wife had recently gotten a job with the state of CA, so I doubt he is moving to TN.

OK...it was a wild guess on my part anyway, although he did post that he had bought property with the intent of moving. :eek:
 
The last time I saw Jim, he was showing me the airstrip he is building near Fiddletown, in Amador county. Been a year or two ago-------

IIRC, his wife had recently gotten a job with the state of CA, so I doubt he is moving to TN.

Interesting. My folks are just outside Plymouth. I have flown over their place but can't say I have ever really noticed a strip in the vicinity.
 
Call Roger Rourke in Maricopa, New Cuyama Valley.........

He has a nice line of tarmac - F-15 touched it once...... Allegedly :D
Is that the strip by the Buckhorn in New Cuyama? I landed there once in the eighties in a C-172 and the runway was deteriorated even back then. A lot of workers from Diablo Canyon flew over there back in the day to relax by the pool and stay at the motel. Those were the days...
 
Hi Don,

TN was the plan, but plans change. Mike is right. Anyone interested in my TN taxiway property? http://bsfairparkweather.com

Stefano, yes, I found the parcel I wanted and have built my strip, 74CA

Bottom line is this:

Amador County is the only county in California, as far as I know, which allows a private airstrip without getting a special use permit (or a permit at all) as long as the property is under the Williamson Act, zoned AG and general plan A-G.

With other counties, one can apply for a special use permit, but then the airstrip becomes a "project," and any construction requires a CEQA study, a biological inventory, and all sorts of other onerous government regulatory compliance requirements. Plus, a special use permit can be revoked.

The State of California does not require any permit or notification for a private airstrip which itself does not require a permit. If it is identifiable from the air, the airstrip must have a large R at each end. That's it for the state.

County requirements: none.

The FAA requires a Form 7480-1 be filed with your local district FAA office. One filed, the FAA will evaluate the airstrip for airspace problems and issue a determination.

That's it.

Good luck!

Jim
 
Hello, Mike. Looks like when you are not flying, you are a short drive to one of my favorite beaches at Tahoe. Sand Harbor. You wrote:

The last time I saw Jim, he was showing me the airstrip he is building near Fiddletown, in Amador county. Been a year or two ago

Do you happen to remember the location in Amador? Maybe map coord.'s?

From Jim's post back in '12 he referenced some CA regs. I found this document from the CA DOT: https://bit.ly/2qMplSv

If he or anyone else has any county ordinance / planning commission rule info in the Sierra Nevada region's counties, that would be a huge time saver. If not, I will get on the horn and chat with them one-by-one when I have the time.
 
Jim------when you gonna fly over here to Dayton??

Guest room waiting...

Hi to your Saskia
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the reply, Jim.
"Flying Gluepie?"
666 feet long, 30 feet wide gravel runway...?
You must be quite a pilot!
 
Purchase strategy

Jim, if my next question is too legal or personal I understand if you pass on answering it.

How long did it take for the FAA to approve your form 7481 and did you purchase the property with an escape clause / contingency that the FAA would have to approve before you closed the sales transaction?
 
There Are Other Ways

We used the long narrow pasture approach which started out at 800' dirt. Part of that was turned into a driveway and it all eventually grew to be 1440' paved with an additional 1000' dirt. It's not an airport, even though we have a 40' x 70' foot equipment barn with a 60' bi-fold door. In many areas it is best to not jump in and declare, "We are building and airport!" Consider starting with something non-threatening to the community and allowing it evolve over time. We should all have a personal place to land it we have the room!!!
 
Thanks!

Thanks for the welcome. My wife was a member here for some time while she was building her 7. I'm flying it most of the time now, so I thought I'd get a little more engaged....
 
We used the long narrow pasture approach which started out at 800' dirt. Part of that was turned into a driveway and it all eventually grew to be 1440' paved with an additional 1000' dirt. It's not an airport, even though we have a 40' x 70' foot equipment barn with a 60' bi-fold door. In many areas it is best to not jump in and declare, "We are building and airport!" Consider starting with something non-threatening to the community and allowing it evolve over time. We should all have a personal place to land it we have the room!!!

Is there an insurance risk here?

Some aircraft policies I've seen in the past reference only landing at FAA listed airports/strips.

Are similar restrictions still in effect on some policies?
 
Insurance

Yes, that's a really good point. We notified our carrier that the airplanes were kept at home and flown from our private property and hangared. We saw no increase in rates. I wouldn't do it without having something to demonstrate that you have made you insurance company aware. Rates seem to have remained average...
 
Back
Top