Southern California Logistics Airport (SCLA), with a primary runway length of 15,050 feet and 360 days of “severe clear,” it's no wonder large commercial operators like Boeing, Pratt & Whitney, and G.E. are calling Victorville home. Even the Antonov finds an abundance of maneuvering room.
Designed with international air cargo and heavy maintenance in mind, the runway has been extended to 15,050 ft to negate density altitude problems for fully loaded B 747-400's.
As with commercial heavies, there is plenty of room for the corporate fleet. There are no less than six, 25-acre sites immediately available for corporate aviation development. Many of these can be swelled to 100 or more acres. All have direct RWY/TWY access. None of these sites are “left over” parcels. They are prime sites available for any and all users.
Victorville is located less than 70nm from the Los Angeles basin (VNY, LAX, LGB, SNA, BUR); yet it has none of the airspace problems associated with operating at these airports. Coupled with the fact that it is a U.S. Port of Entry and boasts a tower open from 6am-8pm weekdays and 24-hour customs clearance, VCV serves as an attractive alternative to operating in and out of the busy Southern California Region.
Airport amenities include:
- Local Air Traffic Control Tower
- Rental car service
- Aircraft fueling
- Index E ARFF
- Golf course
- Basketball and racquetball courts
- An executive conference room is available for fly-in meetings
Trade-related services at the airport include:
- Foreign Trade Zone
- U.S. Customs and Border Patrol
- U.S. Port of Entry
- Million Air
- Aircraft maintenance
- Air cargo services
For more information on Southern California Logistics Airport, call (760) 243-1900, email scla@ci.victorville.ca.us or visit the SCLA website: www.logisticsairport.com .
Also of Interest...
The federal government is responsible for helping the Victor Valley recover from the closure of George Air Force Base in 1992. The conversion of the former George Air Force Base to SCLA was designed to provide major corporations with logistics needs, access to a global intermodal logistics gateway to the Western United States. Located near Interstate 15 in California 's Victor Valley, the 5,000-acre (2,000 ha) complete intermodal business complex is approximately 20 mi (32 km) north of downtown San Bernardino , and 23 mi (37 km) north of San Bernardino International Airport .
In July 2000, SCLA received foreign trade zone status from the United States Department of Commerce . The designation was intended to make it much easier for the Victor Valley Economic Development Authority to convince international carriers to use the airport as a base for shipping foreign products to Southern California. During that same period, the Department of Transportation approved a $4.9 million grant for the SCLA to extend its main runway from 10,050 ft (3,060 m) to 13,050 ft (3,980 m) to accommodate international jet transports. The airport authority required the 3,000 ft (910 m) extension to ensure that cargo planes could depart fully loaded in summer heat. The longer runway was also required for the efficient use of the facility as the main transportation hub for the 70,000 troops a year traveling to and from the Army National Training Center at Fort Irwin. At 15,059 ft (4,590 m), SCLA's runway 17/35 is the second longest public-use runway in the United States, surpassed only by that of the Denver International Airport 16,000 ft (4,900 m) runway 16R/34L.
The Fiscal Year 2002 military spending bill earmarked US$1.3 million to allow the U.S. Army to continue using the SCLA to transport troops en route to training exercises at Fort Irwin. The airport has proven to be one of the most efficient and safest locations for travel to and from the Army's National Training Center for the troops who rotate through each year. Company D of the 158th Aviation Regiment is a general support aviation company that moved in under a five-year contract the Army signed with SCLA and the city of Victorville. The unit is part of the 244th Aviation Brigade of Fort Sheridan, Illinois .
Victorville's aircraft boneyard .In late 2006, SCLA became home to Air Tanker 910 , a heavily modified McDonnell Douglas DC-10 , which is on contract to the California Department of Forestry (CALFIRE). Tanker 910 is the only wide-body jet currently in fire service and uses SCLA as its re-loading base for fires occurring anywhere in California .
On August 9, 2007 the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced that for their 2007 Autonomous Vehicle Competition both the Urban Challenge National Qualification Event (NQE) and final event would take place at the urban military-training facility located on the former George Air Force Base. DARPA selected the location because its network of urban roads best simulate the type of terrain American forces operate in when deployed overseas. "The robotic vehicles will conduct simulated military supply missions at the site. This adds many of the elements these vehicles would face in operational environments," explained Dr. Tether.
