MIPAA was formed by the March JPA in 1996 for the purpose of creating a public use airport. This airport is being created as a joint use facility in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force Reserve Command at March Air Reserve Base in Riverside County, California. MIPAA is responsible for the development and operations of the “Public Use” airport.
Joint Use Airport
When March AFB was announced for realignment in 1993, one of the first actions of the DOD was to offer the formation of a public “joint use airport.” The Air Force defines a “joint use airport” as one where the facilities which are owned and operated by the Air Force are made available for use by civil aviation. Approximately 360 acres east and west of the main runway are available for “airport related uses” as a result of the alignment of March Air Force Base in 1996.
MIP is a joint use aviation that shares essential aviation facilities with the Air Force Reserves. These facilities include the control towers, taxiways, navaids, and runways, as well as maintenance of facilities. At 13,300 feet, Runway 14-32 is one of the longest civilian runways on the west coast. Given the runway data for this facility, all freighter aircraft (including 747-400 and AN 124) can depart fully loaded under most conditions. The facility is ideal to serve commercial air cargo freighters that generally operate heavy loads for long stage lengths. The airfield is in compliance with FAA design standards as detailed in FAA Advisory Circular 150/5300-13 (Change 4 Airport Design) and Federal Aviation Regulations Part 77 Objects Affecting Navigable Airspace.
On May 7, 1997, a joint use agreement was entered into by the DOD and March Joint Powers Authority (JPA). The JPA is the recognized local reuse agency charged with planning for the economic redevelopment of surplus properties at the base. Under the agreement, the civilian (JPA) and the military (AFRC) entities share essential aviation facilities such as the control towers and runways, as well as maintenance of facilities, under this joint use arrangement.
Public Benefit Conveyance
The March JPA applied to the Federal Aviation Administration for the airport development property. The public benefit conveyance application was approved. That application included an Airport Layout Plan for MIP that was concurrently approved by the FAA.
March AFB Master Reuse Plan and EIS – The Base Reuse Plan designates approximately 360 acres of land for civilian aviation facilities at the southern end of the airfield at March. The EIS evaluated the environmental elements of the reuse plan and alternatives in accordance with NEPA.
Facilities – Setting – Description
March Inland Port consists of very desirable elements, as well as an ideal setting both in terms of aviation and physical location.
March Inland Port consists of the following key aviation elements:
- The longest runway in California at 13,300 lineal feet.
- Index E Fire Fighting Capacity Fire Station.
- An operational airfield with a fully manned control tower.
- Airspace is non-congested, as no arrival or departure routes are “shared” by other airports within the Southern California region. This also holds true for the NAVAIDs, which utilize the Homeland VOR.
- Airfield is close to all airways.
- New Jet-A and AVGAS fuel facility
- Land side, MIP contains more than one million (1,000,000) square feet of ramp area that is stressed to accommodate aircraft up to 900,000 pounds.
- Million Air FBO services from a brand new executive terminal (2015).
The setting of March Inland Port is ideal for many reasons:
- Airfield is located in one of the fastest growing regions of the United States.
- MIP is accessible to four major freeways.
- Access to MIP has been upgraded from Interstate 215, as a High Priority Project through TEA-21. This $9 million ground access project was completed in mid-2000 and was further improved in 2015.
- The regional location of March has been planned and developed to assure land use compatibility with the operation of March Airfield.
- As a joint use facility, operational costs are highly competitive
March JPA has streamlined the way to do business in California. March JPA has land use authority, and is responsible for all entitlements, building permits, and clearances. Furthermore, the March JPA formed a California Redevelopment Agency and project area to assist with development of MIP. This means that all business dealings at MIP are conducted with “one” cohesive legislative group. All aviation criteria and regulations have been satisfied, and MIP is open for public use.
More than $28 million in federal funds have been granted to MIP. MIP is designated as a “Reliever Airport” in the FAA’s National Plan of Integrated Airports System (NPIAS) which makes MIP eligible for such funds. The funds are necessary for airport infrastructure project that either rehabilitate existing infrastructure or construction of new infrastructure to support civil aviation.
MIP is adjacent to Interstate 215, which links with Interstate 15 approximately 22 miles to the south, to serve the San Diego market. The airport is 3 miles south of Highway 60, which links with Interstate 10 approximately 13 miles to the east. Access to MIP is via the Harley Knox Blvd. exit at I-215.