Hemet-Ryan Airport
Encyclopedia
Hemet-Ryan Airport is a county-owned, public-use airport
located three nautical miles (6 km) southwest of the central business district
of Hemet
, in Riverside County
, California
, United States
.
Hemet-Ryan is a main Cal Fire
Air Attack Base, also used for civilian purposes, Civil Air Patrol
meetings, and more. It is also home to a Riverside County Sheriff's Department aviation unit and a Mercy Air Air ambulance
. The airport is named after the late Claude T. Ryan.
. It was assigned to the West Coast Training Center (later Western Flying Training Command) as a primary (level 1) pilot training airfield. Later it was activated as a Air Corps Training Detachment with Ryan School of Aeronautics conducting primary flight training under control of 5th Flying Training Detachment. Flight training was performed with PT-17 Stearmans as the primary trainer, along with Ryan PT-21 Recruits. Over 14,000 army cadets were trained to fly.
The airport was inactivated in December 1944 with the drawdown of AAFTC's pilot training program, the airfield was declared surplus and turned over to the Army Corps of Engineers. Later, the airfield was discharged to the War Assets Administration
. The facility eventually became a public airport owned and operated by Riverside County.
For over 50 years (approvimately 1959-2009), Hemet-Ryan was a popular site for operating sailplanes (gliders). Sailplane Enterprises operated there from 1972-2009. Orange County Soaring Association (OCSA) used Hemet-Ryan as its home base from 1991-2009. Cypress Soaring was also based there until 2009. On September 30, 2009, the Economic Development Agency closed Hemet-Ryan to glider operations by painting a large yellow “X” on runway 4-22. OCSA filed a complaint with the FAA pursuant to Title 14 CFR Part 16 against the County of Riverside. On February 11, 2011, the FAA ruled that the closure was in violation of of Federal law and Federal grant obligations. The County declined to appeal the ruling.
/ Helitack
base operated by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(Riverside Unit). It is one of 19 tanker bases strategically located throughout California. The base provides initial attack aircraft service to over 17000 square miles (44,029.8 km²) of private, state, and federally owned lands. Up until 1998, Ryan was statistically the busiest air tanker base in the United States delivering an average of 1.5 million gallons of retardant annually. Currently two S-2 Trackers, an OV-10 and a UH-1H are stationed at the base. The base has served as the primary air attack base for many wildfires, including the Old Fire and Cedar Fire
in 2003 and the Esperanza Fire
in 2006.
commenced air tanker loading operations in 1957, and in 1959 California Division of Forestry (now Cal Fire) began their operation at Ryan field. Both agencies maintained separate parking, loading and mixing areas but the initial stages of a joint base operation had begun. In 1969 the United States Forest Service
(USFS) and the California Division of Forestry (CDF) truly merged into a joint agency air attack base sharing the base operation, responsibilities and facilities. The joint base concept successfully continued operation until 1998 when the USFS moved their air tanker base operations to the larger and recently vacated Norton Air Force Base
.
From the beginning of Ryan Air Attack Base, Cal Fire and the USFS used privately owned contracted World War II vintage aircraft. The type and sizes of aircraft varied based on vendor, availability of flyable airframes and spare parts. As the years counted off and the flight hours increased these airplanes became static museum displays or were robbed for parts to keep the dwindling fleet flying. Because of the dwindling air tanker fleet, Cal Fire acquired excess U.S. Navy Grumman S-2A submarine hunting aircraft. These planes were converted from military use to firefighting aircraft using a design developed by Hemet Valley Flying Service. The first two aircraft build-ups were completed by Hemet Valley Flying Service and tested at Ryan Air Attack Base. The basic aircraft design has been in continuous state service since 1975.
In 1977 Cal Fire began a two-week pilot helitack program utilizing a contracted helicopter. Headed up by Captain Emil Derdowski and two firefighters, the program was eventually extended to a total of four weeks. The success of this pilot program brought on line the Hemet-Ryan Helitack Base using a full time contract helicopter staffed with three captains and nine firefighters operating out of Ryan Air Attack Base.
In 1992 Cal Fire acquired several of the larger Bell UH-1H helicopters with Hemet-Ryan Helitack receiving one of the first buildups. A year later, the OV-10 replaced the older Cessna 337 as Air Attack 310 based at Ryan. In June 2001, Cal Fire replaced the older S-2As at Ryan with Tanker 72 and 73. The new tankers are S-2F3AT Turbine Tanker conversions with upgrades including constant flow 1200 gallon tanks and turbine engines allowing for better capabilities and performance.
. The runway expansion would take place on the south-west portion of the complex and require re-alignment of bordering Stetson Ave. and Warren Road. The new base would also include a 5842 square feet (542.7 m²), 22-bed barracks building, a 4812 square feet (447 m²) three-bay vehicle storage facility and shop; a 4646 square feet (431.6 m²), two-story operations building containing pilot facilities, administration and dispatch center; a 15300 square feet (1,421.4 m²), two-bay open-shade canopy and an 8211 square feet (762.8 m²) helicopter/ OV-10 enclosed hangar. Also planned are new public and secured staff parking areas, six fire-retardant loading pits to handle inter-agency aircraft, along with equipment tanks, pumps and piping used to mix and deliver fire retardant.
Because of critical need, the strategic location of the base and proven performance and handling of large wildfires, Cal Fire and the state consider the project top priority in the list of firefighting capital improvements.
Construction of the new facility was set to begin in 2008, however, as of 2010, Cal Fire is still waiting for the promised state funds to become available. Meanwhile, Cal Fire has been drawing plans and preparing to open the project to contractor bidding, and the Riverside County Economic Development Agency has agreed to manage the project.
operated by Mercy Air. The airport also hosts a biennial air show
with the next one being in 2011.
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2008, the airport had 75,444 general aviation
aircraft operations, an average of 206 per day. At that time there were 236 aircraft based at the airport: 48% single-engine
, 9% multi-engine, <1% jet
, 4% helicopter
, 36% glider
and 2% ultralight. In 2009, the glider portion of the airport was shutdown to make way for the expansion of Cal Fire facilities.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located three nautical miles (6 km) southwest of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Hemet
Hemet, California
Hemet is a city in the San Jacinto Valley in Riverside County, California, United States. It covers a total area of , about half of the valley, which it shares with the neighboring city of San Jacinto. The population was 78,657 at the 2010 census....
, in Riverside County
Riverside County, California
Riverside County is a county in the U.S. state of California. One of 58 California counties, it covers in the southern part of the state, and stretches from Orange County to the Colorado River, which forms the state border with Arizona. The county derives its name from the city of Riverside,...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Hemet-Ryan is a main Cal Fire
CDF Aviation Management Program
The CDF Aviation Management Program is a branch of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection . Due to the frequency and severity of wildfires in California, the state has elected to establish its own aerial firefighting force rather than rely solely on national resources...
Air Attack Base, also used for civilian purposes, Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol is a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force . CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership that includes people from all backgrounds, lifestyles, and...
meetings, and more. It is also home to a Riverside County Sheriff's Department aviation unit and a Mercy Air Air ambulance
Air ambulance
An air ambulance is an aircraft used for emergency medical assistance in situations where either a traditional ambulance cannot reach the scene easily or quickly enough, or the patient needs to be transported over a distance or terrain that makes air transportation the most practical transport....
. The airport is named after the late Claude T. Ryan.
History
The airfield was opened in September 1940 by the United States Army Air CorpsUnited States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
. It was assigned to the West Coast Training Center (later Western Flying Training Command) as a primary (level 1) pilot training airfield. Later it was activated as a Air Corps Training Detachment with Ryan School of Aeronautics conducting primary flight training under control of 5th Flying Training Detachment. Flight training was performed with PT-17 Stearmans as the primary trainer, along with Ryan PT-21 Recruits. Over 14,000 army cadets were trained to fly.
The airport was inactivated in December 1944 with the drawdown of AAFTC's pilot training program, the airfield was declared surplus and turned over to the Army Corps of Engineers. Later, the airfield was discharged to the War Assets Administration
War Assets Administration
The War Assets Administration was established in the Office for Emergency Management, effective March 25, 1946, by EO 9689, January 31, 1946. American factorieshad produced massive amounts of weaponry during the World War II...
. The facility eventually became a public airport owned and operated by Riverside County.
For over 50 years (approvimately 1959-2009), Hemet-Ryan was a popular site for operating sailplanes (gliders). Sailplane Enterprises operated there from 1972-2009. Orange County Soaring Association (OCSA) used Hemet-Ryan as its home base from 1991-2009. Cypress Soaring was also based there until 2009. On September 30, 2009, the Economic Development Agency closed Hemet-Ryan to glider operations by painting a large yellow “X” on runway 4-22. OCSA filed a complaint with the FAA pursuant to Title 14 CFR Part 16 against the County of Riverside. On February 11, 2011, the FAA ruled that the closure was in violation of of Federal law and Federal grant obligations. The County declined to appeal the ruling.
Ryan Air Attack
Ryan Air Attack is a joint Air AttackAerial firefighting
Aerial firefighting is the use of aircraft and other aerial resources to combat wildfires. The types of aircraft used include fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. Smokejumpers and rappellers are also classified as aerial firefighters, delivered to the fire by parachute from a variety of fixed-wing...
/ Helitack
Helitack
Helitack refers to "helicopter-delivered fire resources", and is the system of managing and using helicopters and their crews to perform aerial firefighting and other firefighting duties, primarily initial attack on wildfires...
base operated by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is the State of California's agency responsible for fire protection in State Responsibility Areas of California as well as the administration of the state's private and public forests. It is often referred to as The California Department of...
(Riverside Unit). It is one of 19 tanker bases strategically located throughout California. The base provides initial attack aircraft service to over 17000 square miles (44,029.8 km²) of private, state, and federally owned lands. Up until 1998, Ryan was statistically the busiest air tanker base in the United States delivering an average of 1.5 million gallons of retardant annually. Currently two S-2 Trackers, an OV-10 and a UH-1H are stationed at the base. The base has served as the primary air attack base for many wildfires, including the Old Fire and Cedar Fire
Cedar Fire
The Cedar Fire was a human-caused wildfire that burned out of control through a large area of San Diego County, in Southern California, in October 2003...
in 2003 and the Esperanza Fire
Esperanza Fire
The Esperanza Fire was a wind-driven, arson-caused wildfire that was started in a river wash near Cabazon, California, west of Palm Springs, California. By Sunday, October 29, 2006, it had burned over 61 square miles and was 85% contained...
in 2006.
History of Ryan Air Attack
The United States Forest ServiceUnited States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
commenced air tanker loading operations in 1957, and in 1959 California Division of Forestry (now Cal Fire) began their operation at Ryan field. Both agencies maintained separate parking, loading and mixing areas but the initial stages of a joint base operation had begun. In 1969 the United States Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
(USFS) and the California Division of Forestry (CDF) truly merged into a joint agency air attack base sharing the base operation, responsibilities and facilities. The joint base concept successfully continued operation until 1998 when the USFS moved their air tanker base operations to the larger and recently vacated Norton Air Force Base
Norton Air Force Base
Norton Air Force Base is a former front-line United States Air Force facility located east of downtown San Bernardino, California in San Bernardino County.-Overview:...
.
From the beginning of Ryan Air Attack Base, Cal Fire and the USFS used privately owned contracted World War II vintage aircraft. The type and sizes of aircraft varied based on vendor, availability of flyable airframes and spare parts. As the years counted off and the flight hours increased these airplanes became static museum displays or were robbed for parts to keep the dwindling fleet flying. Because of the dwindling air tanker fleet, Cal Fire acquired excess U.S. Navy Grumman S-2A submarine hunting aircraft. These planes were converted from military use to firefighting aircraft using a design developed by Hemet Valley Flying Service. The first two aircraft build-ups were completed by Hemet Valley Flying Service and tested at Ryan Air Attack Base. The basic aircraft design has been in continuous state service since 1975.
In 1977 Cal Fire began a two-week pilot helitack program utilizing a contracted helicopter. Headed up by Captain Emil Derdowski and two firefighters, the program was eventually extended to a total of four weeks. The success of this pilot program brought on line the Hemet-Ryan Helitack Base using a full time contract helicopter staffed with three captains and nine firefighters operating out of Ryan Air Attack Base.
In 1992 Cal Fire acquired several of the larger Bell UH-1H helicopters with Hemet-Ryan Helitack receiving one of the first buildups. A year later, the OV-10 replaced the older Cessna 337 as Air Attack 310 based at Ryan. In June 2001, Cal Fire replaced the older S-2As at Ryan with Tanker 72 and 73. The new tankers are S-2F3AT Turbine Tanker conversions with upgrades including constant flow 1200 gallon tanks and turbine engines allowing for better capabilities and performance.
Future of Ryan Air Attack
In June 2007, The Hemet-Ryan Airport was approved $2.5 million from the Riverside County Board of Supervisors and over $25 million from the state for the redevelopment of the air-attack facilities. The upgrades would include extending the runway from 4300 feet (1,310.6 m) to 6000 feet (1,828.8 m) to accommodate heavier firefighting aircraft such as the MAFFS C-130Modular Airborne FireFighting System
The Modular Airborne FireFighting System or MAFFS is a self-contained unit used for aerial firefighting that can be loaded onto a C-130 Hercules, a military cargo transport, which then allows the aircraft to be used as an air tanker against wildfires. This allows the U.S...
. The runway expansion would take place on the south-west portion of the complex and require re-alignment of bordering Stetson Ave. and Warren Road. The new base would also include a 5842 square feet (542.7 m²), 22-bed barracks building, a 4812 square feet (447 m²) three-bay vehicle storage facility and shop; a 4646 square feet (431.6 m²), two-story operations building containing pilot facilities, administration and dispatch center; a 15300 square feet (1,421.4 m²), two-bay open-shade canopy and an 8211 square feet (762.8 m²) helicopter/ OV-10 enclosed hangar. Also planned are new public and secured staff parking areas, six fire-retardant loading pits to handle inter-agency aircraft, along with equipment tanks, pumps and piping used to mix and deliver fire retardant.
Because of critical need, the strategic location of the base and proven performance and handling of large wildfires, Cal Fire and the state consider the project top priority in the list of firefighting capital improvements.
Construction of the new facility was set to begin in 2008, however, as of 2010, Cal Fire is still waiting for the promised state funds to become available. Meanwhile, Cal Fire has been drawing plans and preparing to open the project to contractor bidding, and the Riverside County Economic Development Agency has agreed to manage the project.
Facilities and aircraft
Apart from hosting Cal Fire air attack operations, the Hemet-Ryan is also home to a Riverside County Sheriff's Department aviation unit. In August 2010 the airport became home to an emergency medical helicopterAir ambulance
An air ambulance is an aircraft used for emergency medical assistance in situations where either a traditional ambulance cannot reach the scene easily or quickly enough, or the patient needs to be transported over a distance or terrain that makes air transportation the most practical transport....
operated by Mercy Air. The airport also hosts a biennial air show
Air show
An air show is an event at which aviators display their flying skills and the capabilities of their aircraft to spectators in aerobatics. Air shows without aerobatic displays, having only aircraft displayed parked on the ground, are called "static air shows"....
with the next one being in 2011.
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2008, the airport had 75,444 general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
aircraft operations, an average of 206 per day. At that time there were 236 aircraft based at the airport: 48% single-engine
Aircraft engine
An aircraft engine is the component of the propulsion system for an aircraft that generates mechanical power. Aircraft engines are almost always either lightweight piston engines or gas turbines...
, 9% multi-engine, <1% jet
Jet aircraft
A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft...
, 4% helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
, 36% glider
Glider (sailplane)
A glider or sailplane is a type of glider aircraft used in the sport of gliding. Some gliders, known as motor gliders are used for gliding and soaring as well, but have engines which can, in some cases, be used for take-off or for extending a flight...
and 2% ultralight. In 2009, the glider portion of the airport was shutdown to make way for the expansion of Cal Fire facilities.
Other sources
- Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Locating Air Force Base Sites History’s Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC, 2004.
- Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas ASIN: B000NYX3PC