Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport
Encyclopedia
Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport is a public airport
located in Thermal
, California
, 20 miles (32 km) southeast of Palm Springs
.
Built during World War II
and used by both the US Army and US Navy, Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport has had several name changes. As a civilian facility, it was called Thermal Airport from 1948 to 1998. To better reflect its regional function, the name was then changed to Desert Resorts Regional Airport. The most recent name change, to honor the pioneering aviator and Indio
resident Jacqueline Cochran
, took place in 2004.
The airport is one mile (1.6 km) west of the California State Route 86S expressway and six miles (10 km) south of Interstate 10
in the lower Coachella Valley
of central Riverside County
, an area known as the Desert Resorts Region. The communities of Palm Springs, Palm Desert
, Indian Wells
, La Quinta
, Rancho Mirage
, Cathedral City
, Coachella
, Indio
and Thermal surround the airport.
The facility hosts an air show
in late November, showcasing both full-scale aircraft and radio controlled models as flown by members of the Coachella Valley Radio Control Club
. Due to that club's proximity to the facility, both the club and the airport work closely in mid-January to establish no-fly zones for the club's "Best In The West" national jet
rally. A temporary model operational ceiling of 2000' (610m) is established during that time due to the size and speed of the models which participate.
55 aircraft based at airport.
, and was used as an air support command base as part of the Desert Training Center in the Mojave Desert
of Southern California
. The mission of the training center was to prepare United States Army ground forces in preparation for Operation Torch
-- the invasion of North Africa
. The center was commanded by General George Patton
.
The airfield was known as Thermal Ground Support Base or Thermal Army Airfield. The 2553 acres (10.3 km²) facility had two 5000 ft (1,524 m) runways. Assigned to Fourth Air Force
, between March 1943, and May 1944 the Army Air Forces assigned the 76th Reconnaissance Group
along with several liaison and tactical reconnaissance squadrons to the airfield. In December 1943, Thermal AAF was reassigned to the California-Arizona Maneuver Area under control of the Third Air Force.
Located in the Coachella Valley
115 feet (35.1 m) below sea level, the place was named Thermal for a reason. Daily summer temperatures reached 120 °F (48.9 °C) in the shade soaring much higher on the concrete ramp. Conducting training here was not easy and summer flight operations took place from 0300 to 1300. In the heat of the day, the ground crews simply could not service the aircraft. In addition to flying operations, the station served as a pre-embarkation training center for aviation, construction, ordnance and other units.
Phased down in 1944 after most Army units had deployed overseas to combat areas, Thermal had been inactive for six months when the United States Navy
requested permission to occupy the base on December 2, 1944 with the stipulation that the Army could reoccupy with 30-days notice.
Initially known as Naval Air Bases Detachment Thermal, the base's facilities were in rather poor condition. During the first few months of the Navy's occupancy, the ACORNS and Seabees made extensive improvements. The airfield had a maximum capacity of 2,424 enlisted men and 264 officers. A hospital was located at the facility and had a maximum capacity of 119 patients, 68 nurses, 13 officers, and 16 enlisted men. There were approximately 254 buildings consisting of 237 military buildings built by DoD and 17 non-military buildings (present at the time of base acquisition). The airfield was improved with approximately 250 buildings, heating, lighting, telephone, sewer, water and power systems. NAB Thermal provided pilot refresher training. Aircraft strength reached 115 including the F6F, F4U, TBM, SB2C, and SBD. Station aircraft consisted of a J4F, an N2S, an NE, and a GB.
The Navy closed Thermal on November 1, 1945, returning the field to the Army two months later. The site was declared surplus effective November 16, 1945, and transferred to the War Assets Administration (WAA) January 23, 1947.
The War Assets Administration turned the military airfield to civil control during 1947 and 1948. Approximately 39 acres (157,827.5 m²) were deeded on 20 June 1947 to United Date Growers of California. Approximately 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) were deeded on 2 September 1947 to Coachella Valley County Water District. On 21 December 1948 to the County of Riverside via Quitclaim Deed for use as a municipal airport.
.
It is divided into 17 parcels totaling 2549 acres (10.3 km²) of land owned by both public and private entities. Approximately 2285 acres (9.2 km²) are owned by the County of Riverside for use as a municipal airport. The balance is used for agriculture and airpark development. Approximately 188 acre (0.76080968 km²) of the property transferred from the DoD to the County of Riverside were subsequently transferred to private parties.
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 in Thermal
Thermal, California
Thermal is a census-designated place located approximately 25 miles southeast of Palm Springs and about 9.5 miles north of the Salton Sea. Although one can find sunny skies most days, residents occasionally endure strong winds and sizzling summer temperatures well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The...
, 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...
, 20 miles (32 km) southeast of Palm Springs
Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 37 miles east of San Bernardino, 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego...
.
Built during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and used by both the US Army and US Navy, Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport has had several name changes. As a civilian facility, it was called Thermal Airport from 1948 to 1998. To better reflect its regional function, the name was then changed to Desert Resorts Regional Airport. The most recent name change, to honor the pioneering aviator and Indio
Indio, California
Indio is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, located in the Coachella Valley of Southern California's Colorado Desert region. It lies east of Palm Springs, east of Riverside, and east of Los Angeles. It is about north of Mexicali, Baja California on the U.S.-Mexican border...
resident Jacqueline Cochran
Jacqueline Cochran
Jacqueline Cochran was a pioneer American aviator, considered to be one of the most gifted racing pilots of her generation...
, took place in 2004.
The airport is one mile (1.6 km) west of the California State Route 86S expressway and six miles (10 km) south of Interstate 10
Interstate 10
Interstate 10 is the fourth-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90, I-80, and I-40. It is the southernmost east–west, coast-to-coast Interstate Highway, although I-4 and I-8 are further south. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean at State Route 1 in Santa Monica,...
in the lower Coachella Valley
Coachella Valley
Coachella Valley is a large valley landform in Southern California. The valley extends for approximately 45 miles in Riverside County southeast from the San Bernardino Mountains to the saltwater Salton Sea, the largest lake in California...
of central 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,...
, an area known as the Desert Resorts Region. The communities of Palm Springs, Palm Desert
Palm Desert, California
Palm Desert is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, in the Coachella Valley, approximately east of Palm Springs. The population was 48,445 at the 2010 census, up from 41,155 at the 2000 census...
, Indian Wells
Indian Wells, California
Indian Wells is a city in Riverside County, California, in the Coachella Valley , in between Palm Desert and La Quinta. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 4,958....
, La Quinta
La Quinta, California
La Quinta is a resort city in Riverside County, California, USA, specifically in the Coachella Valley between Indian Wells and Indio. The population was 37,467 at the 2010 census, up from 23,694 at the 2000 census. The Robb Report credits La Quinta as the nation's leading golf destination...
, Rancho Mirage
Rancho Mirage, California
Rancho Mirage is a resort city in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 17,218 at the 2010 census, up from 13,249 at the 2000 census, but the seasonal population can exceed 20,000. In between Cathedral City and Palm Desert, it is one of the eight cities of the Coachella...
, Cathedral City
Cathedral City, California
Cathedral City is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 51,200 at the 2010 census. Sandwiched between Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage, it is one of the cities in the Coachella Valley of southern California...
, Coachella
Coachella, California
Coachella is a city in Riverside County, California; it is the easternmost city in the region collectively known as the Coachella Valley...
, Indio
Indio, California
Indio is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, located in the Coachella Valley of Southern California's Colorado Desert region. It lies east of Palm Springs, east of Riverside, and east of Los Angeles. It is about north of Mexicali, Baja California on the U.S.-Mexican border...
and Thermal surround the airport.
The facility hosts an 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"....
in late November, showcasing both full-scale aircraft and radio controlled models as flown by members of the Coachella Valley Radio Control Club
Coachella Valley Radio Control Club
The Coachella Valley Radio Control Club is based near Coachella in Riverside County, California, U.S.. It is one of the oldest model aircraft clubs in the United States, one of the oldest non-profit service organizations in continuous existence in the Coachella Valley and one of the few Academy of...
. Due to that club's proximity to the facility, both the club and the airport work closely in mid-January to establish no-fly zones for the club's "Best In The West" national 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...
rally. A temporary model operational ceiling of 2000' (610m) is established during that time due to the size and speed of the models which participate.
Facilities
Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport covers 1850 acres (7.5 km²) and has two runways:- Runway 17/35: 8,500 x 150 ft. (2,591 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt
- Runway 12/30: 4,995 x 100 ft. (1,522 x 30 m), Surface: Asphalt
Airport Operational Statistics
Average of 208 operations per day.| Commercial | Air Taxi | GA Local | GA Transient | Military |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 75 | 130 | 2 |
55 aircraft based at airport.
| Single Engine | Multi Engine | Jet | Helicopter | Glider/ Ultralight | Military |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
History
The airport was established in August 1942 at the beginning of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and was used as an air support command base as part of the Desert Training Center in the Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
of Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
. The mission of the training center was to prepare United States Army ground forces in preparation for Operation Torch
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
-- the invasion of North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
. The center was commanded by General George Patton
George S. Patton
George Smith Patton, Jr. was a United States Army officer best known for his leadership while commanding corps and armies as a general during World War II. He was also well known for his eccentricity and controversial outspokenness.Patton was commissioned in the U.S. Army after his graduation from...
.
The airfield was known as Thermal Ground Support Base or Thermal Army Airfield. The 2553 acres (10.3 km²) facility had two 5000 ft (1,524 m) runways. Assigned to Fourth Air Force
Fourth Air Force
The Fourth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve . It is headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, California....
, between March 1943, and May 1944 the Army Air Forces assigned the 76th Reconnaissance Group
76th Reconnaissance Group
The 76th Reconnaissance Group was a World War II United States Army Air Forces organization. It served primarily in the American Theatre.The unit was constituted on 5 February 1942 and activated on 27 February. The group was a Third Air Force training unit for Reconnaissance and Observation...
along with several liaison and tactical reconnaissance squadrons to the airfield. In December 1943, Thermal AAF was reassigned to the California-Arizona Maneuver Area under control of the Third Air Force.
Located in the Coachella Valley
Coachella Valley
Coachella Valley is a large valley landform in Southern California. The valley extends for approximately 45 miles in Riverside County southeast from the San Bernardino Mountains to the saltwater Salton Sea, the largest lake in California...
115 feet (35.1 m) below sea level, the place was named Thermal for a reason. Daily summer temperatures reached 120 °F (48.9 °C) in the shade soaring much higher on the concrete ramp. Conducting training here was not easy and summer flight operations took place from 0300 to 1300. In the heat of the day, the ground crews simply could not service the aircraft. In addition to flying operations, the station served as a pre-embarkation training center for aviation, construction, ordnance and other units.
Phased down in 1944 after most Army units had deployed overseas to combat areas, Thermal had been inactive for six months when the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
requested permission to occupy the base on December 2, 1944 with the stipulation that the Army could reoccupy with 30-days notice.
Initially known as Naval Air Bases Detachment Thermal, the base's facilities were in rather poor condition. During the first few months of the Navy's occupancy, the ACORNS and Seabees made extensive improvements. The airfield had a maximum capacity of 2,424 enlisted men and 264 officers. A hospital was located at the facility and had a maximum capacity of 119 patients, 68 nurses, 13 officers, and 16 enlisted men. There were approximately 254 buildings consisting of 237 military buildings built by DoD and 17 non-military buildings (present at the time of base acquisition). The airfield was improved with approximately 250 buildings, heating, lighting, telephone, sewer, water and power systems. NAB Thermal provided pilot refresher training. Aircraft strength reached 115 including the F6F, F4U, TBM, SB2C, and SBD. Station aircraft consisted of a J4F, an N2S, an NE, and a GB.
The Navy closed Thermal on November 1, 1945, returning the field to the Army two months later. The site was declared surplus effective November 16, 1945, and transferred to the War Assets Administration (WAA) January 23, 1947.
The War Assets Administration turned the military airfield to civil control during 1947 and 1948. Approximately 39 acres (157,827.5 m²) were deeded on 20 June 1947 to United Date Growers of California. Approximately 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) were deeded on 2 September 1947 to Coachella Valley County Water District. On 21 December 1948 to the County of Riverside via Quitclaim Deed for use as a municipal airport.
Current era
Today, Thermal is a municipal airport serving general aviationGeneral 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...
.
It is divided into 17 parcels totaling 2549 acres (10.3 km²) of land owned by both public and private entities. Approximately 2285 acres (9.2 km²) are owned by the County of Riverside for use as a municipal airport. The balance is used for agriculture and airpark development. Approximately 188 acre (0.76080968 km²) of the property transferred from the DoD to the County of Riverside were subsequently transferred to private parties.
See also
- California World War II Army AirfieldsCalifornia World War II Army AirfieldsDuring World War II, the United States Army Air Forces established numerous airfields in California for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers.-Overview:...
- Desert Training CenterDesert Training CenterThe Desert Training Center was a World War II training facility established in the Mojave Desert; largely in Southern California and Western Arizona in 1942....
External links
- http://www.flyjacksonair.com
- http://www.desertjet.com
- Riverside County Airport Land Use Commission
- Background Data: Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport, 28-June-2005 (PDFPortable Document FormatPortable Document Format is an open standard for document exchange. This file format, created by Adobe Systems in 1993, is used for representing documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems....
2846 kb) - Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport Airshow