Mojave Air & Space Port
The Mojave Airport was first opened in 1935 as a small, rural airfield serving the local gold and silver mining industry.
In July, 1942, the U.S. Marine Corps took over the field and vastly expanded it as the Marine Corps Auxiliary Air Station (MCAAS) Mojave. Many of the Corps’ WWII aces received their gunnery training at Mojave. With the end of WWII, MCAAS was disestablished in 1946, and became instead a U.S. Navy airfield. At the end of 1953, the USMC reopened MCAAS Mojave as an auxiliary field to MCAS El Toro.
In 1961, after the USMC transferred operations to MCAS El Centro, Kern County obtained title to the airport. In February, 1972, the East Kern Airport District was formed to administrate the airport; EKAD maintains the airport to this day.
Mojave Air and Space Port has since evolved from a sleepy desert general aviation destination to a world renowned flight research center spanning 3300 acres, hosting the latest and most advanced aeronautical designs. Hosting more than 60 companies engaged in light industrial to highly-advanced aerospace design, flight test and research to heavy rail industrial, Mojave Air and Space Port and industrial park might very well be a destination for your business.
Over the past three years the infrastructure has been upgraded to accommodate significant flight line development and industrial manufacturing utilizing common industry components which complement each other. The wind industry and aviation industry rely heavily on composite fabrication using carbon fiber and fiberglass technology – both reside at Mojave Air and Space Port. The commercial aircraft industry relies heavily on firms located at Mojave Air and Space Port to perform aircraft inspections, storage and part-out. Many specialty firms at Mojave focus specifically on engine development, noise reduction technology, advanced cockpit display development and major airframe design modifications. Mojave Air and Space Port is home to the National Test Pilot School where more test pilots are educated than any other site in the world.
Our upgraded rail infrastructure and switch engine moves product in and out of Mojave Air and Space Port with 34 daily rail car shipments. Mojave Air and Space Port is home to a full-service wheel shop that makes up one of the largest non-railroad networks in North America. Progress Rail operates nine wheel shops strategically located across the United States, allowing them to provide prompt, convenient service to all their customers, regardless of their location.
Flight Research activities include endo- and exo- atmospheric craft supporting private sector and government-funded projects.
source: Mojave Air & Space Port
