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Rialto Airport - Gone But Not Forgotten
Flying Journalism, Contributing Writer & Photographer

Rialto California is located east of Los Angeles in San Bernardino County. It's a popular suburb close to the interstate, most people pass what once was Rialto airport when driving to Las Vegas. If you were lucky enough to have landed at Rialto airport, you may remember it for the cafe and its cheap fuel prices.

The Rialto airport diagram depicts the runway lay out.
Interstate 210 bordered the north side of the airport.

Officially known as Rialto Municipal airport. However, many years prior, it was known as Miro Field. The land was purchased by Sam Miro in 1944. He purchased 40 acres and shaped the land into an airport. In 1966 the City of Rialto took charge of the property and expanded the airfield an additional 20 acres. Upon Rialto's closing, the airport covered 600 acres.

Looking west on what used to be runway 24. An Amazon distribution center splits the airport apart.
Looking east on runway 24. The street Linden Av. cuts right down the middle of the runway.
Construction in the area is still going. it's been almost 10 years since the airport closed.

Many people wonder... why did it close? So many aviation related businesses were located on field. There was a cafe, Warbirds West Air Museum, an FBO, and various flight schools. Despite it's successful businesses, it was still not quite as busy as the neighboring airports. The City of Rialto received a grant from the federal government in the 1980's to keep it open a little longer but in 2014 the City said "no more."

This looks like the old fire station that was on field. Notice the building burned by vandals.
Boarded up windows and overgrown shrubs rule the land here. Once upon a time, they were aviation businesses.

Sadly, us pilots notice the trend of why airports are being closed. Airports generate a small amount of tax revenue. However, housing and a generic shopping center generate exponential property tax from the constant buying/selling of property. Good for economic growth, but sadly it's the same story and the same businesses that are 10 minutes away in any direction.

The Renaissance Plaza was built on the north side of the airport. According to sources, many pilots suggested a dual use business center around the airport or airpark community. None of which were considered, due to pressure from developers.
The Renaissance Plaza by Shin Yen has a small tributary rock dedicated as a memorial to the airport.

The story of Rialto is the same as many other airports. Pressure from developers brings forth closures upon small airports that are under utilized or unrepresented. These small airports are vulnerable to be targeted by large corporations seeking to expand their business operations in certain areas. Because of this, builders thirsty for land have begun taking over any piece of land they can get. Like a tomb, once closed they will never be re-opened. Why? Because noise will be cited as an issue and city planning will never again approve a new airport.

Abandoned sites in Southern California are almost always further damaged by graffiti vandals. Hangars are more likely to be vandalized due to their large size hidden from view.
Open hangars once displayed a ramp of aircraft. They now bear abandoned vehicles and overgrown weeds.
Buckets of paint and trash are all that remain.

Rialto Municipal Airport has very few remaining details. The runways are cut apart by streets. The taxiway and runway pavement are now crumbled pieces of dirt. The hangars are hanging in there by the beams. The tie-downs where planes were parked are now dumping grounds for trash. The airport is almost unrecognizable as it gets eaten up by suburbia.

The old taxiway south of runway 24 covered in shrubs.
Aerial shot of the Rialto airport soon after it closed in 2014. Original photo courtesy of Mark Holtzman at photopilot.com.
When the runway ends, the road begins. A new chapter to Sam Miro's airport which lasted 70+ years.

Even though it has been several years since it's closure. Many people pass by and stare at what once was a runway. Local residents say they enjoyed seeing the display days and coming to watch airplanes takeoff and land.

If you or someone you know needs help saving an airport; call AOPA, reach out to your local, State, and Federal government office. For information on the airports that were unsalvageable, check them out on airfields-freeman.com (they publish great data on little known or abandoned airfields everywhere.) You can see more historic photos of Rialto's original beauty on their website. Until next time, fly safe and remember "life is worth flying for!"

By Flying Journalism, Contributing Writer & Photographer
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