History
The airfield was opened in September 1940 by the United States Army Air Corps. 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. Known sub-bases and auxiliaries were:
- Banning Auxiliary Field (Undetermined location)
- Highland Auxiliary Field (Undetermined location)
- Ryan Auxiliary Field #1 33°47′26″N 117°00′58″W / 33.79056°N 117.01611°W / 33.79056; -117.01611
- Ryan Auxiliary Field #2 33°44′49″N 117°13′10″W / 33.74694°N 117.21944°W / 33.74694; -117.21944
- Ryan Auxiliary Field #3 33°48′10″N 117°11′05″W / 33.80278°N 117.18472°W / 33.80278; -117.18472
- Valle Vista Auxiliary Field 33°45′35″N 116°53′30″W / 33.75972°N 116.89167°W / 33.75972; -116.89167
- Gibbs Auxiliary Field 32°48′56″N 117°08′22″W / 32.81556°N 117.13944°W / 32.81556; -117.13944
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 Federal law and Federal grant obligations. The County declined to appeal the ruling.
Read more about this topic: Hemet-Ryan Airport
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