Victorville city feature
About this landmark
From military airfield to modern logistics center
Southern California Logistics Airport occupies the site of the former George Air Force Base, located eight miles northwest of central Victorville and within the city limits. The airport is currently run as a City of Victorville government department and serves as the city's largest employer, with 2,073 employees maintaining its operations and facilities. The facility covers 2,300 acres and operates two asphalt runways—one at 13,051 feet long and another at 9,138 feet—supporting cargo operations, aircraft storage, and logistics enterprises that make it a vital hub for regional commerce and transportation.
The military history of George Air Force Base
The base was established in June 1941 as the Air Corps Advanced Flying School, with the formal groundbreaking ceremony held on July 12, 1941. It underwent multiple name changes over its five decades of military operation: Victorville Army Flying School, Victorville Army Air Field, Victorville Air Force Base, and finally George Air Force Base from 1950 onward. The base covered 2,200 acres during its military tenure and served as a center for pilot training, playing a significant role in American aviation development.
George Air Force Base closed on December 15, 1992, under the 1988 Base Realignment and Closure Commission decision. The closure marked the end of more than 50 years of continuous military aviation operations at the site, transitioning the facility toward civilian use and commercial aviation operations.
The airport's current operations
After the base closure, the site became Southern California Logistics Airport. A 240-acre aircraft storage facility on-site, operated by ComAv Technical Services, has capacity for more than 500 aircraft. During the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 275 aircraft were stored there by March 2020. The site has also been used to store roughly 21,000 Volkswagen vehicles across 134 acres, demonstrating its versatility as a logistics hub for automotive and aviation industries.
Since 2009, the Air National Guard operates a Predator training facility at the airport. An 830 MW combined-cycle gas turbine power plant opened at the site in 2002, adding to the site's role as an industrial and energy hub serving regional commerce. The airport continues to support civilian and military aviation activities throughout California's Mojave Desert region.
Insurance connection: Earthquake preparedness in an active region
Victorville sits in a seismically active part of the Mojave Desert near the Helendale Fault, a 90-kilometer strike-slip fault whose nearest communities include Victorville, Apple Valley, and Lucerne Valley. Standard homeowners and renters policies do not cover earthquake damage, except fire caused by an earthquake, which California law requires policies to cover. The California Earthquake Authority offers earthquake insurance, sold only through the same insurer that writes the homeowner's regular policy. CEA offers deductibles from 5 to 25 percent. Eligibility and limits depend on individual policies. The issued policy controls.
Primary sources: The George Air Force Base history, the airport specifications page, the City of Victorville airport department, and the Caltech Helendale Fault page confirm these details.
Insurance context is general information only. The issued policy and its endorsements settle coverage.