Departure
92%
vs 95% ▼ 3
MY FS FLIGHTS
MY FS FLIGHTS
Sacramento Mather Airport is a large former Air Force base turned civil and cargo airport eleven miles east of Sacramento, California, prized by pilots for one of the longest runways in the United States. Once Mather Air Force Base, it closed under BRAC in 1993 and has since developed into a busy general aviation, air taxi, and cargo hub. Its combination of a 11,288 ft primary runway with ILS and a full-service FBO makes it a notable stop for simulator pilots exploring the Sacramento area.
Sacramento Mather Airport sits on the site of the former Mather Air Force Base, which closed in 1993 following a Base Realignment and Closure decision. Today it operates as a public airport serving general aviation, air taxi, airline, and military traffic, and is one of four airports serving the greater Sacramento area alongside Sacramento International, Sacramento Executive, and Franklin Field. Its huge former-military runway and ramp footprint make it a distinctive and interesting destination for simulator pilots, particularly those interested in cargo operations or large ex-military fields.
The airport lies about eleven miles east of downtown Sacramento in Sacramento County, California. Air traffic in the area is worked by NORCAL Approach/Departure on 127.4 MHz, reflecting the airport's position within the wider Sacramento terminal airspace alongside Sacramento International Airport.
Sacramento Mather Airport has two paired physical runways. Runway 04R/22L is the long runway at 11,288/11,287 ft, hard-surfaced and lit, with an ILS serving runway 22L. Runway 04L/22R is 6,052 ft, also hard-surfaced and lit. The field elevation is 85 ft.
Radio services include an air/departure frequency of 127.4 MHz worked by NORCAL Approach/Departure, an ATIS on 118.325 MHz, clearance delivery and ground on 121.85 MHz, tower on 120.65 MHz, and UNICOM on 123.075 MHz. A SPARTAN OPS frequency of 34.1 MHz is also listed. The ILS approach is available to runway 22L.
The airport occupies the former Mather Air Force Base, a military installation that closed in 1993 as part of a Base Realignment and Closure round. Since conversion to civilian use it has developed a significant cargo role, with DHL Aviation and UPS Airlines operating scheduled freight services from the field. On 16 February 2000, Emery Worldwide Flight 17, a DC-8 cargo aircraft, crashed shortly after takeoff from the airport, killing all three crew members; the accident was later examined in an episode of the Mayday/Air Disasters television series.
Sacramento Mather Airport remains a mixed-use field handling general aviation, air taxi, airline, and cargo traffic, with military operations also recorded. Modern Aviation operates as the field's FBO, providing line service from 0500 to 2200 seven days a week (with after-hours service available on call, fees apply) and a front desk staffed from 0600 to 2200. Facilities include snooze rooms and a pilots' lounge, crew showers, crew cars, catering services, office and hangar space, flight planning support, and both military/government contract fuel and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
