CA66 Monterey Bay Academy Airstrip

CA66 - Monterey Bay Academy Airstrip

The only airstrip on the California coast of its kind, is right here at AirSpace Integration. Nowhere else can you fly along the ocean, land on the rolling bluffs and walk to the beach.

The CA66 Monterey Bay Academy Airport is an active airfield with a 2400-ft long grass runway overlooking the picturesque Monterey Bay. The airfield is a place for people to land, enjoy a beautiful ocean view off the end of the runway, have lunch at a picnic table under the pines, and meander along a private beach.

History of Monterey Bay Academy Airstrip 

The CA66 Monterey Bay Academy Airstrip was created in the early 1940s by the military base, Camp McQuaide. Used originally to fly in supplies for the base, it was converted to a small public airstrip in 1948 when the property was purchased to establish a private boarding school. The Monterey Bay Academy (MBA) kept the airstrip in minimal condition until 1980 when a small ultralight manufacturer, Pterodactyl Limited, maintained the strip for four years.

From the mid-‘80s until 2013 the airstrip was used very infrequently. It wasn’t until May of 2013 that a volunteer aviation group, Ocean Shore Aviation, restored the worn-out dirt strip. The group converted it from a dirt runway to beautiful grass landing strip. The team also secured a parking/tie-down area (paved with concrete) and added a picnic area situated within walking distance to the parking/tie-down area overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Future of Monterey Bay Academy Airstrip

In 2018, AirSpace Integration took over management and maintenance duties of CA66 for Ocean Shore Aviation. The non-profit group and AirSpace Integration are working closely together to continue to drive Ocean Shore Aviation’s mission and develop a thriving community at the MBA airport.