Planespotting Victorville — KVCV
Southern California Logistics Airport occupies the former George Air Force Base in the high desert north-east of Los Angeles, and is known worldwide simply as 'Victorville'. Dry air and space made it one of the largest airliner storage and disassembly sites in the country: ComAv's storage area here can hold hundreds of aircraft, and during the 2020 pandemic more than 270 airliners were parked at once, including Qantas's whole A380 fleet. Two long runways — 17/35, among the longest in civilian use, and 03/21 — also attract heavy-jet training, freighter crews and military practice approaches. The catch for spotters is access: the field is a restricted business park, the eastern perimeter road has been closed off, and much of the storage is far from public roads. Expect fence-line logging rather than portrait shots, or book an overflight for the full picture.
Conditions right now
Runways
- 17/35 4,601 × 45 m · 15,095 × 148 ft asphalt
- 03/21 RWY 21 2,788 × 45 m · 9,147 × 148 ft asphalt
Ask the sky
What flew over this morning? Where was that loud one heading? Ask in plain words — the answer comes from real recorded traffic.
Airport profile
Typical traffic by hour
Relative intensity by local hour — a typical day, not live data.Peak: 10:00
Typical traffic mix
- Widebody40%
- Narrowbody30%
- Military15%
- Cargo10%
- Turboprop5%
Spotter score
Our editorial rating (0–100).Best time of year
When the interesting traffic peaks.Where to spot
Adelanto Road dirt tracks (west side)
Adelanto Road runs along the western side of the airfield, and several dirt tracks lead off it towards the fence with views across parked aircraft. Fine for logging registrations and wide shots of the rows; individual airframes are often far away.
- Getting there
- By car only — the desert tracks can be rough and soft after rain. Stay on public tracks outside the fence and obey all no-entry signs; much of the land around the airport belongs to businesses.
- Best time
- Afternoon, when the sun has moved to the west behind you. Morning views across the field are backlit.
- Lens
- 200–400 mm and binoculars or a scope for logging.
Air Expressway — south ramps
From the southern approach roads some ramps with aircraft undergoing maintenance, painting or part-out are visible through the fence. Sight screens line parts of the fence, but gaps let a lens poke through at an angle.
- Getting there
- Air Expressway (Air Base Road) runs along the south side of the airport. Most streets inside the logistics park are restricted — keep to public roads and do not stop in business driveways.
- Best time
- Morning to midday, looking north with the sun behind you.
- Lens
- A wide-angle lens close to the fence, plus 100–300 mm for further ramps.
Flyover from Van Nuys
The way most visitors finally photograph Victorville properly: a chartered light-aircraft flight over the storage areas, often combined with Mojave. You see every row from above, with an open window for unobstructed shots.
- Getting there
- Flight schools at Van Nuys such as Corsair Aviation and Wings Over LA have offered spotter flyovers in a Cessna 172; prices and availability change, so ask in advance. Apple Valley Airport nearby is a shorter alternative base.
- Best time
- Mid-morning or late afternoon for lower sun and less turbulence over the desert.
- Lens
- 24–105 mm and a fast shutter speed.
Respect private property, signage and the airport security perimeter. Spotterra predicts the active runway from live weather on the dashboard.
What you'll see
Most movements are aircraft arriving for storage, leaving after reactivation or heading in for maintenance and fresh paint — 737s, A320s, 757s, 767s, 777s and 747s from US and foreign airlines, with retirements often marking the last flight of a fleet. Freighters and heavy jets use the long runway for crew training, USAF C-17s and KC-135s fly practice approaches, and charter airliners carry troops for exercises at the Army's Fort Irwin National Training Center. Activity is steady year-round with peaks when airlines park or retire fleets.
FAQ
What's that plane over Victorville?
Spotterra's live map shows what is flying over the high desert in real time — ferry flights into storage, training circuits and military traffic heading for Edwards or Fort Irwin — with type and registration where broadcast.
Can I visit the Victorville boneyard?
There are no public tours. The storage areas are inside a restricted airport and business park; you can only look from public roads at the perimeter or from the air.
Victorville or Mojave — which is better?
Both are about two hours from Los Angeles and can be combined in one day. Victorville has more widebodies, but ground views are worse; Mojave is easier to see from the road. A combined flyover covers both.
Spotterra watches the sky over Victorville
A live ADS-B map of your area and smart alerts on military transports, warbirds and rare types — with 10–30 minutes lead on long-haul arrivals. Free forever, no card.
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