Madera Municipal Airport (MAE) — Madera, California
Madera Municipal Airport (FAA identifier: MAE) serves the agricultural heartland of the San Joaquin Valley, located approximately 2 miles northwest of downtown Madera, California. Situated at an elevation of 255 feet above mean sea level, this general aviation facility spans roughly 680 acres and provides essential air access for the region's farming operations, business travel, and private aviation community.
The airport features two asphalt runways: Runway 12/30, measuring 5,500 feet in length, and Runway 6/24, stretching 3,900 feet. Both runways are equipped to handle single-engine and multi-engine piston aircraft, turboprops, and light jets. The field operates as a non-towered facility, requiring pilots to self-announce on the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) of 122.8 MHz. A rotating beacon operates dusk to dawn, and the Pilot Controlled Lighting (PCL) system allows arriving aircraft to activate runway lights after hours.
Madera Municipal Airport is owned and operated by the City of Madera and falls under the jurisdiction of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Division of Aeronautics for state oversight. The airport is classified as a General Aviation Reliever airport under the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS), a designation that recognizes its role in relieving congestion at nearby Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT), located approximately 22 miles to the southeast.
On-site services include self-service 100LL aviation gasoline, with Jet-A availability through prior arrangement with local fixed-base operators. Tie-down space is available for transient aircraft, with both short-term and monthly rates managed through the airport office. A pilot lounge, weather briefing terminals, and restroom facilities serve visiting aviators. Aircraft maintenance services, avionics repair, and flight instruction are offered by tenants operating from the airport's hangars.
The surrounding Madera County economy is deeply tied to agriculture — the region produces almonds, wine grapes, peaches, and dairy products — and MAE plays a direct role in supporting this sector. Agricultural spray operators, crop survey flights, and charter services connecting local farming enterprises to markets in the Bay Area and Southern California all utilize the airport regularly. The proximity to the Sierra Nevada foothills also makes Madera Municipal a staging point for aerial firefighting operations coordinated through the U.S. Forest Service during wildfire season.
For pilots flying into the Central Valley, Madera Municipal offers a practical alternative to the busier Fresno Yosemite International Airport. Traffic at FAT, which handles over 2 million commercial passengers annually, can create airspace congestion, making MAE a quieter and more accessible option for general aviation operations. The airport sits beneath the Fresno Class C airspace, so VFR pilots transiting the area should monitor the Fresno Approach Control frequency and be aware of the Mode C veil requirements.
Ground transportation from MAE into Madera city center is available via rental car services arranged in advance. Madera's downtown is a 5–10 minute drive from the airport, offering dining, lodging, and access to Highway 99, which connects the city to Fresno to the south and Merced to the north. The California High-Speed Rail project has a planned station in Madera, which may further enhance regional connectivity in coming years.
For current NOTAMs, weather observations, and airport information, pilots should consult the FAA's official resources or contact the Madera Airport office directly. The airport identifier MAE is active in all major electronic flight planning databases, including ForeFlight, Garmin Pilot, and SkyVector.