Van Dyke Strip Airport (25CL) — Pleasant Grove, California

FAA Identifier: 25CL  |  Sacramento County  |  Private-Use Agricultural Airstrip

About Van Dyke Strip Airport

Van Dyke Strip Airport, designated by the FAA with the identifier 25CL, is a private-use agricultural airstrip situated in the rural community of Pleasant Grove, California, within Sacramento County. Nestled in the heart of the Sacramento Valley, this unassuming strip serves as an operational hub for the type of low-altitude, precision agricultural aviation that has shaped California's farming economy for generations. The airport is not open to the general public without prior permission from the owner or operator, reflecting the private-use designation common among agricultural airfields of its kind throughout California's Central Valley.

Pleasant Grove is a small agricultural community located in the northwestern corner of Sacramento County, situated roughly between the cities of Wheatland to the north and the broader Yuba City metropolitan area to the northeast, placing it squarely within one of California's most productive farming regions. The Sacramento Valley floor in this area is characterized by expansive rice paddies, orchards, row crops, and grain fields — all of which generate significant demand for aerial application services throughout the growing season, typically running from late spring through early fall.

Agricultural Aviation in the Sacramento Valley

The Sacramento Valley has long depended on agricultural aviation — commonly known as crop dusting or aerial application — to maintain the productivity and profitability of its vast farming operations. At facilities like Van Dyke Strip, agricultural pilots operate specialized aircraft designed to fly at very low altitudes, often just a few feet above the crop canopy, delivering precise applications of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, fertilizers, and biological agents. The efficiency of aerial application compared to ground equipment makes it particularly valuable in areas with soft, wet fields — such as the flooded rice paddies prevalent in Sacramento County — where ground equipment would cause excessive compaction or simply be unable to operate.

Rice cultivation is especially prominent in the region surrounding Pleasant Grove, and aerial application is essentially the only practical method for seeding flooded rice fields, applying herbicides to control water grasses like watergrass and sprangletop, and treating for pests such as the rice water weevil. Agricultural airstrips like 25CL provide the logistical infrastructure needed to support this work: a flat, maintained runway surface close to the fields being treated, combined with access roads suitable for the tender trucks that carry chemicals and fuel to support continuous flight operations throughout the day.

Typical aircraft operating from agricultural strips in this region include the Air Tractor AT-402, AT-502, and AT-802 series, as well as the Grumman Ag Cat and Thrush Commander, all of which are purpose-built for the demanding physical environment of low-altitude agricultural flying. These aircraft must be highly maneuverable, capable of carrying substantial chemical loads, and robust enough to withstand the physical stresses of repeated low-level pullouts and tight turns around obstacles like power lines, trees, and irrigation infrastructure.

Location and Regional Context

Van Dyke Strip Airport's location in Pleasant Grove places it within a broader network of general aviation and agricultural airfields spread across Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba counties. Pilots transiting the region or seeking instrument approaches and full-service FBO facilities have access to several nearby public-use airports. Sacramento Executive Airport (SAC), located approximately 25 miles to the south in the city of Sacramento, offers instrument approaches, fuel, maintenance, and charter services. To the southwest, Livermore Municipal Airport (LVK) in Alameda County serves the Bay Area general aviation community and is accessible via the Sacramento Valley corridor, offering additional service options for cross-country flights. Oakland International Airport (OAK), though primarily a commercial carrier hub, also supports significant general aviation activity and lies roughly 80 miles to the southwest via direct routing across the Coast Range.

Locally, Meadowlark Airport and several other private strips in Sutter and Yuba counties round out the regional airfield network, supporting both private recreational flyers and the agricultural operators whose seasonal work is essential to the valley economy. The density of private agricultural strips in this part of California reflects the intensity of farming operations and the practical necessity of keeping aircraft close to the fields they service.

Airport Quick Facts
  • FAA Identifier: 25CL
  • Airport Name: Van Dyke Strip
  • City: Pleasant Grove, CA
  • County: Sacramento County
  • State: California
  • Use: Private (Agricultural)
  • Airport Type: General Aviation Airstrip
Nearby Airports
  • SAC — Sacramento Executive
  • LVK — Livermore Municipal
  • OAK — Oakland International
  • Meadowlark Airport (Private)

Van Dyke Strip Airport - 25Cl Contact Information

Address, Phone Number, and Hours for an Airports in Pleasant Grove, California.

Name Van Dyke Strip Airport - 25Cl
Address 4036 Pleasant Grove Road, Pleasant Grove CA 95668 Map
Phone (916) 655-3171
Website
Hours

Map of Van Dyke Strip Airport - 25Cl

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Frequently Asked Questions — Van Dyke Strip Airport (25CL), Pleasant Grove, CA

Van Dyke Strip Airport carries a private-use designation from the FAA, which means access is restricted to pilots and operators who have received prior permission from the airport owner or operator. It is not a public-use airport open to transient general aviation traffic without arrangement. Typically, access is limited to the agricultural aviation operators contracted to work the surrounding Sacramento County farmland, their associated ground crews, and fuel or chemical tender vehicles supporting active flight operations. Pilots unfamiliar with the field should not attempt to land without explicit prior authorization.

The aircraft most commonly associated with agricultural airstrips like Van Dyke Strip are purpose-built aerial application platforms. These include the Air Tractor series (particularly the AT-402B and AT-502B), the Grumman Ag Cat, and the Thrush Commander — all of which are optimized for low-altitude maneuvering, large chemical hopper capacity, and the rugged operating conditions of agricultural work. These aircraft are equipped with specialized spray booms, GPS guidance systems, and flow control technology to ensure accurate application. Helicopters are also occasionally used for agricultural work in Sacramento County, particularly in fields with irregular shapes or obstacles that fixed-wing aircraft cannot easily navigate.

The Pleasant Grove area and surrounding Sacramento County farmland support a wide range of crops that benefit from aerial application services. Flooded rice fields — among the most prominent in the region — require aerial seeding in late spring and multiple aerial herbicide treatments throughout the summer to control watergrass, ricefield bulrush, and other aquatic weeds. Orchards in the area, including almonds, walnuts, and prunes farther into the valley, may require aerial fungicide applications during bloom or foliar treatments during the growing season. Row crops including corn, sunflowers, and processing tomatoes also benefit from aerial pest management. The proximity of Van Dyke Strip to these diverse agricultural lands makes it a valuable staging point for operators working across multiple crop types and fields throughout the season.

Because Van Dyke Strip is a private agricultural airstrip without public fuel, maintenance, or FBO services, pilots in need of those resources should plan to use nearby public-use airports. Sacramento Executive Airport (SAC), approximately 25 miles to the south, is the closest full-service general aviation facility, offering 100LL and Jet-A fuel, aircraft maintenance, charter services, and instrument approaches. Marysville Airport (MYV) to the north in Yuba County is another nearby option with fuel and basic services. For more extensive maintenance, avionics work, or commercial airline connections, Sacramento International Airport (SMF) is located about 20 miles southwest of Pleasant Grove and handles a full range of aviation services alongside its commercial operations.

Agricultural aviation in California is subject to both state and federal regulations governing pesticide application, including requirements administered by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) and county agricultural commissioners. Pilots conducting aerial application must hold a valid California commercial pesticide applicator license and coordinate with the Sacramento County Agricultural Commissioner's office prior to application work. Regarding noise, there are no published noise abatement procedures specific to Van Dyke Strip itself, though agricultural operators are generally expected to avoid unnecessary low passes over populated areas and to conduct operations during daylight hours unless specific conditions and permissions apply. The broader airspace around the area is uncontrolled Class G below 1,200 feet AGL, transitioning to Class E above, with no significant airspace restrictions affecting normal agricultural flight operations.

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