About Us
The Corona Pilots Association (CPA) is a volunteer-run, non-profit community of more than 150 pilots and aviation enthusiasts based at Corona Municipal Airport (KAJO). Founded in 1980, our mission is to promote a safe, vibrant, and welcoming airport environment for the local aviation community. We bring people together through BBQs, pancake breakfasts, holiday potlucks, member fly-outs, and many other social events that celebrate flying and friendship.
Who We Are
The Corona Pilots Association, Inc. is led by an elected board of volunteer officers. Members are invited to run for office as positions become available; our board includes a President, Secretary, and Treasurer. We operate as a 501(c) non-profit organization dedicated to serving both pilots and neighbors in and around Corona.
What We Do
- Host fly-ins, open houses, mud runs, car and aircraft shows, and toy-drive events that support charitable causes.
- Award Young Flyer Scholarships to aspiring pilots ages 16–19 to help them begin flight training, with more than $5,000 in scholarships awarded recently.
- Honor members and friends who have “Flown West” with memorial luncheons featuring a traditional Missing Man formation, flown through the generosity of the performance team Dawn Patrol.
- Partner with Wreaths Across America to place balsam wreaths on veterans’ headstones at cemeteries across the country.
In November 2025, our website was redesigned after our previous hosting provider discontinued the platform, which caused our old site to stop functioning. Because the old site couldn’t be migrated, we took the opportunity to rebuild the site from the ground up. After using that platform for over 20 years, this update marks an exciting new chapter for our online presence with a new, modern look.
A huge thanks to Spencer, who single-handedly volunteered his time and effort to make this entire redesign possible!!!
You can visit a preserved snapshot of our old website HERE, kept online for history and nostalgia.
The Airport Over The Years
The City of Corona
Corona was founded in 1896. Following the citrus boom, Corona was originally called the Town of South Riverside and was renamed the City of Corona on July 13, 1896, when it was incorporated. The name change was prompted by its distinctive circular street, Grand Boulevard, which is Spanish for “crown”.
Early Airstrip
Corona’s first public-use airport was established in 1956 on Thursby Ranch, east of the city. It was a dirt strip made possible by local rancher John Scott Thursby. Due to growing development and road construction, the airstrip was eventually decommissioned.
Relocation to Prado Basin
In 1958, the City of Corona began operating the dirt airstrip, but freeway expansion forced a move. By 1959, the city had leased land from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers within the Prado Flood Control Basin. A new facility was completed and designated Airport L-66 by the FAA. It would later become Corona Municipal Airport (KAJO). The original layout included a 3,000-foot runway and a parallel taxiway.
Runway Upgrade and Funding
In 1963, the city requested FAA funds to construct a new runway north of the existing facilities. That request was denied due to lease restrictions with the Army Corps and limited federal resources. The city successfully obtained a tentative funding allocation from the California Aeronautics Board in 1968.
1969 Flood and Runway Construction
During a period of extended rainfall in 1969, the water level behind Prado Dam rose significantly. The airport, located entirely within the Prado Flood Basin, was submerged. Aircraft were relocated to higher ground or nearby areas. Minimal damage occurred, but the event highlighted the vulnerability of the location. In 1970, construction was completed on a new paved 3,200-ft by 60-ft runway with a full-length, 30-ft-wide parallel taxiway. The old runway was removed, and its former taxiway now serves as the airport access road.
Additional flood events occurred in 2010 and 2021. Although the airport was affected, damage was limited.
Alcoa Dike Project
In 2023, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) completed the Alcoa Dike Project along the north and east side of the Prado Basin. This high earthen levee and flood-protection feature was built to shield nearby neighborhoods, roads, and businesses in Corona from flooding during a “190-year” storm event, a severe weather event with an estimated 0.5% chance of occurring in any given year. The airport itself, however, remains inside the Prado Flood Basin and is not protected by the dike.
Airport Today
Today, the airport supports a wide range of general aviation activity on a daily basis. Both fixed-wing and helicopter operations are conducted regularly, including flight training and recreational flying. KAJO is an untowered field and hosts an array of aviation businesses from local flight schools and maintenance shops to the popular Airport Café. With its central location and pilot-friendly layout, Corona Municipal Airport serves as an ideal gateway for exploring Southern California by air.
