March Air Reserve Base traffic pattern
Pattern altitude at March Air Reserve Base (RIV · KRIV) is 2,500 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) by the standard convention — none is published for this field, and every runway end is standard left traffic.
All of March Air Reserve Base — runways, frequencies, charts and live weatherPattern diagram
Drawn to scale from the FAA NASR runway alignments and the per end right traffic flags — pick a runway to see its pattern. Live wind picks the favored runway when KRIV reports it.
RWY 14LEFT traffic
- Heading
- 135° mag · 149° true
- Dimensions
- 13,302 × 200 ft
- TPA
- 2,500 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) · standard
- Surface
- Concrete
- Lights
- 4-light PAPI (left) (2.59°)
More details — RWY 14
- Threshold elev
- 1,536 ft
- Markings
- basic
- Threshold crossing height
- 56 ft
- TDZ elevation
- 1,536 ft
- Arresting gear
- BAK-12
Pattern side: FAA NASR · TPA standard 1,000 ft AGL (not charted) · layout: FAA runway-end coordinates
Pattern direction by runway
| Runway | Pattern | Heading | Pattern altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Left traffic | 135° mag | 2,500 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) |
| 32 | Left traffic | 315° mag | 2,500 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) |
No pattern altitude is published for KRIV; the figure above is the AC 90-66B 1,000 ft AGL convention for propeller aircraft, rounded to the field. Turbine aircraft normally fly 1,500 ft AGL. Headings are the runway alignment; downwind is the reciprocal.
Flying the pattern at KRIV
March Air Reserve Base is towered, working 127.65. Contact the tower before entering the surface area and fly the pattern you are assigned — the directions below are the charted default when no instruction is given.
All ends are left traffic, which is the FAR 91.126 default — turns to the left unless the field charts otherwise. The full entry procedure is here →
Frequently asked
What is the traffic pattern altitude at KRIV?
March Air Reserve Base has no traffic pattern altitude published in the FAA NASR data. The AC 90-66B convention for propeller aircraft is 1,000 ft AGL, which works out to roughly 2,500 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) here — but confirm it against the Chart Supplement before you fly, since a field can have a non standard pattern altitude that NASR does not carry.
Does KRIV have right traffic?
No. All 2 runway ends at March Air Reserve Base use standard left traffic, so no right pattern is charted here.
Do I fly a standard pattern at KRIV?
March Air Reserve Base is towered (127.65), so the pattern shown here is the charted default — but the controller's instruction overrides it. Expect straight in approaches, base entries and midfield crossings as traffic dictates.
More about KRIV
Pattern direction and alignment are drawn from the FAA NASR (28-day cycle); the diagram is generated, not an FAA chart. Pattern altitude is shown as published where NASR carries one, otherwise as the AC 90-66B 1,000 ft AGL convention. For planning and education only; always verify against the Chart Supplement.