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Flabob Airport (RIR)

A hundred years of flying across the river from Riverside: the field where EAA Chapter 1 began, what is there today and what to do nearby.

The airport at a glance

Flabob is a small, privately owned airport open to the public, in Jurupa Valley at the foot of Mount Rubidoux. It has one runway, no control tower and no airline flights. What it has is history: it is one of the oldest airports still operating in California, and the home of vintage airplanes, homebuilders and EAA Chapter 1.

Today it is run by the Tom Wathen Center, a nonprofit whose focus is introducing young people and veterans to aviation, with a charter school and youth programs on the field.

Identifiers
RIR (FAA) · KRIR (ICAO)
Address
4130 Mennes Ave, Jurupa Valley, CA 92509
Where
About 3 miles northwest of downtown Riverside, across the Santa Ana River
Owner
Flabob Airport, LLC, privately owned, open to the public
Run by
The Tom Wathen Center, a nonprofit
Elevation
767 feet
Runway 6/24
3,190 by 50 feet, asphalt
Tower
None. Pilots announce themselves on 122.8
Fuel
100LL, self serve

A short history

Riverside's flying started here, years before the city's current airport existed.

  1. 1925The City of Riverside sets up a commission on aeronautics and takes over a field on Mission Boulevard. Roman Warren makes the first landing and runs the field.
  2. 1926Warren flies a Thomas-Morse Scout under the Rubidoux bridge, in front of a crowd of thousands.
  3. 1938The Santa Ana River floods the field.
  4. 1940sFlavio Madariaga and Bob Bogen buy the airport and name it after themselves: Fla from Flavio, Bob from Bob. Madariaga builds it up with a hangar from March Field and buildings from Camp Haan.
  5. 1954Ray Stits, who built airplanes on the field, founds EAA Chapter 1 here, the first local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association. Madariaga is a charter member.
  6. 2000The Tom Wathen Foundation buys the airport to keep it flying and turns it toward education.
  7. 2025Flabob marks 100 years of flying with a centennial fly-in.

Things to do at and near Flabob

You do not need an airplane to enjoy Flabob. These are the reasons to go, on the field and a few minutes from it. Check each one's own site for hours before you go.

  1. 1.Flabob Cafe

    The airport restaurant, decorated with vintage airplane parts and photos, with a view of the runway. Open every day from 7 am to 3 pm.

    Good for: Breakfast, watching airplanes·Visit site

  2. 2.Antique and Classic Aircraft Display Day

    Every third Saturday from 8 am to noon, owners park their antique and classic airplanes at the Red Barn Aviation hangar on the west end of the field, near the fuel pumps.

    Good for: Old airplanes, a Saturday morning·Visit site

  3. 3.EAA Chapter 1 Young Eagles

    The chapter offers free introductory flights for kids 8 to 17 on some Saturdays, usually alongside a pancake breakfast. Check the chapter's event list for dates.

    Good for: Kids who love airplanes·Visit site

  4. 4.Mount Rubidoux

    A 1,331 foot hill just across the river, with paved paths closed to cars, open dawn to dusk, and views across the whole valley from the cross at the top.

    Good for: A morning hike, views·Visit site

  5. 5.Jensen-Alvarado Ranch Historic Park

    A working historic ranch from the early 1870s, about 30 acres run by Riverside County Parks, a few minutes from the field. Hours vary, so call ahead.

    Good for: History, kids·Visit site

  6. 6.Santa Ana River Trail

    The trail runs along the river right beside the airport, for walking, running and cycling. Martha McLean-Anza Narrows Park is one of the trailheads.

    Good for: A bike ride, a walk·Visit site

  7. 7.Jurupa Mountains Discovery Center

    An earth science museum with dinosaur replicas and fossil digs, open Saturdays and Sundays from 9 am to 3 pm.

    Good for: Kids, a weekend·Visit site

  8. 8.Riverside Municipal Airport

    Riverside's city airport, about three miles away, with a control tower and a 5,401 foot runway. Busier and more modern than Flabob, and where most of Riverside's flight training happens.

    Good for: Learning to fly·Read the guide

CFII's Tecnam P-Mentor training airplanes in our hangar at Riverside Municipal Airport

Learn to fly nearby

CFII flies out of Riverside Municipal Airport, a few miles from Flabob. Our training fleet is factory-new Tecnam P-Mentors with glass cockpits, and every one carries a whole-airplane parachute. Try it with a one hour discovery flight, no experience needed.

Book a discovery flightFlying lessons in RiversidePlanes with parachutes

Questions

Where is Flabob Airport?

At 4130 Mennes Ave in Jurupa Valley, CA 92509, about 3 miles northwest of downtown Riverside, across the Santa Ana River near Mount Rubidoux.

What is the airport code for Flabob?

RIR is the FAA identifier. KRIR is the ICAO code.

Where does the name Flabob come from?

From its owners in the 1940s, Flavio Madariaga and Bob Bogen. They took the first letters of their first names, Fla and Bob.

Is Flabob the same as Riverside Airport?

No. Riverside Municipal Airport (KRAL) is the city's airport, about three miles away, with a control tower. Flabob is a smaller private field with no tower, known for vintage and homebuilt airplanes.

Is the Flabob Cafe open to the public?

Yes. Anyone can eat there, no airplane needed. It is open every day from 7 am to 3 pm.

Can I learn to fly near Flabob?

Yes. CFII trains at Riverside Municipal Airport, a few miles away, in factory-new Tecnam P-Mentors with a whole-airplane parachute. A discovery flight is the easiest way to try it.

Sources

Airport figures as published by the FAA and the airport, checked 2026-10-09. Frequencies and hours change: pilots should use the current Chart Supplement, not this page.

Come see the field.

Walk our hangar at Riverside Municipal, a few miles from Flabob, sit in a factory-new cockpit and meet the instructors. Bring whoever is part of the decision.

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