Brown Field Municipal
SDM · KSDM · San Diego, California · San Diego County · map
Brown Field Municipal is a public-use airport owned by the City of San Diego, 13 miles southeast of San Diego, California, 526 feet above sea level. It has 2 runways; the longest, 08L/26R, is 7,972 feet of asphalt and concrete. It has a control tower, fuel (100LL avgas, Jet A, Jet A with additive) and about 159 general-aviation aircraft based on the field by the FAA's count. The receiver network heard 6 different aircraft arrive or depart here in the last seven days. The FAA counts about 88,965 takeoffs and landings a year. About 104 passengers boarded flights here in the FAA's fiscal year 2024.
Quick answers answers refresh every morning
What is the airport code for Brown Field Municipal?
Its FAA code is SDM, and its ICAO code is KSDM.
Where is Brown Field Municipal?
It is 13 miles southeast of San Diego, California, 526 feet above sea level.
How long is the longest runway at Brown Field Municipal?
The longest of its 2 runways, 08L/26R, is 7,972 feet long.
Does Brown Field Municipal have a control tower?
Yes, it has a control tower.
What fuel can you buy at Brown Field Municipal?
The FAA's airport file lists 100LL avgas, Jet A, Jet A with additive.
Where can you fly nonstop from Brown Field Municipal?
Airline flights go to 8 airports, the busiest of them Perot Fld/Fort Worth Alliance, Phoenix Sky Harbor International, Republic, Greenville Spartanburg International, Jack Northrop Fld/Hawthorne Municipal. Every route
Where are the nearest FAA examiners to Brown Field Municipal?
14 pilot examiners and 17 aviation medical examiners work within 50 nautical miles. See them by name
Weather and planning now, the forecast, warnings, pilot reports, winds aloft, restrictions
Fetching the weather now, the forecast, the warnings in force, pilot reports and the winds aloft for Brown Field Municipal…
Wind map live wind over the area, from Windy.com
Colours show wind speed, the moving lines its direction; drag the time bar for the coming days. Map and forecast by Windy.com.
The airport facts, runways, radio, fuel and services, the FAA's remarks
The airport
- Codes
- FAA SDM · ICAO KSDM
- Kind
- Airport · open to the public · publicly owned
- Owner
- City of San Diego
- Elevation
- 526 feet above sea level
- Control tower
- A control tower · 8:00 am to 8:00 pm
- Attended
- every day, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
- Lights
- runway lights see the remarks below; beacon sunset to sunrise
- Fuel and services
- 100LL avgas, Jet A, Jet A with additive; the services card below
- On the chart
- Los Angeles sectional
- Magnetic variation
- 14E
- In the FAA's files since
- March 1948
Runways 2
For understanding the field, not for navigation.
| Runway | Length × width | Surface | Lights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08L/26R | 7,972 × 150 ft | Asphalt and concrete, good | High-intensity lights |
| 08R/26L | 3,185 × 75 ft | Asphalt, good | Medium-intensity lights |
- Runway 08L: PAPI, four lights on the left
- Runway 26R: PAPI, four lights on the left, right-hand traffic pattern
- Runway 08R: right-hand traffic pattern
Radio frequencies
| Common traffic advisory (CTAF) · Tower | 128.25 | Brown |
| UNICOM | 122.95 | |
| ATIS (recorded airport information) · Sdm and automated weather (ASOS) | 132.35 | Brown |
| Clearance delivery · Ground | 124.4 | Brown |
| Approach · Chasr and star · Class B airspace 062-109 San 14,000 feet and below | 124.35 | Brown |
| Departure | 125.15 | Brown |
| Departure procedure (CWARD) · Departure procedure (PADRZ) | 119.6 | Brown |
Automated weather (ASOS), by phone 619-333-1055.
Fuel and services as reported to the FAA
- Fuel
- 100LL avgas, Jet A, Jet A with additive
- Repairs
- airframe and engine: major repairs
- Parking
- tie-downs
- Oxygen
- bottled oxygen (high- and low-pressure), bulk oxygen (high- and low-pressure)
- Also here
- air freight, avionics, cargo handling, charter flights, flight instruction, parachute jumping, aircraft rental, aircraft sales
Other fields with jet fuel nearby: San Diego International (14 nm northwest), Gillespie Field (15 nm north), Montgomery-Gibbs Executive (17 nm northwest).
The FAA's file records what is sold and done at the field, as the airport manager reports it, not who sells it or the price; fuel sellers (FBOs) are not named in any public file. Airports selling jet fuel in California · avgas.
The FAA's remarks as written in the airport file, spelled out
- Be alert to airport bdry one mile north from mexican/U.S. international border.
- Activate runway end identifier lights runway 08L, PAPI runway 08L and runway 26R, high-intensity runway lights runway 08L/26R, and medium-intensity runway lights runway 08R/26L - the common traffic frequency.
- <pattern altitude: runway 8L-26R 1000'AGL; 8R-26L 600'AGL.
- Runway 26R PAPI unusable beyond 3 NM.
- No engine operations on ramps except as necessary for arrivals/departures.
- Para jumping on airport and 3 miles east.
- Be alert to high terrain 3,566 feet. Above sea level six miles east of airport.
- Be alert when departing on runway 08L at night due to rising terrain to the east.
- Noise sensitive areas approx 1 mile west of airport, 1/2 mile northwest, and 2 miles north.
- Taxiway G west of taxiway B restricted to aircraft with wingspans of 133 feet or less.
- Avoid dct overflight of pio pico energy center below 2000 feet above ground level, 3 NM east of AP.
Flights and activity in the air now, the airlines, based aircraft, takeoffs and landings
Activity now checking the volunteer receiver network…
Within ten miles
- Looking…
Arrivals and departures, last hour
- Looking…
From the volunteer receiver network, a few minutes behind at most; aircraft whose owners asked the FAA not to be displayed are left out; no person is named. Open the live map here.
Scheduled and charter flights from here the DOT's airline reports · August 2025 to July 2026
Airlines reported 16 departures from SDM in those twelve months, carrying 79 passengers in 154 seats (51% filled), to 12 destinations (1 abroad) on 6 airlines.
All 12 destinations, the airlines and the aircraft, month by month
From the Bureau of Transportation Statistics' T-100 table: every segment an airline reported flying, three months in arrears. Private, business and training flights are not in it; the live picture is in the activity card.
Based aircraft as counted for the FAA, fiscal year 2024
Based aircraft, as a table
| aircraft | |
|---|---|
| single-engine | 127 |
| multi-engine | 17 |
| jets | 7 |
| helicopters | 8 |
The FAA's count is the general-aviation aircraft kept on the field (singles, twins, business jets, helicopters) from its Terminal Area Forecast, the latest year with an actual count; airline fleets are never counted as based anywhere, so a big airline airport shows a small number. The aircraft heard arriving or departing are the site's own record from the volunteer receiver network, airliners included; aircraft whose owners asked the FAA not to be displayed are left out. The register section below shows how many aircraft are registered to owners in town, a different measure again.
Takeoffs and landings a year about 88,965, the FAA's fiscal year 2024 (October 2023 to September 2024)
Takeoffs and landings, as a table
| a year | |
|---|---|
| airline | 45 |
| air taxi and commuter | 2,539 |
| general aviation, travelling | 32,930 |
| general aviation, local | 50,389 |
| military | 3,062 |
Local flights stay in the traffic pattern or nearby, often practice; travelling flights arrive from or leave for somewhere else. Counts at airports without a tower are the FAA's estimates. How this compares nationally: Airports by the numbers.
Who flies and works here aircraft registered in town, the companies, the examiners nearby
Aircraft registered in San Diego from the FAA register
683 aircraft are registered to owners in San Diego, California: 476 piston singles, 46 drones, 33 piston twins, 33 business jets, 32 helicopters. Not every one of them is based at this airport; the based-aircraft count above is the FAA's figure for this airport alone.
Companies and organisations in town with two or more aircraft:
Individuals are counted, not named (the site's policy at this time). All aircraft registered in California.
Who works here from the FAA's certificate lists and the register
Charter operators and airlines based in San Diego:
- Latitude 33 Aviation, LLC 16 aircraft on the certificate
- Shier Aviation Corp 6 aircraft on the certificate
- Raven Helicopters, LLC 1 aircraft on the certificate
- San Diego Air Service, Inc. 1 aircraft on the certificate
Repair stations in San Diego:
- Amentum Services, INC
- Chromalloy Gas Turbine Corporation
- Coast Aviation Services
- Delta Group Electronics INC
- Flame Spray INC
- Gibbs Service Center INC Aircraft Service Center SD is a FAA Part 145 repair station in San Diego providing aircraft maintenance, avionics service, and repairs.
- Hm Aeronautics INC Montgomery Avionics and Aircraft Services is a repair station in San Diego, California, providing avionics installation and troubleshooting, pitot/static certifications, and light maintenance for LSA and experimental aircraft.
- Kontron America INC
- Pacific Aircraft Maintenance
- Safran Power Units San Diego LLC
- Shier Aviation CORP
Companies in the same town as this airport, and schools within about 15 miles of it (each placed at the main public airport of its town, or at the town's centre); not every one of them works from this field. All operators · all repair stations · all flight schools · all FBOs.
Examiners and inspectors nearby designated by the FAA · within 50 nautical miles
14 pilot examiners (the FAA's designated pilot examiners, who give the practical tests for pilot certificates) are based within 50 nautical miles: 14 for private pilot, 13 for commercial and instrument, 9 for airline transport pilot, 12 for flight instructor, 4 for sport pilot; 13 for airplanes, 10 for multi-engine airplanes, 1 for helicopters. Also nearby: 2 sport aviation examiners, 17 aviation medical examiners, 2 mechanic examiners, 3 airworthiness representatives (manufacturing), 6 engineering representatives, 1 parachute rigger examiner, 10 training center evaluators, 2 training center examiners, 9 administrative pilot examiners.
- Alejandro Silva private pilot; airplanes · Provectus Aviation Unlimited, LLC · El Cajon, CA (13 nm) · (619) 504-9129 · [email protected]
- Rodney Anderson private pilot, commercial and instrument, airline transport pilot, flight instructor, instrument instructor, commercial pilot, instructor renewals, military competency, ground instructor, foreign pilot certificates; helicopters · Circle Air · El Cajon, CA (13 nm) · (714) 757-0066 · [email protected]
- David William Leonard private pilot, commercial and instrument, airline transport pilot, flight instructor, instrument instructor, sport pilot, instructor renewals, military competency, ground instructor, foreign pilot certificates; airplanes, multi-engine airplanes · San Diego, CA (17 nm) · (619) 274-0804 · [email protected]
- Gregory Michael Madariaga private pilot, commercial and instrument, airline transport pilot, flight instructor, sport pilot; airplanes, multi-engine airplanes · San Diego, CA (17 nm) · (818) 402-4860 · [email protected]
- Jay Eugene Brentzel private pilot, commercial and instrument, airline transport pilot, flight instructor, instrument instructor, instructor renewals, military competency, ground instructor, foreign pilot certificates; airplanes, multi-engine airplanes · San Diego, CA (17 nm) · (619) 341-0320 · [email protected]
- John Warren Hardy private pilot, commercial and instrument, airline transport pilot, flight instructor, instructor renewals, military competency, ground instructor, foreign pilot certificates; airplanes, multi-engine airplanes · San Diego, CA (17 nm) · (858) 722-2571 · [email protected]
- Mary Adene Schu private pilot, commercial and instrument, airline transport pilot, flight instructor, instrument instructor, sport pilot; airplanes, multi-engine airplanes · Coast flight training · San Diego, CA (17 nm) · (541) 390-3980 · [email protected]
- Ronald Ray Greathouse private pilot, commercial and instrument, flight instructor; airplanes, multi-engine airplanes · San Diego, CA (17 nm) · (619) 992-7030 · [email protected]
All 66 nearby, by kind, with contact details
What each kind does
- DPE: Designated Pilot Examiner: gives the practical tests (checkrides) for pilot certificates and ratings.
- SAE: Sport Aviation Examiner: gives the tests for sport pilot certificates and light-sport aircraft.
- AME: Aviation Medical Examiner: a doctor who issues the medical certificates pilots must hold.
- DME: Designated Mechanic Examiner: tests candidates for the mechanic certificate (airframe and powerplant).
- DAR-F: Designated Airworthiness Representative, manufacturing: issues airworthiness certificates for newly built aircraft and parts.
- DER-T: Designated Engineering Representative: approves engineering data for repairs and alterations on the FAA's behalf.
- DPRE: Designated Parachute Rigger Examiner: tests candidates for the parachute rigger certificate.
- TCE: Training Center Evaluator: gives tests at a simulator training center.
- DCTO-E: Designee at a certificated training organisation.
- Admin-PE: Administrative Pilot Examiner: handles certificate paperwork rather than flight tests.
Designees are listed with the name and contact details the FAA publishes for them on its designee locator (read October 10, 2026): the FAA lists them so that pilots, mechanics and companies can find them. Private individuals are not named, the site's policy at this time. A designee who would rather not appear here can ask us through the contact address on the About page. Each designee is placed at the main public airport of the town the FAA lists (or the nearest one to its zip code), so "nearby" means the town, not an exact address. All examiners by state.
Safety record the NTSB's cases at or near this airport
Accidents and incidents at or near this airport NTSB records · 30 since 1982, 10 fatal
Cases the NTSB recorded with this as the nearest airport, newest first. Each opens the full report in plain English. The country as a whole: Where accidents happen.
Nearby within 30 nautical miles
Connections how this airport links to the rest of the register
- Aircraft registered in San Diego 683 aircraft · 476 piston singles, 46 drones, 33 piston twins
- Firestorm Labs INC 34 aircraft in town
- Coast Flight Training and Management INC 28 aircraft in town
- Freedom Flight Works INC 15 aircraft in town
- First Flight CORP 9 aircraft in town
- Latitude 33 Aviation, LLC 16 aircraft on the certificate · charter operator
- Shier Aviation Corp 6 aircraft on the certificate · charter operator
- Raven Helicopters, LLC 1 aircraft on the certificate · charter operator
- San Diego Air Service, Inc. 1 aircraft on the certificate · charter operator
- Amentum Services, INC · repair station
- Chromalloy Gas Turbine Corporation · repair station
- Coast Aviation Services · repair station
- Delta Group Electronics INC · repair station
- Perot Fld/Fort Worth Alliance (AFW) 3 flights in twelve months · USA Jet Airlines Inc., Gulf And Caribbean Cargo
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX) 3 flights in twelve months · CFM Inc d/b/a Contour Airlines d/b/a One Jet Shuttle
- Republic (FRG) 1 flights in twelve months · Tatonduk Outfitters Limited d/b/a Everts Air Alaska and Everts Air Cargo
- Greenville Spartanburg International (GSP) 1 flights in twelve months · Tatonduk Outfitters Limited d/b/a Everts Air Alaska and Everts Air Cargo
- Jack Northrop Fld/Hawthorne Municipal (HHR) 1 flights in twelve months · ADVANCED AIR, LLC
- Laramie Regional (LAR) 1 flights in twelve months · CFM Inc d/b/a Contour Airlines d/b/a One Jet Shuttle
- Modesto City-County-Harry Sham Field (MOD) 1 flights in twelve months · Scott Aviation, LLC d/b/a Silver Air
- Puebla (PBC) 1 flights in twelve months · USA Jet Airlines Inc.
- NTSB accidents and incidents at or near this airport 30 since 1982 · 10 fatal
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,069 since 1982 · 1,087 in the last ten years
- Nearby landing places within 30 nautical miles 8 airports, heliports and seaplane bases
- Public-use airports in California 244 landing places
- California 27,642 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/airport/SDM.json.
Facts from the FAA's airport file effective October 1, 2026, written out in plain English; weather from the National Weather Service's aviation weather service; registered aircraft from the FAA register as of October 26, 2026; accidents from the NTSB's public database. Owners are shown only when they are an organisation; no person is named. Check the official sources before a flight: this page is for understanding an airport, not for planning one.