Jacqueline Cochran Regional (KTRM)

I’ve been flying into Thermal for years and Thermal Aviation is always my choice. Really accommodating crew, and the gentleman working on Memorial Day today took excellent care of us. They’re our go-to whenever we’re coming into or heading out of TRM. They make lots of announcements on the CTAF. You’ll hear everything from trainers and firefighting aircraft to sheriff and private jets. The call is THERMAL TRAFFIC. Even with the comments on ForeFlight, I still consistently hear “Cochran Regional.”

Thermal was the name everyone used originally-short and familiar to all but the newbies. It stays busy, with jets, turbos, and helicopters crossing 17/35, while VFR students work the pattern and IFR students shoot the 30 approach. Runway 35 is usually the quieter one, but departing jets regularly skip it to avoid the extra taxi. I got my licence here, and it's a great place to train. You see just about everything, including some crazy stuff. Come prepared: ADSB-in, a really good headset, and remember that Thermal Traffic is the call.

When departing IFR under a release time, SoCal expects you to report airborne almost right after takeoff.