Having been based at quite a few different airbases around the world I think what you are looking at is a compass swing pad which is what is used by Avionic technicians to test the compasses and assiciated systems on A/C.

Sv...Out!

Originally posted by Silentvulcan
Having been based at quite a few different airbases around the world I think what you are looking at is a compass swing pad which is what is used by Avionic technicians to test the compasses and assiciated systems on A/C.

Can you provide the location of any other bases that have what you're speaking of?

Nearly every military or civillian airbase will have a compass swing pad or designated area, whatever country they are in!

Having spent 26 years in the RAF I have seen these pads at every base I have ever been on or detached too!

Nothing sinister...just somewhere where A/C systems are calibrated.

SV...Out!

Looks like minature cricket field!

the correct term is a "compass rose"....and this pic isnt one of those. that's not a taxiway leading up to the area in question, it's a small vehicle type road, and a compass rose would have a line for evey ten degrees of the compass....IOW you would see 60 lines inside the circle. my question is where exactly is this? because i dont see anything that even resembles an airport anywhere near this runway. i'm thinking that the c5 sitting at the hold short line is there for effect, and that this is a mock up for practicing airfield attacks.

Originally posted by snafu7700
my question is where exactly is this? because i dont see anything that even resembles an airport anywhere near this runway.

The answer to your question is in the very first post. The runway in question is located in Herlong California on a military ammo depot site.

[edit on 4-11-2006 by amehrich]

If I'm not mistaken I believe it is a clear zone for munitions and solid rocket fuel which this base was used to dispose of. (Sierra Army Depot / Amedee Airfield
Herlong, CA)

Originally posted by Always Trust_no1
If I'm not mistaken I believe it is a clear zone for munitions and solid rocket fuel which this base was used to dispose of.

Thanks for the post. Can you please elaborate on what a "clear zone" is used for? I'm not familiar with that term.

Originally posted by Daedalus3
Looks like minature cricket field!

Oh yes, but since when have the yankees been able to play that wonderful sport (not a fan myself, don't even know the rules, just seemed like a nice thing to say)

Byrd, interesting find...

Having read through some of that content my conclusion is that it's not a compass swinging site. Here's a quote from the pdf link you posted...

"A Compass Swinging Site is a prepared area, with minimum magnetic abnormalities,
on which an aircraft may be oriented (or swung) to various headings, for the purpose of
checking the aircraft on-board compass system(s), including the standby compass."

How can an aircraft be oriented in that circle when only a narrow paved road leads to it? Zoom in as close you can to the access road and you'll see that both sides of the road appear unmaintained unlike the circle itself. Do you think they would drive million dollar planes through unmaintained terrain to orient a compass? I would think not.

Originally posted by amehrich

The answer to your question is in the very first post. The runway in question is located in Herlong California on a military ammo depot site.

sorry, i missed that part, but now i understand.....this is a hazardous cargo loading area, which is why it seems to be out in the middle of nowhere.