ASKA founders acquire historic Eagle Field airport

The founders of ASKA, developer of the ASKA A5 roadable electric-hybrid VTOL (Vertical and Takeoff and Landing) aircraft, announced the acquisition of Eagle Field (FAA LID: CL01), a private airport located in Fresno County, California. ASKA has officially relocated its operations from Mountain View, CA to Eagle Field.

Originally established in 1942 as a U.S. Army Air Field and primary pilot training school where approximately 5,000 pilots were trained, Eagle Field holds a significant place in aviation history. Today, it serves as a uniquely equipped aviation and innovation site, spanning over 350 acres. The site features a 2,300 ft active runway, a helipad and more than 70,000 square feet of hangars, workshops, and support infrastructure. The airfield is centrally located in Northern California, and close to I-5, readily accessible from the cities of Fresno, Sacramento, Bakersfield, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles, and 35–40 minutes by air from Silicon Valley and Monterey.

ASKA further announces that in May 2025 the FAA granted two important approvals:

1) Renewal of the ASKA A5 prototype’s airworthiness certificate as an Experimental R&D Unmanned Aircraft, following an inspection;

2) Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) approving Eagle Field as one of the test sites with an expanded flight test area.

The acquisition of Eagle Field provides ASKA with continuous access to a test field, complete with open airspace and ground facilities. With the renewed Special Airworthiness Certificate and COA, the A5 prototype (N901NF) is authorized to continue flight testing, further validating its vertical flight stability and maneuverability.

Guy Kaplinsky, CoFounder & CEO, comments: “Acquiring Eagle Field is a major milestone in ASKA’s mission to transform air mobility and a critical step toward establishing advanced manufacturing here in the United States. This move allows us to accelerate development and testing in a location rich with aviation history and ideally positioned to support a new era of innovation—designed, tested, and built in America.”

Maki Kaplinsky, CoFounder & Chair/COO states: “Eagle Field’s historic legacy and strategic location immediately stood out to us. It offers the infrastructure, flexibility, and space needed to support ASKA’s growth—from advanced flight testing to future production. We are also looking forward to building strong regional partnerships that will help shape the future of aviation and workforce development in California’s Central Valley and beyond."