Santa Paula Airport

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Santa Paula Airport

IATA: SZP - ICAO: KSZP - FAA: SZP
Summary
Airport type		Public
Operator		Santa Paula Airport Association
Serves		Santa Paula, California
Elevation AMSL		245 ft (74.7 m)
Coordinates		34°20′50″N, 119°03′40″W
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
Direction	ft	m	Surface
4/22	2,650	808	Asphalt
Helipads
Number	Size		Surface
Number	ft	m	Surface
H1	60	18	Asphalt

Santa Paula Airport (IATA: SZP, ICAO: KSZP, FAA LID: SZP) is a privately-owned public-use airport located one mile (2 km) southeast of the central business district (CBD) of Santa Paula, a city in Ventura County, California, USA. The airport has one runway and one helipad exclusively serving privately-operated general aviation aircraft with no scheduled commercial service.

1 History
2 Airport Today
3 2005 Flood Disaster
4 Facilities
5 References
6 External links

[edit] History

Santa Paula Airport was originally established in 1927 when a local rancher purchased an OX-5 and based it at the small dirt airstrip on his ranch. Not long after, a hangar was constructed, drawing more local aircraft owners to the airstrip. One year later the Santa Clara Valley flooded following the collapse of the St. Francis Dam, taking many lives and destroying acres of property along the Santa Clara River where the ranch was built. Recognizing an opportunity for an airport in the area, Ralph Dickenson and Dan Emmet obtained $1,000 from 19 local ranchers and purchased additional land adjacent to the river. In 1930, following two years of personal construction and development by these founders, the newly-named Santa Paula Airport opened to the public with a lavish celebration of aerobatics, celebrity appearances, and aircraft.^[1]

[edit] Airport Today

Today Santa Paula Airport is a non-towered facility handling approximately 97,000 arrivals and/or departures a year, and is home to over 259 individual aircraft. As of February 2007, no Fixed Base Operators are currently headquartered at the airfield.^[2]

The airport today is smaller than local airports, primarily serving the local community and providing hangar space for pilots of nearby communities. Much of the original 1930’s-era facilities still exist and are used today, giving the airport a very authentic representation of the Golden Age of Aviation. As a result of the airport’s history and theme, many vintage aircraft owners have long sought hangar space at the airport’s limited facilities for use and display.

[edit] 2005 Flood Disaster

On February 21st and 22nd, 2005, Santa Paula Airport was heavily damaged when the rain swollen Santa Clara River ate into the airport property destroying airplane tiedowns, ramp and approximately 600 feet of part of the western one-third of the runway. The airport’s only flight school CP Aviation moved to nearby Oxnard Airport and continues to operate there today as a result of the damage. Repairs began in March 2005 following the recession of floodwaters, and as of February 2007, the airport is again fully-open to the public.^[3]

[edit] Facilities

Santa Paula Airport covers 38 acres and has one runway and one helipad:

Runway 4/22: 2,650 x 60 ft. (808 x 18 m), Surface: Asphalt
Helipad H1: 60 x 60 ft. (18 x 18 m), Surface: Asphalt

The Logsdon Cafe is a large restaurant adjacent the runway on the airport property.
The Aviation Museum of Santa Paula is headquartered at the airport.