LA/Palmdale Regional Airport

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LA/Palmdale Regional Airport

IATA: PMD – ICAO: KPMD
Summary
Airport type Public
Operator Los Angeles World Airports &
U.S. Air Force
Location Palmdale, California
Elevation AMSL 2,543 ft / 775.1 m
Coordinates 34°37′46″N 118°05′04″W / 34.62944, -118.08444
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
7/25 12,002 3,658 Concrete
4/22 12,001 3,658 Concrete
7L/25R 6,000 1,829 Asphalt

LA/Palmdale Regional Airport (IATA: PMD, ICAO: KPMD), also United States Air Force Plant 42, is an airport in the city of Palmdale in Los Angeles County, California, United States.

This airport is generally considered one of the largest civilian airports in the world due to the size of the 5,800 acres (23 km²) Plant 42 operates and the surrounding 17,500 acres (69.4 km²) of LAWA owned land. It serves predominantly as a manufacturing plant for aircraft used by the United States military forces. It is also planned for expanded commercial service. The airport currently has a small commercial air terminal owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), a department of the City of Los Angeles.

Contents

[edit] History

Built in 1940, Palmdale Airport was operated by the United States Government, primarily as an emergency landing strip. In 1946 its operation was turned over to Los Angeles County, for private use. In 1950, the airport was again taken over by the Federal Government for use in building and testing military aircraft, thus establishing operation of United States Air Force Plant 42.

In 1966 The Los Angeles Department of Airports, now called Los Angeles World Airports, LAWA, acquired several thousand acres of land around Plant 42 to be developed into the future "Palmdale Intercontinental Airport," with the goal of surpassing the air traffic of LAX. To date, LAWA has so far not developed its Palmdale airport beyond that of a small commuter airport serving only the Antelope Valley. With few airlines able to sustain long-term service from the airport, only recently in 2000 has work towards the construction of a larger terminal been started.

LA/Palmdale Regional Airport Terminal
LA/Palmdale Regional Airport Terminal

The current terminal was remodeled and reopened in May 2007 for the return of commercial service to the airport. The City of Palmdale has promoted the airport to attract more commercial carriers to the existing terminal, but convincing airlines of the marketability of the airport without subsidies has been difficult. Palmdale airport offers airline passengers a quicker ground transportation travel time from Sherman Oaks than the standard LAX airport car trip down the San Diego 405 freeway, but so far the airport does not provide the range of destinations that would convince passengers to try Palmdale as an alternative to relieve the overcrowding at LAX and Bob Hope Airport. Most of the communities surrounding more crowded airports do not want the added traffic volume and noise to the area. Expansion of Palmdale Regional is also welcomed by a good number of Antelope Valley residents, and is seen by some Valley residents as the long awaited foundation for stabilizing the local economy.

In January 2007, subsidies valued at $4.6 million, with $2 million slated to underwrite losses incurred from providing airline service was raised to restore commercial service to the airport. The incentive package included a $900,000 grant from the federal government given to the city of Palmdale to develop regional airport service.[1]

Then in February 2007, the City of Palmdale and LAWA selected United Airlines to provide service between Palmdale and San Francisco International Airport. (The only other proposal was from Delta Air Lines to Salt Lake City). The United twice-daily, regional jet service began on June 7, 2007.

Between June 7 and December 31, 2007, the airport had served a total of 12,022 passengers.[2] Based on this total and the current level of service, the annual average passenger volume of Palmdale Regional Airport should be about 21,198 passengers annually.

[edit] Airlines and destinations

[edit] Connections

The airport is served by the Palmdale Flyer, a commuter bus line, operated by the Antelope Valley Transit Authority, that connects to the Van Nuys Flyaway in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley, as well as the Via Princessa Metrolink Station in the nearby city of Santa Clarita.

[edit] Incidents

  • On February 1, 1991, USAir Flight 1493, a Boeing 737 landing on Runway 24L at LAX, collided upon touchdown with a SkyWest Fairchild Metroliner, Flight 5569 departing to Palmdale Regional Airport, that had been holding in position on the same runway. The collision killed all 12 occupants of the SkyWest plane and 22 persons aboard the USAir 737.
FAA diagram of the airport
FAA diagram of the airport

[edit] Military usage and manufacturing

Main article: Plant 42

[edit] Trivia

 Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.
  • The movie The Terminal was filmed at this airport.
  • Microsoft Corp's XBOX 360 secret preview was held in an unused hangar at this airport.
  • The entire Space Shuttle fleet was built at this airport.
  • The 2 main runways at this airport are over 2 miles (3 km) in length each.
  • The FAA's Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center is located adjacent to this airport.
  • The combined 5,800 acres (2,347 ha) USAF Plant 42 and adjacent LAWA owned 17,500 acres (7,082 ha) would make this airport the largest (geographically) in the world if the LAWA portion was to ever be fully developed.

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.dailynews.com/antelopevalley/ci_5144422 United Airlines selected for Palmdale-Frisco service, LA Daily News, 02/02/2007
  2. ^ http://www.presstelegram.com/ci_8113873?source=rss L.A. Area Airport Totals for 2007, Long Beach Press Telegram, 01/30/2008

[edit] External links


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