| Santa Barbara Airport | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| The old commercial passenger terminal at Santa Barbara Airport. | |||
| IATA: SBA – ICAO: KSBA – FAA LID: SBA | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Operator | City of Santa Barbara | ||
| Serves | Santa Barbara, California | ||
| Location | Santa Barbara, California, United States | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 10 ft / 3 m | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| Website | |||
| Maps | |||
| Runway layout at SBA | |||
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SBA
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| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 7/25 | 6,052 | 1,845 | Asphalt |
| 15L/33R | 4,179 | 1,274 | Asphalt |
| 15R/33L | 4,183 | 1,275 | Asphalt |
Santa Barbara Airport (IATA: SBA, ICAO: KSBA, FAA LID: SBA), also known as Santa Barbara Municipal Airport, is a public airport located 7 miles (11 km) west of downtown Santa Barbara, California, United States.
The Santa Barbara airport is adjacent to the University of California, Santa Barbara and the city of Goleta. However, the land that the airport sits on was annexed to the city of Santa Barbara by a 7 miles (11 km) long, 300 feet (90 m) wide corridor, most of which lies under the Pacific Ocean. This a shoestring annexation. Much of the airport is between 10 and 15 feet above sea level, and it is bordered by the wetland area known as the Goleta Slough.
Five airlines serve the Airport as of June 2011 with more than 30 daily departures to five U.S. cities (see below). In 2006, more than 850,000 passengers used the airport. It is also a popular training airport. The field is home to three flight schools, Above All Aviation, flight school and FAA approved Aerial Scenic Tour Facility, Red Baron Aviation, an FAA certified test center and Cessna Pilot Center, as well as Spitfire Aviation.
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Santa Barbara's aviation history began in 1914 when Lincoln J. Beachey flew an airplane across Goleta Valley. Two years later the Loughead brothers, who later changed their name to Lockheed, established a seaplane factory on State Street (Alco Hydro-Aeroplane Company) and constructed a wooden ramp on West Beach to launch their planes. In 1928, Gordon Sackett and Royce Stetson landed a Hisso-powered airplane in a cow pasture near the corner of Hollister and Fairview Avenues and set up a flight school on the spot. That first airstrip marked the beginning of what was to become the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport.
As airplane manufacturing grew in the late 1930s that simple airstrip developed into an airfield. Western General set up shop and began producing Meteor airplanes, while Santa Barbara Airways' founder Frederick Stearns II built two additional runways and two large hangars. Stearns also installed the first radio equipment at the airfield.[1]
Commercial service began in 1932 with Pacific Seaboard Airlines, and United Airlines inaugurated service from Santa Barbara/Goleta in 1936.
As the prospect of war escalated the United States Government established a defense program to construct 250 airports across the country on a cost-sharing basis with local governments. Thomas M. Storke secured Santa Barbara's enrollment in the program, and in 1941 groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport. The Spanish-style terminal building, commissioned by United Airlines in 1942 was designed by William Edwards and Joseph Plunkett, an architectural team whose work, including the Arlington Theatre and the National Armory, helped shape the Mediterranean style of the city.
In 1947, the Santa Barbara Flying Club was formed to promote general aviation in the region. The club is still a registered non-profit meeting monthly at the Visitor Center, and working with other groups and businesses to continue making Santa Barbara a great place to fly.
In the 1951 war film Flying Leathernecks, John Wayne's character was stationed in Goleta. The movie references the airbase as being in Goleta because, during World War II, the airbase had not yet been annexed by Santa Barbara. There is a short clip of the airport and surrounding area in the movie.
Three runways are currently used: 7/25 and two parallel runways 15/33. In addition to these runways, the airport originally had an additional strip: runway 3/21. The development of the University of California, Santa Barbara (to the southwest) and the construction of hangars in support of production of the Aero Spacelines Super Guppy (to the northeast) were factors in the abandonment and eventual removal of this runway.
Until 2002, Santa Barbara Airport was on the airline route between San Francisco and Los Angeles, served by Southwest Airways and its successors as well as United Airlines, who operated Boeing 737 jet aircraft on this route.[2] The first nonstop flights from Santa Barbara out of California commenced when United Airlines began nonstop Boeing 727 jet service to Denver in 1979 and to Chicago in 1980. These flights continued until 1990. United Airlines discontinued all service to and from Santa Barbara in 2002 when United pulled out, leaving SBA to the regional airlines.[2]
Operating McDonnell-Douglas MD80 jets, American Airlines commenced nontop jet service to/from Dallas Fort-Worth International (DFW) in 1984, sometimes on a triangle routing DFW-BUR-SBA-DFW or DFW-SBA-BFL-DFW. After American Airlines discontinued service to and from SBA, American Eagle, a regional carrier and affiliate of American Airlines began operating Embraer regional jets on a regular schedule between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, and Canadair regional jet service between Santa Barbara and Dallas Fort Worth.[2] American Eagle discontinued its non-stop service to DFW in April 2009.[2]
On August 18, 2011 the airport opened a brand-new 72,000 square foot terminal to replace the aging single story terminal which was originally constructed in 1942. The facility, which was constructed for approximately $63 million was built adjacent to existing terminal. The old terminal, will be moved and restored at another location at the airport.[3]
| Rank | Airport | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles, California | 123,000 | United, American |
| 2 | Denver, Colorado | 76,000 | United, Frontier |
| 3 | Phoenix, Arizona | 70,000 | US Airways |
| 4 | San Francisco, California | 53,000 | United |
| 5 | Seattle, Washington | 22,000 | Alaska |
| 6 | Salt Lake City, Utah | 18,000 | Delta |
| 7 | Sacramento, California | 12,000 | Alaska |
| 8 | San Jose, California | 5,000 | United |
| 9 | Portland, Oregon | 4,000 | Alaska |
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Alaska Airlines operated by SkyWest Airlines | Seattle/Tacoma |
| American Eagle | Los Angeles |
| Frontier Airlines operated by Republic Airlines | Denver |
| United Express operated by SkyWest Airlines | Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco |
| US Airways Express operated by Mesa Airlines | Phoenix |
| US Airways Express operated by SkyWest Airlines | Phoenix |