| Santa Paula Airport | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: SZP – ICAO: KSZP – FAA LID: SZP | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Operator | Santa Paula Airport Association | ||
| Location | Santa Paula, California | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 245 ft / 74.7 m | ||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 4/22 | 2,650 | 808 | Asphalt |
| Helipads | |||
| Number | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 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.
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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. This airport was also one of the favorite flying spots of actor Steven McQueen.[1]
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. Every first Sunday of the month, the airport comes alive with visitors. People put their airplanes on display with info cards on the propeller. The CP Aviation always sells Santa Paula souvenirs. Also, car clubs come in and there are always nice cars to look at. The Petersen Auto Museum has displayed their Ferrari collection there.
On February 21 and 22, 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 (180 m) of part of the western one-third of the runway. The airport’s only flight school, CP Aviation, moved to nearby Oxnard Airport as a result of the damage. CP Aviation has now moved back to Santa Paula as of 6/1/2007. Repairs began in March 2005 following the receding of the floodwaters, and as of February 2007, the airport is again fully open to the public.[3]
Santa Paula Airport covers 38 acres and has one runway and one helipad: