Camarillo Airport
Encyclopedia
Camarillo Airport is a public airport
located three miles (5 km) west of the central business district
of Camarillo
, a city in Ventura County
, California
, United States
. It is roughly equidistant from Los Angeles, CA and Santa Barbara, CA although it is inland. The airport has one runway
and exclusively serves privately-operated general aviation
and executive aircraft with no scheduled commercial service.
Before 1970, the airport was known as Oxnard Air Force Base
.
According to the FAA
's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2007–2011, it is categorized as a reliever airport.
Although most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier
for the FAA
and IATA
, Camarillo Airport is assigned CMA by the FAA but has no designation from the IATA (which assigned CMA to Cunnamulla Airport
in Cunnamulla, Queensland
, Australia
).
Camarillo Airport was the filming location for an episode of the TV series 24
.
In the years following, the County of Ventura actively pursued the acquisition of the former military base property from the Department of Defense for commercial airport use, opposed primarily by local residents concerned about the noise
of growing commercial traffic. In 1976, the transfer of the airport was finally approved, provided the runway length was shortened to 6,000 ft by displacing the runway threshold on one end. The airport was then formally opened with Channel Islands Aviation providing FBO and initial operations management services. By 1985, the airport was entirely managed by the Ventura County Department of Airports.
(8/26) which measures 6,013 x 150 ft (1,833 x 46 m). For 12-month period ending June 5, 2006, the airport had 153,360 aircraft operations, an average of 420 per day: 98% general aviation, 2% air taxi and <1% military. There are 600 aircraft based at this airport: 84% single engine, 8% multi engine, 5% ultralights, 3% jet aircraft and 1% helicopters. It is an FAA-towered
facility and there are three Fixed Base Operator
s are headquartered at the airfield.
The Ventura County Fire and Sheriff's Departments each support large, separate facilities at opposite ends of the field to support new recruit and recurring refreshment training.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located three miles (5 km) west of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Camarillo
Camarillo, California
Camarillo is a city in Ventura County, California, United States. The population was 65,201 at the 2010 census, up from 57,084 at the 2000 census. The Ventura Freeway Camarillo is a city in Ventura County, California, United States. The population was 65,201 at the 2010 census, up from 57,084 at...
, a city in Ventura County
Ventura County, California
Ventura County is a county in the southern part of the U.S. state of California. It is located on California's Pacific coast. It is often referred to as the Gold Coast, and has a reputation of being one of the safest populated places and one of the most affluent places in the country...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is roughly equidistant from Los Angeles, CA and Santa Barbara, CA although it is inland. The airport has one runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
and exclusively serves privately-operated general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
and executive aircraft with no scheduled commercial service.
Before 1970, the airport was known as Oxnard Air Force Base
Oxnard Air Force Base
Oxnard Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located within current city limits, approximately west of central Camarillo, California...
.
According to the FAA
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2007–2011, it is categorized as a reliever airport.
Although most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier
Location identifier
A location identifier is a symbolic representation for the name and the location of an airport, navigation aid, or weather station, and is used for manned air traffic control facilities in air traffic control, telecommunications, computer programming, weather reports, and related services.-ICAO...
for the FAA
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
and IATA
International Air Transport Association
The International Air Transport Association is an international industry trade group of airlines headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the International Civil Aviation Organization is also headquartered. The executive offices are at the Geneva Airport in SwitzerlandIATA's mission is to...
, Camarillo Airport is assigned CMA by the FAA but has no designation from the IATA (which assigned CMA to Cunnamulla Airport
Cunnamulla Airport
Cunnamulla Airport is an airport in Cunnamulla, Queensland, Australia. The airport is 6 km from the town.-Airlines and destinations:...
in Cunnamulla, Queensland
Cunnamulla, Queensland
Cunnamulla is a small town that lies on the Warrego River in south west Queensland, Australia, south of Charleville, and approximately west of the state capital, Brisbane....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
).
Camarillo Airport was the filming location for an episode of the TV series 24
24 (TV series)
24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
.
History
Camarillo Airport was originally established in 1942 when the California State Highway Department constructed an auxiliary landing field with a 5000 ft (1,524 m) runway, which was later extended to 8000 ft (2,438.4 m) in 1951 to accommodate what by then had developed into Oxnard Air Force Base.In the years following, the County of Ventura actively pursued the acquisition of the former military base property from the Department of Defense for commercial airport use, opposed primarily by local residents concerned about the noise
Aircraft noise
Aircraft noise is noise pollution produced by any aircraft or its components, during various phases of a flight: on the ground while parked such as auxiliary power units, while taxiing, on run-up from propeller and jet exhaust, during take off, underneath and lateral to departure and arrival paths,...
of growing commercial traffic. In 1976, the transfer of the airport was finally approved, provided the runway length was shortened to 6,000 ft by displacing the runway threshold on one end. The airport was then formally opened with Channel Islands Aviation providing FBO and initial operations management services. By 1985, the airport was entirely managed by the Ventura County Department of Airports.
Facilities and aircraft
Camarillo Airport covers an area of 650 acres (263 ha) and contains one runwayRunway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
(8/26) which measures 6,013 x 150 ft (1,833 x 46 m). For 12-month period ending June 5, 2006, the airport had 153,360 aircraft operations, an average of 420 per day: 98% general aviation, 2% air taxi and <1% military. There are 600 aircraft based at this airport: 84% single engine, 8% multi engine, 5% ultralights, 3% jet aircraft and 1% helicopters. It is an FAA-towered
Control tower
A control tower, or more specifically an Air Traffic Control Tower , is the name of the airport building from which the air traffic control unit controls the movement of aircraft on and around the airport. Control towers are also used to control the traffic for other forms of transportation such...
facility and there are three Fixed Base Operator
Fixed base operator
A Fixed-base operator or commonly abbreviated FBO is a term developed in the United States after the passage of the Air Commerce Act of 1926...
s are headquartered at the airfield.
- The Waypoint Cafe is a restaurant that is adjacent to the runway on the airport property, which was reopened in March 2009 after being closed for refurbishment.
- Civil Air Patrol Camarillo Composite Squadron 61 is based at this airfield, located near Sky Blue Air, at the east end of the airport.
- Channel Islands Aviation Channel Islands Aviation is a Cessna Pilot Center and a FAA Approved Part 141Pilot certification in the United StatesPilot certification in the United States is required for an individual to act as a pilot of an aircraft. It is regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration , a branch of the Department of Transportation...
Flight School. The FBOFixed base operatorA Fixed-base operator or commonly abbreviated FBO is a term developed in the United States after the passage of the Air Commerce Act of 1926...
is located near the end of Taxiway Alpha and has been at Camarillo since the beginning of the facility as a public use airport in 1976. On behalf of the Channel Islands National ParkChannel Islands National Park- External links :* Official site: * *...
, CIA provide a year round charter service for hikers and campers to Santa Rosa Island.
- Sun Air Jets built in 2005, is a full-service corporate jet FBOFixed base operatorA Fixed-base operator or commonly abbreviated FBO is a term developed in the United States after the passage of the Air Commerce Act of 1926...
facility on the north-end of the airport near the end of the Charlie taxiway.
- Western Cardinal is a Camarillo-based FBOFixed base operatorA Fixed-base operator or commonly abbreviated FBO is a term developed in the United States after the passage of the Air Commerce Act of 1926...
located between the Golf 1 and Golf 2 taxiways, and built as the second major FBO to serve the airport in the 1980s.
- The Commemorative Air ForceCommemorative Air ForceThe Commemorative Air Force , formerly known as the Confederate Air Force, is a Texas-based non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and showing historical aircraft at airshows primarily throughout the U.S. and Canada...
's Southern California Wing and it's museum are located to the west of the Waypoint Cafe in two large hangars. Aircraft include the C-46 'China Doll', an F8F BearcatF8F BearcatThe Grumman F8F Bearcat was an American single-engine naval fighter aircraft of the 1940s. It went on to serve into the mid-20th century in the United States Navy and other air forces, and would be the company's final piston engined fighter aircraft...
, and a B-25J.
The Ventura County Fire and Sheriff's Departments each support large, separate facilities at opposite ends of the field to support new recruit and recurring refreshment training.
External links
- Camarillo Airport at County of Ventura web site