Palmdale Regional Airport

Ads

LA/Palmdale Regional Airport

LA/Palmdale Regional Airport , 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.

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.

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.

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 SkyWest Airlines operated United Express 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. 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.

On September 3, 2008, the San Francisco service was increased from two 50-seat regional jets to four 30-seat turboprop flights per day. However, on its September 18 schedule update, United canceled all flights beginning December 7, 2008, the day after the expiration of the federal grant and exactly 18 months after the beginning of the PMD services.

Airlines and destinations

United Airlines

United Express operated by SkyWest Airlines (San Francisco) [ends December 6]

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.

Incidents

On February 1, 1991, USAir Flight 1493, a Boeing 737 landing on Runway 24L at LAX, collided upon touchdown with a SkyWest Airlines 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.

Military usage and manufacturing

Trivia

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 in length each.
The FAA's Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center is located adjacent to this airport.
The combined USAF Plant 42 and adjacent LAWA owned would make this airport the largest (geographically) in the world if the LAWA portion was to ever be fully developed.