Everything about La Palmdale Regional Airport totally explained
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 doesn't 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 don't 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 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. 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.
Airlines and destinations
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 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.Further Information
Get more info on 'La Palmdale Regional Airport'.
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