The Camarillo Airport is
situated upon 670 acres of land located on the Southwest corner of the City
of Camarillo. The airport has one 6,010 foot concrete runway. The Camarillo Airport is located on the
southwest corporate limits of the City of Camarillo and is classified as a
general aviation reliever airport for the Los Angeles area.
In 1942 when the California
State Highway Department constructed an auxiliary landing field with a 5,000
foot runway, the Army Corps of Engineers extended the runway to 8,000 feet.
Additional construction on the then-named Oxnard Air Force Base neared
completion in 1957 and the base was equipped with the Northrop F-89
"Scorpion" aircraft as part of the Los Angeles area Air Defense Command. By
1958 the new Air Force base boasted four alert hangars, concrete ramps, and
a 9,000 foot runway. The sophisticated runway and facilities included an
entire community with administration buildings, enlisted housing,
recreational facilities, a theater, and even a gas station. In 1960, the
supersonic McDonnell Douglas F-101B "Voodoo" interceptor aircraft, equipped
with "Genie" tactical nuclear missiles served there for almost a decade.
For nearly eighteen years dedicated Air Force personnel provided air defense
protection for the Southern California area. In December 1969 the Department
of Defense deactivated Oxnard Air Force Base and transferred its aircraft
and personnel to other facilities. The land became surplus property.
The County of Ventura acquired 60 buildings along with an agreement to
provide limited air service to general aviation and a 6,000 foot runway. In
1985 airport management created the County of Ventura Department of Airports
and placed both Oxnard and Camarillo Airports "under its wings" as a new
agency.
Camarillo Airport has progressed from a sleepy, tower-less facility to a
bustling reliever airport with an FAA air traffic control tower and annual
operations numbering nearly 190,000. Today the airport boasts a diverse
collection of over 560 production, home built, and WWII aircraft with active
chapters of the Experimental Aircraft Association and the Confederate Air
Force. With increasing congestion in the Los Angeles basin, pilots and
aircraft owners find Camarillo's location, size, and weather to be
significant factors in using the airport. As the region grows, Camarillo
Airport will be ready to play its role in serving the needs of general
aviation in Ventura County.
CAF – SoCAWing Aviation Heritage Museum, 455 Aviation Drive / Camarillo
Airport (corner Eubanks)Camarillo, CA 93010
Call:
(805) 482-0064
