Avionics News August 2015 - 58

SMALL TOWN AIRPORTS
Continued from page 57

To avoid detection by enemies flying overhead,
the military disguised the aircraft plant at Santa
M onica Airport, camouflaging acres of rooftops
with painted canvas and props designed to look like
ordinary houses and neighborhoods. The rooftop
scenery included fake streets, sidewalks, yards and
landscaping.
Today, Santa M onica M unicipal Airport is a hub for
general aviation and a much-needed reliever for the
bustling Los Angeles International Airport.
" It' s a great, fun, little airport; I' ve enj oyed
watching it grow," said K im D avidson, owner of K im
D avidson Aviation. Located on the airport, the FAAcertified repair station provides aircraft maintenance
and avionics service for small, general aviation
aircraft.
" This is an important airport," D avidson said.
" P residents use it when flying into Los Angeles. It' s
a designated federal reliever for LAX , spreading out
the conj estion and traffic. The airport gives people
easy access to doctors and medical care. If LAX ever
becomes inoperable, some reasonably large planes can
land here with supplies."

Courtesy of the Santa Monica Public Library Image Archives/Museum of Flying Collection

uring orld ar the militar had landsca e architect
dward untsman rout cra elaborate camou age to cover
the ouglas ircra lant at the anta onica ir ort oo ing
closel ou can see the burla neighborhood covering the
roo o of the building cres of fa e homes streets trees and
ards concealed the manufacture of militar aircra

5 8

AVIONICS NEWS

AUGUST

2015

TODAY, SANTA MONICA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
IS A HUB FOR GENERAL AVIATION AND

A MUCH-NEEDED RELIEVER FOR
THE BUSTLING LOS ANGELES
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
Keeping the airports open
Studies show that general aviation airports are
a boon to local communities, attracting businesses
and supporting j obs. According to a 201 3 study by
P ricewaterhouseCoopers, California benefits the most,
with general aviation contributing 1 39,000 j obs and
$ 30.2 billion in total output to the state' s economy.
" I view an aircraft as a time machine, and anyone
who travels as part of business benefits from general
aviation airports," said Eugene Z astera, aircraft
maintenance instructor for Fox V alley Technical
College located on W ittman Airport in Oshkosh,
W isconsin. " The reduced travel time resulting from
flying versus driving to smaller, outlying areas may
be the deciding factor for a business locating to a
community."
Even with all of its history and present-day
contributions, operators have been fighting to keep
Santa M onica M unicipal Airport open for more than
three decades.
" As early as when I bought the business in 1 982, I
knew the homeowners were unhappy with the airport,
and the city council, too," D avidson said. " They' ve
taken the airport to court several times and lost so far.
The homeowners worry about the pollution and noise.
I' m not sure about the city council' s motivation."
From East H ampton Airport in New Y ork to Silver
Comet Field outside Atlanta, airports continue to fight
restrictions that limit their usability and viability. In
Alaska, H eideman has seen a fair number of airfields
close.
" W e' ve had some airports shut down around here -
mostly little ones when a road has to go through," he
said. " The original airport that was here is a library now."
In Santa M onica, the nearly 1 00-year-old airport
remains under threat of closure.
" It' s the greatest, greenest little airport around,"
D avidson said. " Santa M onica has a great reputation
and has the ability to set a precedent for all of general
aviation and other airports. I wish we could get that
chance." q

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News August 2015