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'''Palmdale Regional Airport''' {{airport codes|PMD|KPMD|PMD}} is an airport in [[Palmdale, California]], United States. The city of Palmdale took over the airport at the end of 2013, managing it via the Palmdale Airport Authority.<ref name="PMD">{{cite web|url=http://www.ifly.com/palmdale-regional-airport#ixzz2jLkbNbof|title=Airport Guides - Flight Tracking & Status, Airport Parking, Maps & More|website=www.ifly.com|access-date=November 1, 2013|archive-date=November 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104055423/http://www.ifly.com/palmdale-regional-airport#ixzz2jLkbNbof|url-status=live}}</ref> The airport currently does not have any scheduled passenger airline service.
==Overview and facilities==
PMD and [[USAF Plant 42|Plant 42]] are separate facilities that share a common runway at the site. The facility is located in the Antelope Valley, approximately 60 miles from downtown [[Los Angeles]].[[Image:Palmdale Airport Terminal.jpg|thumb|left|LA/Palmdale Regional Airport terminal]]
The airport covers 5,832 [[acre]]s (2,360 [[hectare|ha]]) at an [[elevation]] of 2,543 feet (775 m) above [[mean sea level]]. It has three [[runway]]s with [[concrete]] surfaces: 4/22 is 12,001 by 150 feet (3,658 x 46 m); 7/25 is 12,002 by 200 feet (3,658 x 61 m); 72/252 is 6,000 by 75 feet (1,829 x 23 m).<ref name="FAA" /> 7/25 was built to withstand an 8.3 [[Richter Scale]] [[earthquake]], making it one of the world's strongest runways. Another smaller runway, 72/252, is used as an assault strip.<ref name="GSEC">{{cite web |last=Pike |first=John |title=Air Force Plant 42 - Palmdale, CA |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/afp-42.htm |access-date=November 1, 2013 |archive-date=November 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103104621/http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/afp-42.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
In January 2024, [[Los Angeles County]] Supervisor [[Kathryn Barger]] announced a Board-approved proposal for a preliminary site plan for a $1.6 billion, two million square foot bus and passenger rail car hub of manufacturing and innovation located on the eastern section of the airport's land holdings. The project is tentatively named the "Center for Transportation Excellence".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Metro - File #: 2023-0206 |url=https://metro.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?GUID=F4F25F16-1916-45B6-9403-CCD6329F9958&ID=6172529 |access-date=2024-07-16 |website=metro.legistar.com |archive-date=May 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230513081034/https://metro.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6172529&GUID=F4F25F16-1916-45B6-9403-CCD6329F9958 |url-status=live }}</ref>▼
▲In January 2024, [[Los Angeles County]] Supervisor [[Kathryn Barger]] announced a Board-approved proposal for a preliminary site plan for a $1.6 billion, two million square foot bus and passenger rail car hub of manufacturing and innovation located on the eastern section of the airport's land holdings. The project is tentatively named the "Center for Transportation Excellence".<ref>https://metro.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?GUID=F4F25F16-1916-45B6-9403-CCD6329F9958&ID=6172529</ref>
=== Museums ===
The Blackbird Airpark Museum<ref>
The Blackbird Airpark Museum is an extension of the AFFTC Museum at Edwards AFB, while the Heritage Airpark is operated by the city of Palmdale. Both are staffed by retirees who had previously worked in the aerospace industry, some actually having worked on the aircraft displayed at the two parks. All of the aircraft have been carefully restored for public display. The two airparks are located at Avenue P and 25th Street East near Site 9.<ref>{{
=== FAA operations ===
The [[Federal Aviation Administration]] (FAA) operates the [[Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center]] ([[Area Control Center#FAA definition|ARTCC]]) at its site near Plant 42 at Avenue P and 25th Street East. This center controls and tracks aircraft over much of the western United States, including parts of California, [[Arizona]], [[Nevada]], [[Utah]] and the [[Pacific Ocean]].<ref> {{
==History==
[[File:Palmdale Army Airfield - California.jpg|thumb|Palmdale Airport in 1953, showing its World War II configuration]]
The origins of Palmdale Regional Airport go to the early 1930s, when a small airstrip was built in the desert. It was listed in 1935 documentation as '''CAA Intermediate #5'''. It was established by the Bureau of Air Commerce (later the [[Civil Aeronautics Administration (United States)|Civil Aeronautics Administration]]) who maintained a network of emergency landing fields. It provided a pilot in distress with a better alternative than landing on a public road or a farmer's field.<ref name="WWIIDB">
===World War II===
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===Postwar use===
[[File:Eastern Air Lines Lockheed TriStar N330EA 01.jpg|thumb|left|[[Eastern
Palmdale Army Airfield was declared a surplus facility in 1946 and was purchased by Los Angeles County for use as a municipal airport.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Morrison |first=Patt |date=2023-06-13 |title=What if LAX were literally anywhere else? It could have been |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-06-13/patt-morrison-lax-and-other-southern-california-airports |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US |archive-date=June 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230614132937/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-06-13/patt-morrison-lax-and-other-southern-california-airports |url-status=live }}</ref> The outbreak of the [[Korean War]] in 1950 caused the Air Force to reactivate the property for use in final assembly and flight testing of military jet aircraft.
Both the Air Force and its aircraft contractors needed a location away from major population centers - due to sonic booms, other noises and security concerns - but close enough to the major centers of aircraft design and production, while having excellent flying weather the year around. The land that became Plant 42 fit these criteria. Consequently, the Air Force agreed to purchase the land from Los Angeles County in 1951.
[[Lockheed Corporation|Lockheed]] assembled 250 new [[Lockheed L-1011 TriStar|TriStar]] wide body jetliners at their manufacturing plant located at the airport from 1968 to 1984. The first L-1011 TriStar entered service with [[Trans World Airlines]] and [[Eastern Air Lines]] in 1972.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://airliners.net
=== Past airline service ===
▲[[File:Eastern Air Lines Lockheed TriStar N330EA 01.jpg|thumb|left|[[Eastern Airlines|Eastern]] [[Lockheed TriStar|TriStar]] at Palmdale Regional Airport in 1974. Palmdale was once the manufacture site of this aircraft type.]]
From 1970 to 1983 the Los Angeles Department of Airports, now called [[Los Angeles World Airports]] (LAWA), acquired about {{convert|17750|acre|km2|0}} of land east and south of [[United States Air Force Plant 42]] in unincorporated Los Angeles County to be developed into the future "Palmdale Intercontinental Airport," an alternative to [[Los Angeles International Airport|LAX]]. LAWA has not developed its Palmdale airport land beyond the small airport terminal.
From the late 1960s and early 1980s, commuter air carriers Cable Commuter Airlines followed by successor [[Golden West Airlines]] operated [[de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter]] turboprop service from the airport with several nonstop flights a day to Los Angeles ([[LAX]]).<ref>
In 1989, LAWA and the U.S. Air Force came to an agreement concerning use of the Plant 42 complex's facilities and land for commercial use. The agreement allows a maximum of 400 flights per day.
In 1990, [[America West Airlines]] was operating nonstop service to Las Vegas and Phoenix with [[de Havilland Canada DHC-8 Dash 8]] turboprops.<ref>{{cite web |date=1990-10-28 |title=America West Routes |url=http://www.departedflights.com
In March 2001, Los Angeles County hired Tri-Star Marketing to prepare the presentations needed to bring air-passenger service back to Palmdale Regional Airport.
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In January 2007, subsidies valued at $4.6 million, with $2 million slated to underwrite losses incurred from providing airline service, were raised to restore commercial service to the airport. The incentive package included a $900,000 grant from the federal government to the city of Palmdale to develop regional airport service.<ref>{{cite news |date=February 2, 2007 |title=United Airlines selected for Palmdale-Frisco service |work=LA Daily News |url=http://www.dailynews.com/antelopevalley/ci_5144422 |url-status=dead |access-date=February 2, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080306003608/http://www.dailynews.com/antelopevalley/ci_5144422 |archive-date=March 6, 2008}}</ref> The terminal was remodeled and reopened in May 2007. Convincing airlines of the marketability of the airport without subsidies has been difficult. The communities around LAX and Burbank do not want the noise of additional flights, but most Antelope Valley residents support expanding service at Palmdale.
In February 2007, the city of Palmdale and LAWA selected United Airlines to provide service between Palmdale and [[San Francisco International Airport]] (SFO). (The only other proposal was from [[Delta Air Lines]] to [[Salt Lake City]]). The [[United Express]] flights operated by [[SkyWest Airlines]] offered twice-daily, [[Canadair CRJ-200]] regional jet service beginning on June 7, 2007. Between June 7 and December 31, 2007, the airport served 12,022 passengers,<ref>{{cite news |date=January 30, 2008 |title=L.A. Area Airport Totals for 2007 |work=Long Beach Press Telegram |url=http://www.presstelegram.com/ci_8113873?source=rss |url-status=dead |access-date=January 30, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080305194055/http://www.presstelegram.com/ci_8113873?source=rss |archive-date=March 5, 2008}}</ref> about 58 per day. On September 3, 2008, the San Francisco [[United Express]] service operated by [[SkyWest Airlines]] was increased from two 50-seat regional jets a day to four 30-seat [[Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia]] turboprop flights per day.<ref>{{cite web |date=June 18, 2008 |title=LA/Palmdale Regional Airport To Double Air Service In September |url=http://www.lax.aero/news/newsDisplay.cfm?newsID=1032 |work=News Release |publisher=Los Angeles World Airports}}{{Dead link|date=April 2020|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> On its September 18 schedule update, United canceled all flights beginning December 7, 2008, the day after the expiration of the federal grant and 18 months after the beginning of the SFO-PMD services. United's service was the last scheduled airline service at the airport.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Gatlin |first=Allison |title=Palmdale explores return of service to airport |url=https://www.avpress.com/news/palmdale-explores-return-of-service-to-airport/article_c0ffc290-bbf9-11e9-8a1a-7fd9889b4667.html |access-date=2022-09-23 |website=Antelope Valley Press |date=August 11, 2019 |language=en |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923200222/https://www.avpress.com/news/palmdale-explores-return-of-service-to-airport/article_c0ffc290-bbf9-11e9-8a1a-7fd9889b4667.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
The airport was included in the [[National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems]] for 2011–2015, which [[FAA airport categories|categorized]] it as a primary commercial service facility based on enplanements in 2008 (more than 10,000 per year).<ref>{{cite web |date=October 4, 2010 |title=2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A |url=http://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/npias/reports/media/2011/npias_2011_appA.pdf |publisher=Federal Aviation Administration |format=PDF, 2.03 MB |access-date=June 14, 2012 |archive-date=September 27, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927084535/http://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/npias/reports/media/2011/npias_2011_appA.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The airport had 10,392 passenger boardings (enplanements) in [[calendar year]] 2008, 82% more than the 5,712 in 2007.<ref>{{cite web |date=December 18, 2009 |title=Enplanements for CY 2008 |url=http://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/passenger_allcargo_stats/passenger/media/cy08_all_enplanements.pdf |publisher=Federal Aviation Administration |format=PDF, 1.0 MB |access-date=June 14, 2012 |archive-date=November 5, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105055932/http://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/passenger_allcargo_stats/passenger/media/cy08_all_enplanements.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
In late 2008, the city of [[Palmdale]] expressed interest in assuming operations at Palmdale Airport, including management of the terminal, taxiways, and parking, from LAWA. LAWA indicated that it was receptive to transferring the lease. The city took over the airport at the end of 2013, managing it via the Palmdale Airport Authority.<ref name="PMD" /> In 2019, the city contracted with outside consultants to develop a new passenger terminal on city property, which was intended to serve the needs of defense contractors based at Plant 42 and [[Edwards Air Force Base]].<ref name=":0" /> As of August 2022, these plans were awaiting approval by the Air Force, which needed to sign a joint use agreement before site development could begin.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grooms |first=Larry |date=2022-08-18 |title=So you want to fly from Palmdale? Despite delays, hope remains for AV commercial flights |url=https://www.aerotechnews.com/blog/2022/08/18/so-you-want-to-fly-from-palmdale-despite-delays-hope-remains-for-av-commercial-flights/ |access-date=2022-09-23 |website=Aerotech News & Review |language=en-US |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923200223/https://www.aerotechnews.com/blog/2022/08/18/so-you-want-to-fly-from-palmdale-despite-delays-hope-remains-for-av-commercial-flights/ |url-status=live }}</ref>▼
== Popular Culture ==
A terminal building set was built within a disused hangar at the airport for filming use during production of the 2004 film [[The Terminal]]. Around 40 national chains volunteered to build replicas of their shopping outlets on site, in order to take advantage of screen exposure in the [[Steven Spielberg]] film.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Filming Locations for Steven Spielberg’s The Terminal (2004), in California. |url=https://movie-locations.com/movies/t/Terminal-2004.php |access-date=2024-10-13 |website=The Worldwide Guide to Movie Locations}}</ref>
The hangar space was used again to stage the sea battle scene in the 2007 film [[Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End|Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World’s End]].
▲In late 2008, the city of [[Palmdale]] expressed interest in assuming operations at Palmdale Airport, including management of the terminal, taxiways, and parking, from LAWA. LAWA indicated that it was receptive to transferring the lease. The city took over the airport at the end of 2013, managing it via the Palmdale Airport Authority.<ref name="PMD" /> In 2019, the city contracted with outside consultants to develop a new passenger terminal on city property, which was intended to serve the needs of defense contractors based at Plant 42 and [[Edwards Air Force Base]].<ref name=":0" /> As of August 2022, these plans were awaiting approval by the Air Force, which needed to sign a joint use agreement before site development could begin.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grooms |first=Larry |date=2022-08-18 |title=So you want to fly from Palmdale? Despite delays, hope remains for AV commercial flights |url=https://www.aerotechnews.com/blog/2022/08/18/so-you-want-to-fly-from-palmdale-despite-delays-hope-remains-for-av-commercial-flights/ |access-date=2022-09-23 |website=Aerotech News & Review |language=en-US}}</ref>
== See also ==
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