Santa Monica Airport: A California Aviation Mystery

Santa Monica Airport (SMO) is a general aviation airport in Santa Monica, California, United States. It opened on April 15, 1928, making it one of the oldest airports in the country. The airport covers 215 acres of land and is located about 2 miles from the Pacific Ocean and 6 miles north of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Santa Monica Airport has been the site of several aircraft incidents, including crashes and emergency landings. While the airport has faced opposition and threats of closure, it has remained operational into the 21st century, with stakeholders working to secure its long-term future.

Santa Monica Airport is scheduled to close in 2028

Santa Monica Airport (IATA: SMO, ICAO: KSMO, FAA LID: SMO) is a general aviation airport located in Santa Monica, California, United States, in the Greater Los Angeles area. It first opened on April 15, 1928, making it one of the oldest airports in the country. The airport is about 2 miles (3 km) from the Pacific Ocean (Santa Monica Bay) and 6 miles (10 km) north of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

The airport has been the subject of numerous political battles and court disputes over the years, with local residents, land developers, and the local government pitted against airport users, aviation industry organizations, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Residents have long complained about noise, pollution, and safety issues associated with the airport's operations.

In 2017, after decades of legal battles, city officials and the FAA reached an agreement to close the airport on December 31, 2028, and return 227 acres of land to the city for redevelopment. The agreement allows the city to shorten the runway, effectively blocking most jets from using the airport, and grants the city the right to close the airport at the end of 2028.

The closure of the airport will allow Santa Monica to redevelop the land for parks, open spaces, recreational facilities, education, and cultural use. The city council has approved a plan to transform the airport into a Great Park, with community support for increased parks and open spaces in the area. The redevelopment process will be subject to voter approval for any additional use, such as housing, as outlined in Measure LC.

The decision to close the airport has stunned supporters, including pilots, aircraft owners, and aviation associations, who have vowed to continue their efforts to keep the airport open. Despite the opposition, the closure of Santa Monica Airport in 2028 will mark the end of a decades-long battle and a significant change for the city.

The airport is one of the oldest in the US

Santa Monica Airport, also known as Santa Monica Municipal Airport and SMO, is indeed one of the oldest airports in the United States. Located in Santa Monica, California, the airport opened on April 15, 1928, though its history goes back further.

Originally known as Clover Field, the airport was named after a World War I American aviator. It was first recognised as a commercial airport in April 1923, though some believe it was used as a landing strip as early as 1917. In 1924, four Army Air Service aviators took off from Clover Field on a mission to be the first to circumnavigate the globe by air. They returned 175 days and 26,345 miles later, having successfully achieved their mission.

The name change from Clover Field to Santa Monica Airport is believed to have occurred around 1927. City officials were unhappy that the airport was still being referred to as "Clover Field, Los Angeles", and wanted the name to reflect its new ownership. During World War II, the airport played a pivotal role in the aviation industry. The Douglas Aircraft Company produced almost 30,000 aircraft, and its workforce swelled to 160,000.

The airport has a rich history, including notable events such as the emergency landing of Harrison Ford's 1942 Ryan PT-22 Recruit in 2015, and the arrival of U.S. Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden in their Marine One helicopters in 2019 and 2022-2023, respectively.

Santa Monica Airport covers 215 acres of land and is about 2 miles from the Pacific Ocean. It has been the subject of ongoing battles between opponents and defenders, with various court decisions and FAA legal opinions emerging over the years. Despite this, the airport has remained open throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. However, it is currently scheduled to close at the end of 2028, with plans to redevelop the land into a park.

It's located 7.1 miles from Los Angeles (LAX) Airport

Santa Monica does have its own airport, the Santa Monica Municipal Airport (SMO). However, the airport is quite small, and there are plans to close it at the end of 2028.

The closest major airport to Santa Monica is Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), which is located 7.1 miles (11.4 kilometres) from Santa Monica Pier. The drive from LAX to Santa Monica Pier takes around 15 minutes, depending on traffic, and there are several transport options available to make this journey.

The most convenient option is to take a taxi or a private transfer, which will take around 30 minutes, depending on traffic. This option will cost around $50 for up to four passengers.

If you're looking for a cheaper alternative, you can take a combination of buses, including a free airport shuttle bus, to get to Santa Monica Pier in around 1 hour. This route involves taking the airport shuttle to the LAX City Bus Centre and then transferring to the Big Blue Bus Service, which costs $1.10 per person.

There is no direct bus from LAX to Santa Monica Pier, and the journey with transfers takes approximately 1 hour and 11 minutes.

The airport has a maximum noise level of 95.0 dBA

Santa Monica Airport (IATA: SMO, ICAO: KSMO, FAA LID: SMO) is a general aviation airport in Santa Monica, California, United States. It is one of the oldest airports in the country, having opened on April 15, 1928, and is located about 2 miles from the Pacific Ocean and 6 miles north of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

The airport has a long history of addressing noise concerns from residents living in the nearby area. The Noise Management Program aims to minimise aircraft noise exposure by educating pilots on the Fly Neighborly Program. The airport enforces a maximum noise level of 95.0 dBA Single Event Noise Exposure Level, which is monitored at sites 1,500 feet from each end of the runway, 24 hours a day, every day. This noise level is strictly enforced, and violations can result in fines and/or exclusion from the airport.

The noise management efforts at the airport also include a night departure curfew, where no takeoffs or engine starts are permitted between 11 pm and 7 am on weekdays, and until 8 am on weekends. Certain operations, such as touch-and-go and low approaches, are prohibited during specific times, including weekends and holidays.

The airport's location in a densely populated area has led to ongoing debates about its closure or redevelopment. While some have expressed safety concerns and advocated for closing the airport, others defend its importance for aviation in the region. Despite these discussions, the airport remains operational and is scheduled to close at the end of 2028.

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is defending the airport

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is committed to defending Santa Monica Airport (SMO) in California. This is despite the City of Santa Monica's long-term efforts to close the airport, which have been ongoing for decades.

The NBAA has been at the forefront of legal battles to prevent the airport's closure, urging federal appeals courts to intervene and filing motions to challenge agreements between the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the City of Santa Monica. The NBAA has argued that the FAA exceeded its authority in entering into agreements with the city that would restrict or prohibit aviation access to the airport.

The NBAA has also defended against allegations that certain types of aircraft using the airport are a safety hazard, and has pushed back on the city's efforts to restrict operations at the airport, including the aggressive enforcement of noise rules.

The association has emphasized the importance of the airport to the business aviation community and the Southern California region, and has committed to defending access to airports across the country. The NBAA has also highlighted the airport's role in emergency response, with a simulated disaster-response exercise demonstrating its value to the community during times of crisis.

In addition to the NBAA's efforts, other stakeholders have joined in the defence of the airport, including the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the Santa Monica Airport Association (SMAA).

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