History
Ventura County opened Oxnard Airport in 1934 by clearing a 3,500 ft dirt runway. In the 1930s, aviator Howard Hughes erected a tent at the airport to shelter his famous H-1 monoplane racer, which he tested from the dirt strip. In 1938, Ventura County paved the dirt runway and constructed a large hangar to attract more business. The year following, James McLean opened the Oxnard Flying School with a Piper J-3 Cub and a Kinner 2-seat airplane. Housing was constructed nearby to accommodate instructors and students for the school.
In late 1941, war was declared. The airport was assigned to the U.S. Navy until the Naval Air Station at Point Mugu could be completed. The Navy moved to NAS Point Mugu in 1945 and the Oxnard Flying School returned to the airport. Ventura County officially regained control of the airport from the federal government in 1948 by receiving a final quitclaim deed. The state of California issued the airport an operating permit in 1949. Scheduled airline passenger service was established in 1946 by Southwest Airways with Douglas DC-3 airplanes. Oxnard Airport has been the only airport in the Ventura County area to support continuous airline passenger service since World War II.
The airport has been previously served by American Eagle, America West Express, California Air Shuttle and most recently United Express which ended service to LAX on June 8, 2010.
Read more about this topic: Oxnard Airport
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