Take to the Skies! Where? In Van Nuys!

Posted at 5:36 PM, Mar. 7, 2007

Manufacturing and distribution industry has long been important to Van Nuys. Once the home of a major Chevrolet facility, Van Nuys is now home to an Anheuser-Busch Brewery, Home Depot, and other large employers. The San Fernando Valley Administration Center is also here providing municipal, county, state, and federal government services for the Valley population.

For almost a 80 years, the Van Nuys Airport (VNY) has been a center of activity. From a small field in the 1920's it has grown to be the world's busiest general aviation airport. There are no commercial airline flights here, yet private and chartered aircraft account for nearly a half million takeoffs and landings a year.  

In the early days, Van Nuys Airport served barnstormers and intrepid airmen – and women – who sought flying records. They included:

• A men’s solo endurance record of 37 hours, by Herbert Fahy, in 1929.
• A women’s endurance record of 42 hours, by Elinor Smith and Bobbi Trout, in 1929.
• A women’s speed record of 196 mph, by Florence “Pancho” Barnes, in 1930.

Just about 20 miles north of the Los Angeles Airport (LAX), the airport was a favorite of Hollywood stars like Gene Autry, Cecil B. DeMille, and Howard Hughes who flew here. The airport has become increasingly popular as it offers both convenience and a measure of anonymity for celebrities and politicians. And for those who do need to fly out of LAX, the Flyaway Bus Service offers non-stop service between the two airports.

Van Nuys has Airport a film-friendly policy that aims to keep film production at "home" in Lost Angeles. From Casablanca to the TV show 24, the airport has been part of many films and TV shows over the years. The 1980's action-espionage series Airwolf used the VNY hangars as the site of "Santini Air," the charter air service operated by Dominic Santini and played by Ernest Borgnine. Even during the war years of the 1940's when the airport was a defense-manufacturing center, Hollywood discovered a young woman there on an aircraft assembly line; her name would be Marilyn Monroe.

The airport is not only about movies, takeoffs, and landings; the 730 acres of VNY are home to 100 businesses plus a 27-hole golf course. Los Angeles police, fire, and water and power helicopters have hangars and maintenance facilities here. Future airframe and power plant  mechanics get their training in the aviation mechanics school run by the Lost Angeles schools.

In the1960's a guided tour program opened the airport to the local community for a journey through aviation past and present. VNY continues to offer tours, giving about 10,000 adults and children a close-up look at the airport each year. And for those who can't get enough of airplanes, a public observation area adjacent to the east side of the airfield features permanent displays, special children’s exhibits and a continuous live broadcast of air traffic controllers in the airport’s control tower.

We hope you've enjoyed this stop on our continuing San Fernando Valley tour. Happy landings!