Celebrating 50 years

May the history of Camarillo Airport
lead the way to the future.

It’s been 50 years since the County of Ventura acquired what is now known as Camarillo Airport, but the true history of this airfield can be traced to 1942 when the California State Highway Department constructed an auxiliary landing field with a 5,000-foot runway.  The Army Corps of Engineers extended the runway to 8,000 feet in 1951 as the United States prepared to respond to the emerging Cold War and the potential need for bolstered coastal air defense.

Additional construction on the then-named Oxnard Air Force Base neared completion in 1957, and the base was equipped with the Northrop F-89 “Scorpion” aircraft as part of the Los Angeles area Air Defense Command. By 1958 the new Air Force base boasted four alert hangars, concrete ramps, and a 9,000-foot runway. The runway was complete with an ILS, VOR, and safety overruns. It was an entire community with administration buildings, enlisted housing, recreational facilities, a theater, and even a gas station.

In 1960, the supersonic McDonnell Douglas F-101B “Voodoo” interceptor aircraft, equipped with “Genie” tactical nuclear missiles, arrived on the Oxnard Plain and served there for almost a decade. For nearly 18 years, dedicated Air Force personnel provided air defense protection for the Southern California area. In December 1969, the Department of Defense deactivated Oxnard Air Force Base and transferred its aircraft and personnel to other facilities. The land then became surplus property.

The County of Ventura pursued acquisition of the airfield portion of the facility for air carrier service and general aviation while other governmental and educational organizations were attracted to the 60 buildings located on the property. For seven years the battle for the surplus property continued, with the heaviest opposition coming from the Camarillo community. City representatives strongly objected to any kind of airport replacing the now abandoned Air Force base. Finally, an agreement was reached which included an airport limited to general aviation and a 6,000-foot runway.

In October 1976, the General Services Agency approved the county’s application for 650 acres of land, including some buildings. Other agencies expressed an interest in the remaining 100 acres. The property was conveyed to the county by quitclaim deed, which outlined specific use restrictions. With the ownership defined, the County of Ventura assigned management of the airport to the County Property Administration Agency. In 1985, airport management was successful in separating the two county-owned airports from the Property Administration Agency, thus creating the County of Ventura Department of Airports.

Today Camarillo Airport continues to serve as a general aviation airport that plays a pivotal role not just for emerging pilots who are training to one day serve in the cockpit of commercial aircraft out of LAX and/or Burbank airports, but also in the area’s economic growth. In 2025 alone, Camarillo Airport generated more than $9.6 million in airplane personal property tax revenues that went directly back to the County, City of Camarillo, and the Camarillo public school system, each receiving over $3.2 million. Camarillo Airport is also home to a number of philanthropic groups that also operate out of Oxnard Airport, each providing services that include aviation-focused scholarships, rides/flights to medical appointments, animal rescues, and youth-focused aviation education.

Additionally, both Camarillo and Oxnard airports are vital to public safety. Ventura County Fire Department Division Chief, Nick Clearly, referred to Camarillo Airport as a “gamechanger” during the 2024 Mountain Fire, and it became clear in the months that followed that both Camarillo and Oxnard airports have completely changed the way Ventura County’s emergency personnel are able to tackle not only firefighting efforts, but mountain and ocean rescues, medical and organ transports, and more. Camarillo Airport served as a hub for aircraft for not just the Mountain Fire, but the Palisades and Eaton fires as well. Welcoming nearly three dozen aircraft from both locally-based and out of state resources, Camarillo airport’s proximity to the fires made it possible for effective and efficient aerial attacks. Additionally, with Camarillo Airport serving as the home base for the Ventura County Aviation Unit, both Camarillo and Oxnard airports are able to serve as vital resources for Ventura County residents in need of aerial rescues, particularly those located off the coast or along the nearby mountain trails, or those involved in vehicle accidents in remote parts of the County.