Santa Paula Airport sits about a mile from downtown Santa Paula, and The Flying Spoon sits on the field. Here is a short history of the airport, what to see on a visit, and where to eat once you’ve parked.
How the airport began
After the St. Francis Dam disaster in 1928, local ranchers Ralph Dickenson and Dan Emmett saw the land beside the Santa Clara River as the place for an airport. Nineteen local ranchers and businessmen pooled their resources and built it with their own hands. It was dedicated in August 1930, in front of about 6,000 spectators, with glider flights, parachute jumps, air races and a stunt show. The Aviation Museum of Santa Paula’s first hangar, Hangar Number One, tells that story.
In February 2005 the rain-swollen Santa Clara River ate into the airport, taking out tiedowns, the ramp and about 600 feet of the west end of the runway. It reopened to the public two years later, in February 2007. The actor Steve McQueen kept classic aircraft in a hangar here and lived out his final years in Santa Paula.
The airport today
Santa Paula Airport is privately owned and open to the public, with one runway, 04/22, and no control tower. The airport says it handles about 97,000 arrivals and departures a year and is home to nearly 300 aircraft. It is widely recognized for antique, classic and experimental aircraft.
The Aviation Museum and First Sundays
The Aviation Museum of Santa Paula is a California non-profit on the field. Its “Chain of Hangars” is a row of hangars where each one shows its owner’s own collection: antique, classic and experimental aircraft, cars including race cars, motorcycles, radios, model aircraft and aviation artifacts.
The hangars, the gift shop and the aircraft display are open to the public on the first Sunday of each month, weather permitting, from 10am to 2pm. Antique aircraft are on display too. On those Sundays a small makers market comes in and the Young Eagles give kids free airplane rides (weather permitting; age limits apply). Hours can change, so check the museum’s website before you go. The museum also offers special ground tours by appointment.
Watching planes from the patio
The airport is active all day, so you may see flying while you’re here, conditions permitting. From the bar window and the patio at The Flying Spoon you look out over the airfield, the runway and South Mountain.
Where to eat on the field
The Flying Spoon is at 824 East Santa Maria Street, at the airport. We serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, with beer and wine at the bar: Wednesday to Sunday, 8am to 9pm. Start with the menu or come for breakfast and lunch or happy hour.
Flying in?
Pilots fly in free: land at SZP, park in transient parking directly in front of the restaurant (the row closest to the taxiway) and walk straight over. Pilot notes, First Sunday details and directions are on our Flying In page.