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Palmdale Regional Airport , also '''United States Air-Force Plant 42''', is an airport in the city of Palmdale in Los Angeles County, California, United States. This airport is situated on Plant 42 and is generally considered one of the largest civilian airports in the world due to the size of the 5,800 acres (23 km²) Plant 42 and the surrounding LAWA owned land. It serves predominantly as a manufacturing plant for aircraft used by the United States Military Forces. It is also planned for expanded commercial service.
Commercial service The airport currently has a small commercial air terminal owned and operated by the Los Angeles World Airports department of the city of Los Angeles. Additionally, LAWA acquired several thousand acres of land around Plant 42 in 1966 to be developed into "Palmdale Intercontinental Airport," with the goal of surpassing the air traffic of LAX. LAWA has since over the decades not developed its Palmdale airport lands to the full potential it possesses. This is due to two main reasons: perceptions by the traveling public that Palmdale was too far away to suit their desires, and the inability for Los Angeles city government leaders to obtain the political will from the voting public to develop the airport. Only recently, since 2000, have steps been taken to actually work towards the construction of the larger terminal. The current terminal has been vacant since 1998 when United Express pulled out of the terminal. Convincing airlines of the marketability of the airport has thus far been difficult because of the perceived distance of the airport from Los Angeles basin population centers. While Palmdale may - offer the airline passenger a quicker ground transportation travel time from Sherman Oaks than the standard LAX airport car trip down the San Diego 405 freeway, so far the airport has been unable to convince passengers to try Palmdale as an alternative. There is a longstanding desire by the City of Palmdale to attract more commercial carriers to the existing terminal. It is the desire of many Southern Californians to use this airport as an alternative to expanding LAX and Bob Hope Airport. Most of the communities surrounding those airports do not want the added traffic volume and noise to the area. Expansion of Palmdale Regional is also welcomed by a good number of Antelope Valley residents, and is seen by some Valley residents as the long awaited foundation for stabilizng the local economy. However, those associated with Plant 42 aerospace contractors are in many cases apprehensive about a large airport becoming established, though they tend to support a small to mid sized operation. These aerospace engineers, mechanics, firefighters, and other skilled tradespeople see the entry of a large airport as the deathnell of what they have long strived to maintain - a secure environment away from prying eyes in which to develop, manufacture and flight test advanced aerospace projects and "black" projects which they see as vital to the national defense of the United States. They point to what has happened at Burbank Airport (now renamed Bob Hope Airport) as a template for what could befall Plant 42 and its operational future. (There are presently no aerospace contractors manufacturing advanced or "black" projects working out of Bob Hope Airport.) Military usage and manufacturing Please see Plant 42. Airline and destination Trivia | ||||||||
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