The History of Camarillo Airport
Discover how Camarillo Airport transformed from a World War II-era airfield into one of Ventura County's hubs for general aviation, flight training, and aviation history.
Today, Camarillo Airport (KCMA) is a familiar sight to local pilots, aviation enthusiasts, and anyone who has looked up to see a small airplane cruising over Ventura County. With its steady stream of training flights, privately owned aircraft, and visiting warbirds, it's easy to think of the airport as simply part of the local landscape.
But Camarillo Airport has a history that stretches back more than 80 years. Before student pilots practiced their landings on Runway 26, and before aviation enthusiasts gathered to admire historic aircraft, this airfield played a very different role in American aviation.
Its story is one of wartime necessity, Cold War defense, community debate, and eventually, a new purpose in civilian aviation.
The Beginning: World War II and the Oxnard Flight Strip
The history of Camarillo Airport begins in 1942, when an airfield was developed on approximately 100 acres of farmland on the Oxnard Plain. The original landing strip was built to accommodate light aircraft, with a runway approximately 5,000 feet long.
In 1943, the U.S. Army Air Forces acquired the airfield and additional surrounding land. Known as the Oxnard Flight Strip, the facility supported military activities during World War II, including flight training, aircraft maintenance, and troop housing.
What began as a relatively modest airfield was now part of the country's broader wartime aviation effort. The runway and surrounding facilities served military personnel at a time when aviation was essential to national defense.
After the war, the airfield's role began to change. In late 1947, the property was returned to the Public Roads Administration and leased to Ventura County for airport operations. Over the following years, the airfield saw a mixture of military and civilian use, setting the stage for its next major transformation.
The Cold War: Oxnard Air Force Base
The next chapter began in 1951, when the United States Air Force acquired the property amid growing Cold War tensions and concerns about defending the nation's coastline.
The facility was expanded significantly, including an extension of the runway and construction of additional military infrastructure. In 1953, the installation became known as Oxnard Air Force Base.
This was no longer simply a small landing strip. The base developed into a fighter-interceptor installation under the Air Defense Command, tasked with helping protect the Southern California region.
Among the aircraft stationed there were the Northrop F-89 Scorpion, followed by the supersonic McDonnell Douglas F-101B Voodoo interceptor in 1960. These aircraft represented a very different era of flying from the training aircraft that operate at Camarillo today. Built for speed and air defense, they were designed to respond to potential aerial threats during a period of intense international tension.
The base grew into a substantial military installation, with alert hangars, aircraft ramps, administrative buildings, housing, and recreational facilities. It functioned as a small community of its own, supporting the personnel responsible for maintaining the country's air defenses.
For nearly two decades, Oxnard Air Force Base played a role in military aviation and regional air defense. But as defense priorities evolved, its future began to change.
1969–1976: A New Future for the Airfield
In December 1969, the Department of Defense deactivated Oxnard Air Force Base, and the installation was declared surplus to government needs around 1970.
For the surrounding community, this created a major question: What would happen to the airfield and the extensive property that remained?
Ventura County pursued the acquisition of the airfield for civilian aviation. However, the proposal generated debate, particularly over concerns about aircraft noise and the possibility of commercial airline operations.
The eventual agreement established a different vision for the property. Rather than becoming a conventional commercial airport with scheduled airline service, the airfield would be used primarily for general aviation.
In 1975, Ventura County obtained the airstrip and associated property, and the facility became known as Camarillo Airport. The county's acquisition was formally approved in 1976, with an agreement that limited the runway to approximately 6,000 feet and established restrictions on airport operations.
This transition marked the beginning of the airport as the local pilots know it today: a place focused on private flying, flight training, business aviation, and other general aviation activities.
A New Era: General Aviation Takes Flight
Following its transition to civilian use, Camarillo Airport gradually developed into an important aviation resource for Ventura County.
Its location provides convenient access to the Southern California region, while its coastal climate often offers favorable opportunities for flying. As the Los Angeles basin grew increasingly congested, the airport also became a useful alternative for general aviation traffic.
The airport's evolution included the development of aviation businesses, aircraft storage and maintenance facilities, and flight schools that help new generations of pilots earn their wings.
In 1985, airport management became part of the newly established Ventura County Department of Airports, which also oversees Oxnard Airport.
Today, Camarillo Airport serves a diverse aviation community. Students work toward their first solo flights and pilot certificates, experienced pilots rent or operate aircraft for personal travel, and aviation businesses provide services that keep the local flying community moving.
The airport's history is still visible in its surroundings, where modern training aircraft share the airfield with aircraft representing earlier chapters of aviation.
Preserving Aviation History
Camarillo Airport is not only a place to learn to fly; it's also a place to appreciate how far aviation has come.
The airport is home to the Southern California Wing of the Commemorative Air Force, an organization dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of military aviation. Its museum and historic aircraft offer visitors an opportunity to connect with the people, machines, and stories that shaped aviation in the past.
The airport also hosts Wings Over Camarillo, an annual air show that brings historic aircraft, aerobatic performances, and aviation enthusiasts together. Events like these help keep aviation history accessible to the public and introduce younger generations to the excitement of flight.
For pilots training at Camarillo, this connection between past and present is especially meaningful. The aircraft and technology may have changed dramatically since the airport's military days, but the fundamentals of flying, the importance of preparation, and the fascination with aviation remain.
Camarillo Airport Today
From its beginnings as a wartime airfield in 1942 to its years as Oxnard Air Force Base and its transformation into a general aviation airport, Camarillo Airport has continually adapted to the needs of the time.
Today, it provides a home for flight schools, private pilots, aviation businesses, and enthusiasts who share a passion for flight. It is a place where first-time flyers discover the view from the cockpit, student pilots build the skills needed for independent flying, and experienced aviators continue exploring the skies above Southern California.
For those of us at Camarillo Flight Instruction, that history adds another layer of meaning to every lesson. The runway we use today has served very different purposes over the decades, but it continues to connect people with aviation.
The next time you're out on the ramp or taxiing toward the runway, take a moment to consider the history beneath your wings. You're flying from an airfield that has evolved alongside American aviation—and helping write its next chapter.
Ready to start your own aviation journey? Whether you're interested in taking a discovery flight, earning your private pilot certificate, or continuing your flight training, Camarillo Airport is a great place to begin. Visit Camarillo Flight Instruction to learn more about getting started.