From the CHART SUPPLEMENT BULLETIN 10/06/2024
SANTA PAULA (SZP)(KSZP) 1 SE UTC–8(–7DT) N34º20.82´ W119º03.70´
250 TPA—850(600) NOTAM FILE HHR
RWY 04–22: H2665X60 (ASPH) 0.3% up NE
RWY 04: Thld dsplcd 148´. Bldg. Rgt tfc.
RWY 22: Thld dsplcd 225´. Trees.
SERVICE: S4 FUEL 100LL
NOISE: Ngt operations prohibited. +4´ sign in primary sfc at NE end of arpt. 2200´ mt 1 NM S of arpt, for noise abatement
mntn 1500´ upwind over city.
AIRPORT REMARKS: Attended 1600–0100Z‡. 24 hour self fueling with all major credit cards. Be alert to wires crossing over
river bed adjacent to Rwy 04–22. Locations: 1.5 miles and 3.5 miles SW AER 04. Also, 1,500´ and 2.5 miles NE AER
22. Ultralights, banner towing, gliders, remote control models operating in the vicinity. Daily aerobatic activity 3–18 miles
E up to 5255´ AGL. No OHD apchs, no 45º entries, no crosswind entries over rwy. STAs not recommended. Enter pattern
from extended downwind leg or enter from a crosswind leg at least 1 mile byd the dep end of active rwy.
AIRPORT MANAGER: 805-933-1155
COMMUNICATIONS: CTAF 122.9
CLEARANCE DELIVERY PHONE: For CD ctc Los Angeles ARTCC at 661-575-2079.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
HELIPAD H1: H60X60 (ASPH)
HELIPORT REMARKS: Helicopter must use designated heliport located mid–fld on the south side. All apchs/deps are from the
south. Transient helicopter rstd to the heliport. Hover taxi not authorized.
News:
11/10/2024 The HAZARDS TFR which included KSZP was moved south a bit, and flight at the airport was again permitted with the pattern moved to the North of the runway as opposed to the South.
The MOUNTAIN FIRE: A Major Threat!
Wednesday 11 /06/2024:
Saturday 11/09/2024:
Santa Paula Airport Runway View
11/09/2024: Mountain Fire by report (Spectrum News 1) is 17% Contained. Over 130 Structures have been destroyed. Thousands of evacuations!
11/06/2024 In a few terrifying hours, the Mountain fire exploded into SoCal's most destructive in years - From LA Times - The warnings Wednesday morning were dire: Southern Ventura County was primed to be hit with the region's most ferocious Santa Ana wind event in years, creating extremely critical fire weather in the area.
And the conditions lived up to the billing, with 60- to 80-mph gusts slamming the foothills of Moorpark and Camarillo. Alone, the winds were dangerous. But once a small fire ignited in the wilderness north of Somis, the seeds for disaster were firmly planted. Read the full account Here.
Airport Challenge:
#1) Educate Pilots using and/or transitioning through the Santa Paula Flight Intensive Training Area / Waivered Aerobatic Area that they should be reporting their position and intentions on frequency 122.775.
Flight safety demands situational awareness. No transponder is required in this area, and aerobatic activity usually does not allow for ADS-B traffic monitoring. The practice area extends East to near Magic Mountain. Both SoCal Tracon and Magu Approach cover their respective parts of the area, however, communications may not be certain because of the mountainous terrain and the aircraft's altitude. Most aerobatic aircraft only have one radio, they will be communicating on 122.775. Those aircraft with two radios are invited to monitor both ATC and 122.775.
#2) Educate visiting pilots to refer to the Chart Supplement Bulletin and include the recommended traffic pattern design and area landmarks in their preflight management.
Commentary:
Santa Paula is a very neat Airport. you'll find community support regularly visiting the airport on the first Sunday of every month. On that day and regularly, the goal is safety; the means is the superior instructional training available on the field. In addition to providing private pilot, commercial, and instrument training, conventual tailwheel and upset training are emphasized.
Superior features include two aerobatic flight training areas. The waivered airspace East of the field is the area most often in use and is supervised by CP Aviation. One can refer to the Chart Supplement Bulletin for the locations, and the dimensions and area data are available via using the Free Flight Planning application, ChartAware. ChartAware can be downloaded from SCAUWG.ORG and used as an overlay on your iPad using ForeFlight, or any application that uses KML files
The training area comes with pilot responsibility. Pilots are expected to announce their positions and intentions using the Training Area Frequency 122.775 whilst practicing in or transitioning through the area.
Santa Paula is a non-towered airport. It is not an "uncontrolled airport!" The Chart Supplement above details the rules of the sky at KSZP, and those rules might be very different than those first-time visiting pilots might expect. Pattern details are available on SCAUWG.ORG. Arriving pilots from the east when Rwy 22 is in use are expected to enter the pattern upwind over the city to the north of the airport at 1500' MSL for noise abatement. No straight-in approaches are recommended. Those pilots should extend the upwind leg until reaching Peck Road (at the city boundary where agriculture begins). Descending on the crosswind leg is expected so as to enter the downwind leg at 850' MSL. One can expect that several aircraft might turn base leg close-in whilst in the proximity of the 12th St bridge. Beware of the wires near the approach end of the runway. CTAF is 122.9 and it is expected that pilots report their positions on every pattern leg.
Okay, all of that said, I recently heard one twin-engine pilot report 10 miles east for a straight-in approach, and another reported an overhead approach. Some pilots turn a "regular" crosswind after flying over the city. The traffic pattern at Santa Paula can be a diverse mix of craft, and the pattern rules differ from regular. No 45-degree entries. One might find trikes in the pattern as well as Pitts flyers that fly fast and turn base very close-in, tailwheels that fly slow, sometimes low, and a few that fly a base very close-in and land on the grass that parallels the runway. Some helicopter activity. Safety demands listening to the radio for situational awareness and keeping one's head "on the swivel."
Transitioning through the East Practice Area. (3-18 miles east / 1500'-5500')
Many recommend flying over 126 Fwy. and using 122.775 to report position altitude and intentions. Why? Many pilots divided the area into six sections. Three north on the 126 Fwy, and three to the south of the 126 Fwy. The most popular sections are south and north of the 126 Fwy between Santa Paula and Fillmore. Flying down the center should keep you out of the fray of those who are practicing flight and/or flying aerobatic activity. Common reporting points include Grimes Canyon and Balcom Canyon. Occasional flights may be south of the mountain range at the southwest area corner opposite Grimes Canyon. PLEASE USE 122.775 and report. Your goal should not be to meet an aerobatic aircraft in the sky by accident.
Very Professional Flight Instruction and Aircraft Service can be obtained at CP Aviation. Owners Clay and Judy Phelps have an unparalleled reputation for excellence.
Santa Paula Airport Webcam: Want a picture of the airport runway, the mountain south of the field and some weather information? Just dial in the URL: www.santapaulaairport.com
The Restaurant:
The field restaurant is the Flight 126 and Hangar Bar serves a well composed menu. Servers are friendly and seating is available in the cafe for breakfast / lunch as well as on the patio facing the airport ramp. Dinner in the Hangar Bar area, and large windows provide a view of the flight activity. Space can be arranged for parties. Call for hours:(805) 525-7200 - You can visit their website at flight126.com