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Serving Local Communities
Airports Economic and Community Impact
While serving the broader general aviation community, the County airports are also valuable resources to their surrounding residential and business communities. In addition to money spent at the airports and by the various airport tenants and visitors, the airports are a source of jobs for local residents.
According to an economic impact report published in 2020, LA County airports’ annual contributions include generating $279 million annually to the surrounding region, supporting more than 1,700 good-paying jobs for local residents, and creating $118 million in employee wages.
Open to the general public, the airports offer restaurants, recreational activities, educational opportunities, and other aviation-related services, such as aerial sight-seeing tours, aircraft charter, and flight schools.
Public Safety
The County airports serve as critical infrastructure to support public safety, law enforcement, and other essential agencies and organizations, facilitating rapid response and effective coordination in serious situations. The airports help to meet the crucial aviation needs for the deployment of aerial firefighting resources, air ambulance services, disaster relief operations, and law enforcement activities, and also serve as command centers and staging areas for related ground operations. By offering convenient access to the skies and supporting facilities, the County airports play a vital role in safeguarding communities and ensuring public safety.
- Firefighting: The County airports serve as a base of operations for local firefighting operations by the U.S. Forest Service, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and other essential agencies. The U.S. Forest Service has a permanent year-round base of operations at General William J. Fox Airfield and is extremely busy during wildfire season.
- Medical services: The County airports are frequently used for air-ambulance and medevac activities involving the transport of persons, medical equipment, blood, organs, and other urgent medical-related materials and supplies.
- Emergency and disaster-support operations: The County airports are used to accommodate transportation, facility, and staging needs for responding agencies and organizations during emergency or disaster situations.
- Law enforcement: The County airports facilitate the activities and operations of various City and County police, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Department of Homeland Security, and other law enforcement agencies.
- News, weather and traffic reporting: The County airports serve as bases of operation for numerous helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft flying and reporting daily for television and radio news outlets.
Community Events and Activities
The County airports host various events throughout the year that are open to the general public. These include static aircraft displays, fly-ins, air races, air shows, and others. Additionally, numerous tours of airport facilities are provided each year to local schools and youth organizations, such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Visit the Events and Activities Calendar for more information.
Airport Tours
Tours of the airport facilities are available upon request and may be coordinated with the local airport manager.
Public Facilities
Brackett Field Airport
- Aircraft viewing area
- Paved walking and biking trail
- Restaurant
Compton/Woodley Airport
- Aircraft viewing area
- Conference/meeting space
General William J. Fox Airfield
- Aircraft viewing area
- Conference/meeting space
- Restaurant
San Gabriel Airport
- Aircraft viewing area
- Conference/meeting space
- Restaurant
Whiteman Airport
- Aircraft viewing area
- Conference/meeting space
Related Information
LA County Airports
