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  #1  
Old 06-16-2015, 08:36 AM
jma jma is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: NYC
Posts: 10
Default Advice on airports near Santa Barbara, CA

My wife and I are planning a trip to Santa Barbara, California in the near future. We have no knowledge regarding GA friendly airports. Requesting advice from those familiar with the area and/or who have visited regarding your experiences and advice.

Cheers,
JMA
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  #2  
Old 06-16-2015, 09:01 AM
Jordan1976 Jordan1976 is offline
 
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Location: WA
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I've never flown into Santa Barbara, but I have relatives down there. When I last spent a few hours on the beach that is just off the end of SBA's runway, the only planes coming and going were GA planes. They only have about 20 commercial operations a day.
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  #3  
Old 06-16-2015, 09:22 AM
jma jma is offline
 
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Thanks for the info. Now I hope someone will chime in regarding FBOs, transient/overnight parking, facilities, alternative area airports.

Cheers,
JMA
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  #4  
Old 06-16-2015, 09:39 AM
neonbjb neonbjb is offline
 
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Location: Tehachapi, CA
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Airnav has some good information on SBA and their FBOs:
https://www.airnav.com/airport/KSBA

They have high ramp and overnight fees relative to other GA airports, but about on par for class-C airports. I used Atlantic last time I visited and they give out bikes to pilots for day use you could use to go bike around UCSB and the college town that is right next door to the airport. That's a lot of fun.

This time of year they get a lot of fog and marine layer (June Gloom, affects most of the California coast). That should start clearing up in late July and August but is in full force this year.

The only alternate airport in the immediate area is Santa Ynez over the mountains (KIZA). It's about an hour drive, but it's a really pretty one at that. I've landed here a few times but have not stayed overnight. I have been told you can get rental cars delivered to the airport but they do not have any formal FBO facilities with crew cars or anything that I know of. IZA is also next to the wine region in the area and a lot of other nice destinations, so you may be able to make a day trip out of it if you decide to land there. I believe fees are $5/night overnight so pretty reasonable. It's in a valley so the weather is generally better than SBA gets.

Other alternates are Santa Paula, Oxnard and Camarillo to the southeast, but these are all a bit further away by car.
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Last edited by neonbjb : 06-16-2015 at 10:29 AM. Reason: Distance was wrong, sorry about that.
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  #5  
Old 06-16-2015, 09:45 AM
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rv7boy rv7boy is offline
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Default Santa Paula

I would recommend you consider Santa Paula airport (KSZP), the oldest public use, privately owned airport in continuous use in the country.

It's been a while since I've been there but I'm thinking it's still one of the most interesting airports I've ever been to, especially when a lot of the hangars are open. It's almost like a living museum.

It's only about 25 air miles from Santa Barbara. You would have to determine if it's inconvenient to drive from Santa Paula to your destination in Santa Barbara. I remember the menu of so many years ago at the airport restaurant stated that Charles Lindbergh used to visit there in the '30s. It's a special place, or it was when I visited.

Maybe some of the Southern California pilots will speak up. I hope it hasn't changed, because I would like to visit it again someday. I can't comment on how the overnight parking, etc., compare with KSBA or other local airports.
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Last edited by rv7boy : 06-16-2015 at 11:38 AM.
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  #6  
Old 06-16-2015, 10:44 AM
jma jma is offline
 
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Great info so far. Thanks for all the input. Maybe we'll be able to make contact with some SoCal pilots when we are there.

Cheers,
JMA
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  #7  
Old 06-16-2015, 11:36 AM
Bob'sRV6A Bob'sRV6A is offline
 
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Location: Arroyo Grande, CA
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We like to fly over to Camarillo for breakfast at the "Waypoint"--great restaurant right off the ramp. I'm based at Santa Maria where we have a Radisson Hotel with nice restaurant and airplane parking also at the ramp. The terminal has a Mexican restaurant, Pepper Garcia's.
San Luis Obispo has a good restaurant, Spirit of San Luis, too. Oceano has the best Mexican restaurant, Old Juan's, a short walk away.
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Old 06-16-2015, 12:07 PM
neonbjb neonbjb is offline
 
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+1 on Bob's suggestion of Camarillo btw. The Waypoints restaurant is the best on-airport restaurant I've yet had.
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  #9  
Old 06-16-2015, 01:11 PM
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osxuser osxuser is offline
 
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If you are going into Santa Barbara, I can think of no reason to use anything but the big airport. Everything else is pretty far away all things considered. Visit Santa Paula if you have time to be sure, awesome little airport, but for traveling into the city, there is no substitute for SBA.
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  #10  
Old 06-16-2015, 02:57 PM
rockwoodrv9 rockwoodrv9 is offline
 
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Default Signature

Signature is very nice. It isn't the cheapest place to keep a plane, but they are very service oriented. Our company headquarters is in SB and our company plane is at Signature.

If you don't have to be right in SB, Oceano(can be windy), SLO, or Camerillo are good alternates. There is lots to do in the area. Have fun.
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