Second Chance for New Cuyama Airport

CA – After several years of neglect, New Cuyama Airport in California’s high desert will get a second chance at life after residents, pilots, and volunteers decided it was worth saving. While other airports have faced closure threats within California, New Cuyama Airport had the support from the local community to reopen the airport by October.

The challenge with costs and maintenance of the runway led to the slow decline and closure of New Cuyama. Blue Sky Center is a nonprofit organization that owns and operates the airport. They came together with the community and devised a plan to reopen the airport. A generous donation from the San Simeon Find allowed some of the projects to continue to help the reopening efforts.

Local businesses, pilots, and volunteers agree the New Cuyama Airport is an asset to the region for emergency support, wildfire suppression, and pilot training, and as a landmark, for visitors to experience all that the Cuyama Valley has to offer. Its location in the high desert also provides a much-needed safety net for transient pilots flying from California’s Central Valley to the coast, as it’s the only option when crossing the surrounding mountains.

 While New Cuyama is set to begin a new chapter, there is still work to be done. Taxiway and ramp funds are still needed to meet California Department of Transportation requirements, and leaders still need to draft a maintenance plan. Supporters are asking for help from the aviation community to complete the reopening effort by visiting its fundraising page.