Help Reopen a California GA Airport

and Support a Rural Community

- New Cuyama L88 -

An opportunity has arisen for aviation enthusiasts to not only help reopen a California airport, but at the same time support a rural community.

An added bonus is that pilots also gain a new fly-in destination!

Where is New Cuyama?

If you are flying north or south through southern and central California, you probably fly along the central valley or take a coastal route. But if you flew between the two, along the mountains ranges that separate the coast from the central valley, you would find a rural airport just 13 miles SE of the Fellows VOR, nestled in the Cuyama Valley. New Cuyama Airport (L88) remains on the Los Angeles Sectional but is currently “Indefinitely Closed” in the California AFD. It is a privately owned, public use airport established in the early 1950s by Atlantic Richfield Oil Company (ARCO) after oil was discovered in the Cuyama Valley.

Blue Sky Center

Over the years, the ownership of the airport has changed, but since 2014 is has been owned by Blue Sky Center (BSC), a community nonprofit whose mission is to "strengthen our Cuyama Valley communities by supporting entrepreneurs and building our creative and economic resources." They see the airport as critical to emergency support for Cuyama communities. But also, as a portal for flying visitors to experience all the Cuyama Valley has to offer.

Learn About BSC

The Current Problem with L88

However, decades of deferred maintenance and lack of funds caused CalTrans to closes the airport a few years ago.

The last two years, pilots have teamed with Blue Sky Center to perform some maintenance, but the airfield surface itself is beyond any simple patching and sealing. So, we began researching renewing the airfield.

The Opportunity

Through an extremely generous grant from The San Simeon Fund, we have the funds available to perform the fundamental, but costly surface repairs the airport needs to reopen. However, some additional funds are needed to cover some other costs associated with the effort.

“While the San Simeon Fund Grant is sufficient to complete the resurfacing work, we have additional projects and materials that are needed to fully reopen the airport,” says Em Johnson, Airport Manager and BSC Executive Director. “We are looking for aviation community support to help us execute our full scope of work to officially reopen our community’s airstrip."

Blue Sky Center hopes to raise $50,000 to through contributions from the aviation community to complete the entire scope of work to reopen the airstrip fully (see details below). The plan is to reopen the airport in Fall 2022

Cuyama Valley as a Fly-in Destination

Central Valley pilots have long regarded L88 as a ‘safe haven’ as they traverse the numerous mountain ranges to the central coast. But in the last few years through the efforts of local entrepreneurs, Cuyama Valley has also become a destination for those looking for adventure or an escape. The town has a newly restored and reimagined Cuyama Buckhorn Resort that has a Restaurant, bar and lodging with many amenities.

The valley, nestled between the Carrizo Plain National Monument and the Los Padres National Forest, has an interesting variety of actives available: wineries, farm tours, a condor sanctuary, horseback and hiking opportunities, and more.

Cuyama Valley's Offerings

How Your support benefits a rural California community and aviation:

Maintaining the Cuyama Valley’s access for county emergency services such as medical evacuation helicopters
Ensuring CalFire’s aircraft have an airbase for local wildfires
Supporting the local economy:
Example: L88 use for Crop dusting operations for local farmers
Increased local visitors arriving at L88 supports the valley’s businesses and services
Reopens a remote area to aviation enthusiasts (GA, gliders and ballooning)
Provides you and other pilots a fly-in destination only 100 miles from Los Angeles and within easy reach from coastal and central valley airports.