Compton/Woodley Airport (CPM): South Bay Urban General Aviation Base
Compton/Woodley Airport (FAA identifier: CPM), located in Compton in the South Bay area of Los Angeles County, provides essential general aviation infrastructure to a densely populated urban community. Named Woodley Airport for its historical association with the surrounding area, CPM sits at an elevation of 97 feet MSL near the intersection of the 91 and 710 freeways in one of the most urbanized portions of Southern California. The airport's 3,600-foot runway (07/25) accommodates piston singles and light twins, making it accessible for flight training, personal transportation, and recreational flying by the surrounding community. The airport's proximity to Hawthorne (HHR), Torrance (TOA), and Long Beach (LGB) airports means pilots can easily transition to and from these neighboring facilities, and the Compton tower coordinates closely with LAX Approach Control to manage traffic in this complex portion of the South Bay airspace.
Compton/Woodley Airport has historically served an important role as a financially accessible aviation facility in a community where aviation education can open pathways to careers in one of California's dominant industries. Several aviation education nonprofits have used CPM as a base for introducing young people from Compton, Lynwood, and surrounding communities to aviation and aerospace careers. The Compton area's proximity to the aerospace manufacturing clusters of El Segundo, Hawthorne, and Long Beach makes aviation workforce development programs at CPM particularly impactful — graduates of these programs have gone on to careers as A&P mechanics, pilots, and aerospace technicians with regional employers.
What type of aircraft can use Compton Airport (CPM)?
CPM's 3,600-foot runway is appropriate for single-engine piston aircraft, light twins, and most training aircraft including Cessna 150/172, Piper Cherokee, Diamond DA20/DA40, and similar types. The runway length and urban surroundings require attention to obstacle clearance and noise abatement. Turboprops and jets typically use the longer runways at nearby Long Beach (LGB) or Torrance (TOA) airports.
Is there a control tower at Compton/Woodley Airport?
CPM has a staffed control tower operating during daylight hours. The tower coordinates with SoCal TRACON and LAX Approach Control to manage the significant volume of training and transient traffic at this airport. Pilots must contact the tower before entering the Class D airspace surrounding CPM.
Are there flight schools at Compton Airport?
Yes. Compton Airport hosts flight training operations including certificated Part 141 schools and independent instructors offering primary flight training, instrument rating preparation, and commercial pilot training. The airport's accessible location in the South Bay makes it a practical choice for student pilots from Compton, Lynwood, Paramount, and the surrounding communities.
What are CPM's operating hours?
Compton/Woodley Airport operates during daylight hours, with the control tower staffed during those times. Nighttime operations are possible but subject to lighting availability and noise abatement procedures. Pilots should review current NOTAMs and contact the airport for hours of service for fuel and other amenities before planning operations.
Compton Airport Contact Information
Address, Phone Number, and Hours for an Airports in Compton, California.
| Name | Compton Airport |
| Address | 901 West Alondra Boulevard, Compton CA 90220 Map |
| Phone | (310) 631-8140 |
| Website | |
| Hours |
Map of Compton Airport
Airports in near by County
Airports near Compton
Aviation Access and Workforce Development Near Compton Airport
Compton/Woodley Airport's value to the surrounding South Bay communities extends beyond its operational role as a general aviation facility. For a community like Compton that has faced significant economic challenges over decades, the proximity of a public-use airport creates tangible opportunities: flight training programs, aviation maintenance apprenticeships, and connections to the enormous aerospace employment base that spans from El Segundo to Long Beach along this corridor. Organizations that have leveraged CPM's location for youth aviation education have documented real outcomes — young people who might never have imagined an aviation career finding pathways to pilot certificates, FAA mechanics licenses, and jobs with airlines, maintenance repair organizations, and aerospace manufacturers.
The airport is included in the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) and receives federal Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding for capital maintenance and safety improvements. Caltrans Division of Aeronautics catalogs CPM as part of the Southern California general aviation network. The aircraft operations count at CPM reflects the dual nature of urban GA airports in Southern California: a mix of local training flights, transient aircraft passing through, aerial photography and survey operations, and occasional law enforcement aviation. Despite the urban pressures that have eliminated many small airports across Los Angeles County over the decades, Compton/Woodley Airport has remained a functioning public-use facility — a testament to its continued relevance to the aviation community it serves.