Los Alamitos Army Air Airport (SLI) — Los Alamitos, California

Los Alamitos Army Airfield, designated by the FAA as SLI and internationally as KSLI, sits at approximately 32 feet above mean sea level in Los Alamitos, Orange County, California. This military airfield is integral to the operations of Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos (JFTB Los Alamitos), one of the most strategically important National Guard installations on the West Coast. The base hosts the California Army National Guard, the California Air National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing detachments, and various federal and state emergency response units.

The airfield features a single primary runway designated 07/25, stretching approximately 5,000 feet in length — sufficient for rotary-wing aircraft, turboprop transports, and lighter fixed-wing military platforms. The facility primarily supports UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, C-26 Metroliner surveillance aircraft, and periodic fixed-wing training sorties. The runway orientation is optimized for the prevailing westerly sea breezes that characterize the coastal plain of northwestern Orange County, keeping crosswind components manageable for military aviators during routine and emergency operations.

JFTB Los Alamitos spans roughly 4,682 acres and is one of the few military installations in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area still maintaining active flight operations. Its location — just 22 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles and 12 miles northeast of Long Beach — makes it a critical staging hub during California's frequent disaster response activations. The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic response, 2018 Woolsey Fire, and multiple flood relief operations have all seen rotary-wing assets depart from SLI to deliver personnel and supplies across Southern California.

The base traces its history to World War II, when it was established as a naval auxiliary air station. Postwar transitions brought it through various command structures before the California National Guard assumed primary stewardship. Today, the installation functions as the headquarters for the California Military Department and houses the State Operations Center — the nerve center for statewide emergency management coordination under the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES).

Civilian access to Los Alamitos Army Airfield is strictly controlled. The airfield does not offer commercial passenger service, charter flights, or general aviation tie-down facilities. All flight operations require prior coordination with base operations and compliance with military airspace regulations. The Los Alamitos Class D airspace (surface to 2,500 feet MSL) requires two-way radio communication with KSLI tower before entry, and the surrounding Class B airspace of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) — located approximately 18 miles to the northwest — requires additional coordination.

For civilians and researchers visiting the broader Los Alamitos area, the nearest general aviation airports include Meadowlark Airport in Huntington Beach (approximately 6 miles southwest), Long Beach Airport (LGB, approximately 9 miles west-southwest), and John Wayne Airport (SNA, approximately 12 miles southeast). Commercial travelers typically use Long Beach Airport or John Wayne Airport — both offering Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, and Delta Air Lines service — for access to the Los Alamitos and Seal Beach corridor.

The airfield's control tower, base operations office, and associated maintenance facilities occupy the eastern portion of the JFTB campus along Moody Street. Pilots operating under instrument flight rules (IFR) are served by the SoCal TRACON (Southern California Terminal Radar Approach Control), which coordinates with KSLI tower for arrivals and departures. The field elevation and relatively open approaches from the west over the San Gabriel River flood control channel make instrument approaches straightforward in typical Southern California marine layer conditions.

Environmental stewardship at JFTB Los Alamitos includes active management of the Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge, which borders the installation. Aircraft departure profiles are coordinated to minimize disturbance to migratory bird species, particularly during the Pacific Flyway migration season from September through November. The integration of military flight operations with sensitive ecological zones reflects the base's long-standing relationship with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service partners.

ID: 27564 in the national airport registry corresponds to this installation's classification within federal aviation infrastructure tracking systems, distinguishing KSLI from the many similarly named general aviation facilities across the country. Whether you are a military family member, defense contractor, emergency management professional, or aviation researcher, Los Alamitos Army Air Airport remains one of Southern California's most operationally significant military airfields — and a cornerstone of California's homeland defense and disaster response architecture.

Los Alamitos Army Air Airport - SLI Contact Information

Address, Phone Number, and Hours for an Airports in Los Alamitos, California.

Name Los Alamitos Army Air Airport - SLI
Address 4612 Doolittle Avenue, Los Alamitos CA 90720 Map
Phone (562) 795-2571
Website
Hours

Map of Los Alamitos Army Air Airport - SLI

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Airports near Los Alamitos

Frequently Asked Questions — Los Alamitos Army Air Airport (SLI), Los Alamitos, CA

No. Los Alamitos Army Airfield (KSLI) is a restricted military installation operated by Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos and the California Army National Guard. Civilian pilots may not land at or depart from KSLI without prior military authorization. The airspace above the field is Class D, requiring two-way radio contact with the SLI control tower before entry. Civilian general aviation pilots seeking airports in the area should use Meadowlark Airport in Huntington Beach (approximately 6 miles southwest) or Long Beach Airport (LGB), about 9 miles to the west-southwest.

KSLI primarily supports rotary-wing operations, including UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters operated by the California Army National Guard for disaster response, firefighting support, and training missions. The field also sees C-26 Metroliner surveillance aircraft and occasional fixed-wing turboprop transports. During major California emergency activations — such as the 2018 Woolsey Fire and various flood response operations — rotary-wing sortie rates increase significantly as JFTB Los Alamitos serves as a key staging hub for the Southern California region.

The nearest commercial airports to KSLI are Long Beach Airport (LGB), approximately 9 miles to the west-southwest, and John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Santa Ana, approximately 12 miles to the southeast. Long Beach Airport offers nonstop service on Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, and Delta Air Lines to major hubs including Las Vegas, Phoenix, Denver, and Seattle. John Wayne Airport provides additional connections through American, Southwest, and United Airlines. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is approximately 18 miles to the northwest and offers the widest selection of domestic and international routes.

JFTB Los Alamitos and its airfield serve as a primary staging and coordination hub for California emergency response operations. The installation hosts the California Military Department headquarters and is co-located with the State Operations Center managed by the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES). During declared emergencies — including wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic response — National Guard aviation assets at KSLI are activated to move personnel, supplies, and equipment rapidly across Southern California. The base's proximity to both the Los Angeles Basin and Orange County makes it ideally positioned for multi-county emergency coordination.

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