Whiteman Airport (WHP): Pacoima's Gateway to the San Fernando Valley Skies
Whiteman Airport (FAA identifier: WHP), located in Pacoima in the northeastern San Fernando Valley, is one of three general aviation airports operated by Los Angeles County and one of the most historically significant small airports in the greater Los Angeles region. Named for Horace Keeble Whiteman, a local aviation pioneer and businessman who was instrumental in establishing the field in the 1940s, WHP occupies a site at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains where the valley meets the foothills near the communities of Pacoima, Arleta, and Sunland-Tujunga. The airport features a 4,100-foot primary runway (12/30) and a shorter crosswind strip, with a towered environment that provides radar service and flight following through SoCal TRACON — making it an effective training ground for student pilots learning to navigate the complex Los Angeles Basin airspace.
Whiteman Airport's position in the northeastern San Fernando Valley places it within easy reach of communities that are otherwise far from the nearest commercial airports. Van Nuys Airport (VNY) lies approximately 7 miles to the southwest, Burbank (BUR) is about 10 miles to the east, and LAX is over 30 miles away — meaning Whiteman fills a geographic niche in the valley's GA infrastructure. The airport supports multiple flight schools, aircraft rental operations, maintenance shops, and recreational flying clubs. Annual fly-in events and community aviation education programs, including youth aviation outreach efforts in the predominantly working-class communities surrounding the airport, reflect WHP's role as a community asset beyond its purely operational function.
What services does Whiteman Airport (WHP) offer?
WHP provides 100LL avgas fueling, tie-down and hangar parking, flight training through multiple Part 141 and Part 61 providers, aircraft rental, aircraft maintenance and repair, and charter services. The airport has an operating control tower staffed during daylight hours. An on-field café caters to the local pilot community and to members of the public interested in the airport environment.
Who was Horace Keeble Whiteman?
Horace Keeble Whiteman was a Southern California aviation entrepreneur and advocate who was central to establishing the Pacoima airport facility during the early postwar aviation boom. His contributions to general aviation development in the northeastern San Fernando Valley earned the airport its name as a permanent recognition of his civic contribution to the region's aviation infrastructure.
Is Whiteman Airport controlled or uncontrolled?
Whiteman Airport has an FAA control tower (Class D airspace) that is staffed during published hours. Outside of tower operating hours, WHP operates under the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) as an uncontrolled field. Pilots operating at WHP during tower hours must establish radio contact prior to entering the Class D airspace.
How close is WHP to Van Nuys Airport?
Whiteman Airport is approximately 7 miles southwest of Van Nuys Airport (VNY). The two airports share the broader San Fernando Valley airspace and pilots must coordinate carefully when transitioning between them to avoid airspace conflicts. The SoCal TRACON provides radar services to both facilities and helps deconflict traffic in the valley environment.
Whiteman Airport - WHP Contact Information
Address, Phone Number, and Hours for an Airports in Liberty, Missouri.
| Name | Whiteman Airport - WHP |
| Address | 12653 Osborne Street, Los Angeles CA 91331 Map |
| Phone | (818) 896-5271 |
| Website | |
| Hours |
Map of Whiteman Airport - WHP
Airports near Liberty
Community Aviation and Youth Outreach at Whiteman Airport
Whiteman Airport's position in Pacoima — a working-class community with historically limited access to aviation careers — has made it a focal point for aviation education and workforce development efforts. Organizations including EAA chapters, nonprofit youth aviation programs, and local school district partnerships have used WHP as a venue for introducing young people to aviation, from cockpit tours to introductory flight lessons. These programs connect directly to the broader Los Angeles aerospace employment ecosystem, where companies including Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, SpaceX, and dozens of FAA-certificated repair stations employ thousands of technicians and engineers who often cite an early aviation experience as the spark that launched their careers.
Los Angeles County's Department of Public Works — Airports operates Whiteman alongside Brackett Field (POC) in La Verne and General William J. Fox Airfield (WJF) in Lancaster, collectively providing GA infrastructure across the county's diverse geographic and demographic landscape. WHP participates in the FAA's Airport Improvement Program for capital funding and is recognized in Caltrans Division of Aeronautics' California Aviation System Plan as a Local Airport serving the northeastern San Fernando Valley. The airport's ongoing operation depends on balancing community concerns about noise and urban encroachment against the aviation industry's legitimate need for accessible, well-maintained GA facilities within the Los Angeles Basin — a balance that LA County has so far maintained in WHP's favor.