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Van Nuys History

Van Nuys History

Did You Know?

The City of Los Angeles purchased Van Nuys Airport from the U.S. War Assets Administration in 1949 for only $1.

Van Nuys Airport, which today covers 730 acres, opened in 1928 on just 80 acres as the privately owned Metropolitan Airport.

In Van Nuys Airport's early years, aviation pioneers like Amelia Earhart and Florence 'Pancho' Barnes set speed flight records at the airport.

The first of hundreds of movies, TV shows and commercials with scenes filmed at Van Nuys Airport was Hell's Angels in 1930.

During World War II, Hollywood discovered none other than Marilyn Monroe on an aircraft assembly line at Van Nuys Airport.

Competitors in the famous Bendix Air Races after World War II staged along the east side of Van Nuys Airport, and then raced across the nation to win the coveted Bendix trophy.

The Sherman Way underpass became one of the first of its kind when built in the late 1950s, allowing Van Nuys Airport to lengthen its main runway and send vehicle traffic underneath.

Planes built in the 1960s at an aerospace firm located at Van Nuys Airport transported massive moon rockets to Cape Canaveral in Florida, establishing VNY as a key player in the race to space.

Legendary comedian Bob Hope initiated several of his famous USO tours from the former Air National Guard site at Van Nuys Airport.

An economic study shows that Van Nuys Airport contributes about $1.3 billion annually to the Southern California economy and supports more than 12,300 jobs.

Each year, thousands of adults and children get a firsthand look at Van Nuys Airport through the airport's award-winning guided tour program.

Get In Touch

Van Nuys Airport
16461 Sherman Way
Suite 300
Van Nuys, CA 91406

Phone (818) 442-6500 / TDD (818) 442-6560

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