General Western Aero Hangars

The two General Western Aero Hangars are located on the northeast portion of the Santa Barbara Airport near the intersection of Fairview Avenue and Hollister Avenue adjacent to San Pedro Creek. These two hangars were constructed in 1931 and were the genesis of the Santa Barbara Airport. Throughout the 1930’s, the hangars supported aircraft manufacturing and commercial operations. During the 1940’s, the Army Corps of Engineers and the United States Marines Corps began filling in the Goleta Slough and expanding the airport with new buildings and hangars. By the 1950’s, the hangars were still functional, but the airfield had grown substantially to the west and south, thereby making the hangars appear set back from the airfield.

Limited documentation available between the 1950’s and 1980’s suggests the hangars were less used for aviation purposes and more for storage. It appears that minimal maintenance was performed on the hangars over this period.

Beginning in the 1980s through present, a number of studies were performed, and plans developed related to the future disposition of these structures. Both structures are well beyond their useful life and are no longer providing a useful function to airport operations.

The current City CIP FY22-26 proposed $500,000 in FY22 and $4,100,000 as future needs for the hangars. Given the location within the floodway, this location is minimally suited for supporting airport operations.