Long Beach Airport

LGB originated in 1911 as a transcontinental flight piloted by Calbraith Perry Rodgers landed on its beach. Until the time the airport was created, the beach was used as a runway. Barnstormer Earl S Daugherty leased the area that was to become LGB for the purpose of air shows, stunt flying, and more. In 1919 he opened a flight school at the same location, and in 1923 he convinced the city to use the site to create an airport. The City of Long Beach was intent on attracting the Navy and proceeded to build an administrative building and a hangar while offering to lease it to the Navy for $1 a year in return for the establishment of a naval air base. On May 10th, 1928, the field was commissioned as NRAB Long Beach by the Navy, and two years later, an administrative building and hangar were built for the benefit of the U.S. Army Air Corps as well. The naval base's mission was to instruct, train, and drill Naval Reserve personnel. In 1939, training in night flight began, with the facility later used for fleet aircraft. The airport began to see increased activity by both the airlines and the private aviation industry, including having Douglas Aircraft as a resident. This change in circumstances caused city officials to become hostile towards the naval presence at LGB. This included refusing to approve more land for the naval base, which prompted naval officials to seek out and acquire land for a new base elsewhere in 1941. Nonetheless, LGB was turned over entirely to the military in 1941 due to WWII (with the Civil Aeronautics Administration taking over the airport). Although the Navy had left, in 1942, the Navy turned over its facilities to the U.S. Army Air Forces. The base was dedicated to servicing both carrier-borne and utility aircraft.
Furthermore, what had by then become Long Beach Army Airfield was home to the Army's Air Transport Command's Ferrying Division, with the 1736th Feerying Squadron assigned (including a squadron of 18 female pilots commanded by longtime Long Beach aviator Barbara London). Another major part of the war was the Douglas Aircraft facility, which was dedicated in October 1941. They produced 4,238 C-47s, 1,000 A-20 Havocs, 3,000 B-17 Flying Fortresses, and 1,156 A-26 Invaders. By the end of the war, the U.S. Navy abandoned all use of the Long Beach Municipal Airport. As for the civilian airport, the main terminal was constructed in 1941 as part of the Works Progress Administration and included murals and mosaics by artist Grace Clements. While jets were introduced in 1968, up until 1981, all the flights from LGB were to destinations within California. That year a new Long Beach-based airline called Jet America began nonstop flights to Chicago (and to Dallas-Fort Worth the following year). Alaska Airlines soon joined with flights to Portland and Seattle, while American Airlines, United Airlines, and Continental Airlines also added routes.
Between 1990 and 1992 air service by Delta, Continental, TWA, and USAir ended, with American leaving in 2006 and Alaska Airlines leaving in 2015. Delta Connection and American Eagle regional jets continue to serve LGB, while Southwest announced plans to begin to service the airport in 2016. The airport terminal is considered a historical landmark, and it was renovated in 2013.

The airport is located three miles northeast of downtown Long Beach. 

• The Boeing Company (formerly McDonnell Douglas) maintains its maintenance facilities near LGB. Furthermore, Virgin Galactic has established satellite launch vehicles at LGB, while Gulfstream Aerospace operates a completion/service center on-site. 
• LGB has one of the strictest noise ordinances in the country due to its proximity to many residential areas. As such, there are three full-time noise specialists on hand, and an aircraft's owner and pilots can be criminally prosecuted for breaking the noise ordinance. 
• Parallel runways 16L/34R and 16R/34L were permanently closed on July 21st, 2016, and seubsequently removed.  
• There are multiple FBOs at LGB, including Signature Flight Support and Atlantic Aviation (formerly Ross Aviation).