Hollywood Burbank Airport

The airport has been named United Airport (1930–1934), Union Air Terminal (1934–1940), Lockheed Air Terminal (1940–1967), Hollywood–Burbank Airport (1967–1978), Burbank–Glendale–Pasadena Airport (1978–2003), and Bob Hope Airport after comedian Bob Hope (since 2003 as the legal name).[5] In 2017, it was rebranded as Hollywood Burbank Airport due to the lack of recognition of Bob Hope Airport's geographic region.[5][6]

United Aircraft and Transport Corporation (UA&T) was a holding company created in 1928 that included Boeing Aircraft and United Air Lines, itself a holding company for a collection of small airlines that continued to operate under their own names. One of these airlines was Pacific Air Transport (PAT), which Boeing had acquired because of PAT's west coast mail contract in January 1928.[9] UA&T sought a site for a new airport for PAT and found one in Burbank. UA&T had the benefit of surveys that the Aeronautics Department of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce had conducted starting in 1926 to identify potential airport sites.[10]

It took UA&T a year and the cooperation of the city to assemble the site.[11] The 234-acre (0.95 km²) site was rife with vines and trees and the ground had to be filled and leveled, but it had good drainage, a firm landing surface, steady winds, and good access to ground transport.[12] Construction was completed in just seven months. In an age when few aircraft had brakes and many had a tail skid instead of a wheel, runways were not usually paved; those at Burbank had a 5-inch-thick (130 mm) mixture of oil and sand. There were no taxi strips, but the designers left room for them. Two of the runways were over 3,600 feet (1,100 m) long; a third was 2,900 feet (880 m); all were 300 feet (91 m) wide. These were generous dimensions, and the site had room for expansion.[13]

Postcard of what was then called Union Air Terminal (1934–1940)

United Airport was dedicated amid much festivity (including an air show) on Memorial Day weekend (May 30 – June 1), 1930. The airport and its handsome Spanish Revival-style terminal was a showy competitor to nearby Grand Central Airport in Glendale, which was then Los Angeles' main airline terminal. The new Burbank facility was actually the largest commercial airport in the Los Angeles area until it was eclipsed in 1946 by the Los Angeles Airport in Westchester when that facility (formerly Mines Field, then Los Angeles Municipal Airport) commenced scheduled airline operations.

The Burbank facility remained United Airport until 1934 when it was renamed Union Air Terminal. The name change came the same year that Federal anti-trust actions caused United Aircraft and Transport to dissolve, which took effect September 26, 1934. The Union Air Terminal moniker stuck until Lockheed bought the airport in 1940 and renamed it Lockheed Air Terminal.

In March 1939 airlines scheduled sixteen departures a day out of Burbank: eight United Airlines, five Western Airlines and three TWA (American Airlines' three departures were still at Glendale).[14] Airline flights continued even while Lockheed's extensive factories supplied the war effort and developed military and civil aircraft into the mid-1960s. The April 1957 OAG lists nine weekday departures on Western, six on United, six on Pacific Air Lines, one on TWA and one on American Airlines (a nonstop to Chicago Midway Airport). Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) had 48 Douglas DC-4 departures a week to SFO and SAN (PSA did not fly out of LAX until 1958).[15] In 1958 Transocean Air Lines Lockheed Constellations flew to Honolulu three times a week; twice a week a Constellation flew Oakland - Burbank - Chicago Midway Airport - New York Idlewild Airport (now JFK Airport) - Hartford.[16] In summer 1962 PSA flights to San Francisco and San Diego were all Lockheed L-188 Electras, a total of 32 departures a week from Burbank.[17]

PSA Electra, 1962

Jets arrived at Burbank in the late 1960s: Pacific Air Lines flew Boeing 727-100s nonstop to Las Vegas and San Francisco and one-stop to Eureka/Arcata. Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) flew 727s to the San Francisco Bay Area and San Diego, and Hughes Airwest (previously Air West) flew Douglas DC-9-10s and McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30s nonstop to Las Vegas, Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Denver with one-stop DC-9s to Houston Hobby Airport. Hughes Airwest even operated one-stop DC-9s to Grand Canyon National Park Airport near the south rim of the Grand Canyon. In 1986 United Airlines Boeing 767-200s flew nonstop to Chicago O'Hare Airport; the 767 was the largest passenger airliner ever to serve Burbank. AirCal McDonnell Douglas MD-80s flew nonstop to the Bay Area and direct to Lake Tahoe.

In 1967 Lockheed renamed the facility Hollywood–Burbank Airport. In 1970 Continental Airlines began Boeing 727-200 flights to Portland and Seattle via San Jose and also flew the short hop to Ontario. Continental later offered flights to Chicago via Ontario. Continental went on to serve Denver with nonstop Boeing 727-200s from BUR. Alaska Airlines began serving Burbank in 1981 with Boeing 727-100s and 727-200s flying nonstop and direct to Seattle and Portland, which was Alaska Air's first service to southern California.[18] Aloha Airlines pioneered nonstop jet service from BUR to Hawaii, flying Boeing 737-700s to Honolulu before ending all passenger operations.

A 1973 decision by the United States Supreme Court in City of Burbank v. Lockheed Air Terminal, Inc. overturned an airport curfew imposed by the city of Burbank on flights between 11:00 pm and 7:00 am under the U.S. Constitution's Supremacy Clause on the grounds that airports were subject to federal oversight by the Federal Aviation Administration and under the terms of the Noise Control Act of 1972.[19] The airport now has a strict voluntary noise abatement procedure to reduce noise of aircraft arriving and departing from the airport. Commercial flights are scheduled between the hours of 7:00 am and 10:00 pm, all departing flights take off to the south on runway 15, and all arriving flights land on runway 8.[20]

The facility remained Hollywood–Burbank Airport for more than a decade until 1978 when Lockheed sold it to the Burbank–Glendale–Pasadena Airport Authority. The airport then got its fifth name: Burbank–Glendale–Pasadena Airport (1978–2003). On November 6, 2003, the airport authority voted to change the name to Bob Hope Airport in honor of comedian Bob Hope, a longtime resident of nearby Toluca Lake, who had died earlier that year and who had kept his personal airplane at the airfield.[21] The new name was unveiled on December 17, 2003, on the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers' first flight in 1903, the year that Bob Hope was born.

After much debate between the Airport Authority, the city of Burbank, the Transportation Security Administration, and Burbank residents, in November 2007 it was decided that a new $8 million to $10 million baggage screening facility for Terminal B is legal, considering the anti-growth limitations placed on the airport. The facility will house a $2.5-million explosive detection system, used for the automatic detection of explosives within checked luggage.[22]

On June 27, 2014, a $112 million Regional Transportation Center opened. The 520,000-square-foot (48,310-square-meter) center at Hollywood Way and Empire Avenue was also built to withstand a major earthquake while serving as an emergency "nerve center." The industrial-looking hub with a red steel roof will be adorned by 16, three-story art panels. Solar panels generating 1.5 megawatts of electricity will also be added to its roof. A nearby parking garage was built to handle more than 1,000 cars, while traffic lights have been reworked around the airport.[23]

Future

The airport in February 2022

There is also a replacement terminal in the works at the airport, designed by Corgan.[36] A plan to develop a new airport terminal building was unveiled by the Burbank–Glendale–Pasadena Airport Authority in 2013. The replacement terminal would cost a reported $400 million and meet newer seismic standards and be farther from the runway as required by the Federal Aviation Administration.[37] The new location is west of Hollywood Way on undeveloped property that has been used in recent years for parking. The Burbank City Council allowed voters decide on the plan. Known as Measure B, the proposal went before Burbank city voters on November 8, 2016, and passed with 69% of voters approving.[38]

The next step in the terminal replacement process is for the Airport Authority to finalize the new terminal's design, get FAA approval (NEPA clearance for which was obtained on Tuesday, May 18, 2021)[39] and then secure the required financing from the FAA and other sources. Airport funding sources include FAA grants, parking fees, landing fees charged to airlines, as well as rents from restaurants and other concession businesses operating at the airport. There are also fees charged on airline tickets sold, including passenger facility charges and federal taxes. Once the funding is secured, the Airport Authority will accept bids for the project. The replacement terminal is expected to encompass 355,000 square feet (32,981 square meters) and the same number of gates (14). Travelers will have more restrooms, additional restaurant and concession space, improved security screening areas, and other enhanced passenger amenities in the new facility.

In July 2021, the City of Los Angeles filed a lawsuit against the FAA alleging deficiencies in the environmental review process for the proposed replacement passenger terminal at the Hollywood Burbank Airport.[40]

In 2022, the airport used the California Environmental Quality Act to file a lawsuit to block approval for California high-speed rail construction.[41] The high-speed rail project plans to have its Palmdale–Burbank and Burbank–Los Angeles segments running through and beneath the airport's property, with an underground station to be built adjacent to the proposed replacement passenger terminal.

View of tower from airplane boarding ramp, 2015

Hollywood Burbank Airport covers 555 acres (224 ha) at an elevation of 778 feet (237 m) above sea level. It has two asphalt runways: 15/33 is 6,886 by 150 feet (2,099 x 46 m) and 8/26 is 5,802 by 150 feet (1,768 x 46 m).[7][42] Airliners generally take off on Runway 15 due to wind from the south, and land crosswind on Runway 8 since that is the only runway with ILS and clear terrain for the approach. Flights from the northeast rarely land visually on Runway 15 to save the extra distance circling to Runway 8. When the wind is from the north aircraft make a visual approach over the Santa Monica mountains for a left-base to final turn to Runway 33.

In the year ending September 30, 2018, the airport had 133,669 operations, average 366 per day: 43% general aviation, 40% scheduled commercial, 17% air taxi, and <1% military. In October 2018, 91 aircraft were then based at this airport: 38 jet, 28 single-engine, 16 multi-engine, and 9 helicopter.[7]

Aircraft rescue and firefighting engine of the Burbank–Glendale–Pasadena Airport Authority Fire Department

Hollywood Burbank Airport also has its own Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) station, which is housed in a hangar in the northwest quadrant of the airport. In addition to providing emergency services to support airport operations, the department supports the airport AED program, fire extinguisher inspections and training, in addition to inspections and emergency support for all airport structures. Beginning in 2012, the Burbank–Glendale–Pasadena Airport Authority equipped its ARFF with Rosenbauer Panther 1500 vehicles.[43] Burbank was the first airport in the US to operate state-of-the-art Class 4 ARFF vehicles employing compressed air foam (CAF) technologies, which provide enhanced firefighting capabilities when paired with other tools like forward looking infrared (FLIR) and thermal imaging cameras (TICs). The airport operates with five firefighters and one captain, while FAA standards require Index C airports like Hollywood Burbank to have a minimum of two firefighters and one captain.[44]

Ground transportation

Passenger loading/unloading zone in front of terminal

Hollywood Burbank Airport can be reached using the Hollywood Way exit off Interstate 5, the Hollywood Way (westbound) or Pass Avenue (eastbound) exit off State Route 134, the Victory Boulevard exit off State Route 170, or the Barham Blvd (northbound) exit off U.S. Route 101. Car and pedestrian access to the terminal is provided at either Hollywood Way and Thornton Avenue or on Empire Avenue one block west of Hollywood Way. On-site parking consists of valet parking, short-term parking, and Parking Lots E and G. Remote Parking Lot A is located at Hollywood Way and Winona Avenue. Remote Parking Lot C is located on Thornton Avenue west of Ontario Street. Shuttle buses are provided from Parking Lots A and C to the terminal buildings. A shuttle stop is also located at the corner of Hollywood Way and Thornton Avenue.[4]

Lyft, Uber, and Wingz all use the passenger drop-off location[45] in front of the main terminal for departing travelers—and arrivals use the adjacent Short Term Parking structure directly opposite the terminal.

There are two bus stop areas: Hollywood Way–Thornton Avenue (a short walk east of Terminal A) and Empire Avenue/Intermodal, also known as the RITC, a short walk south of Terminal B across from the Burbank Airport-South station. All Burbank-bound lines serve the Downtown Burbank Metrolink station. Metro route 222 connects to the Universal City station. The Burbank Orange bus connects to North Hollywood station.

Amtrak's Coast Starlight and Pacific Surfliner and Metrolink's Ventura County Line serve the Burbank Airport–South station located south of the airport. The train station is a short walk from the terminal area via skybridge. From this station, the Ventura County Line provides access to Los Angeles Union Station and Ventura County; Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner provides access to San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles Union Station, Anaheim, and San Diego.

Twice daily Amtrak Thruway bus service on Empire Avenue across from the Burbank Airport–South station provides transportation to Santa Monica, UCLA, Van Nuys, Newhall, and Bakersfield.[46]

Metrolink's Antelope Valley Line stops at the Burbank Airport–North station located about one mile north of the terminal near the intersection of San Fernando Boulevard and Hollywood Way, and a free on-demand shuttle takes passengers to the terminal, or passengers can also board the Metro 294 bus free with Metrolink ticket.[47] From this station, the Antelope Valley Line provides access to downtown Los Angeles and the Antelope Valley.

• On September 21, 1938, USAAC Chief Maj. Gen. Oscar Westover was killed in the crash of Northrop A-17AS, 36-349, c/n 289, '1', out of Bolling Field, Washington, D.C., in a crosswind short of the runway. The single-engine attack design, used as a high-speed staff transport, crashed into a house at 1007 Scott Road in Burbank. Also killed was Westover's mechanic, S/Sgt Samuel Hymes.[67] (Another source identifies him as Sgt. Samuel Hyne.)[68] Northeast Air Base, Massachusetts, was renamed Westover Field on December 1, 1939, later Westover AFB on January 13, 1948.[69] The location of the crash may indicate that Gen. Westover's intended landing field was not Hollywood Burbank Airport (then Union Air Terminal), but a nearby landing field, Lockheed Aircraft Company Plant B-1 Airfield (34.189°N, 118.331°W), 1 mile southeast of Hollywood Burbank Airport, which existed from ca. 1928 until World War II. The site is now (2022) the Empire Center Shopping Center, with a Staples, Lowe's, and Target where the runway had been.
• On August 6, 1945, leading U.S. fighter ace Richard Bong was killed when his plane's primary fuel pump malfunctioned during takeoff on the acceptance flight of P-80A 44–85048. Bong either forgot to switch to the auxiliary fuel pump, or for some reason was unable to do so. Bong bailed out of the aircraft but was too low for his parachute to deploy. The plane crashed into a narrow field at Oxnard St & Satsuma Ave, North Hollywood.
• On October 31, 1951, a Pacific Southwest DC-3 crashed shortly after take-off into Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery, immediately south of the airport. Though damaged, the fuselage remained intact and there were only very minor injuries.
• On September 8, 1955, Currey Air Transport Flight 24, a Douglas DC-3 bound for Oakland, crashed on the airport property while returning to the airfield after experiencing an engine failure shortly after takeoff. The plane, N74663, struck a power line on the southern boundary of the airport, causing it to crash into two parked Air Force C-54 aircraft and a Lockheed Aircraft service hangar. The pilot, co-pilot and an airport employee on the ground were killed; the plane's stewardess and one passenger were seriously injured. The remaining 29 passengers on board received minor injuries.
• On December 14, 1962, a Flying Tiger Line Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellation freighter (N6913C) crashed in dense fog 1+1⁄2 miles west of the airport during an instrument landing system (ILS) approach to Runway 07. The Constellation clipped a telephone pole and billboard and crashed in an industrial and residential neighborhood near the intersection of Lankershim Boulevard and Vose Street in North Hollywood after the aircraft's 38-year-old pilot suffered a heart attack at a critical point in the landing approach. All five occupants of the Constellation—the pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer and two non-revenue passengers—died in the crash. Also killed were two persons in a commercial building and a teen-age girl in a house that were among the structures struck by the plane.
• On December 5, 1982, Douglas C-53 N163E operated by P. Crossman was damaged beyond repair in a taxiing accident.[70]
• On March 5, 2000, Southwest Airlines Flight 1455, upon landing on Runway 8 at Burbank following a flight from Las Vegas, overran the runway, injuring 44. The Boeing 737 crashed through a metal blast barrier at the end of the runway, then an airport perimeter fence, and came to rest in the traffic lanes of Hollywood Way, a main north–south thoroughfare. The plane stopped near a Chevron gasoline station located across the street from the runway. The incident resulted in the dismissal of the pilots. The Chevron gasoline station was subsequently closed and removed due to safety concerns.
• On September 21, 2005, JetBlue Flight 292 took off from Burbank, and the nose gear failed to retract and instead jammed sideways. The aircraft spent several hours in the air before safely making an emergency landing at LAX, with 140 passengers and 6 crew members aboard. The Airbus A320 was originally bound for JFK International Airport, in New York City. After the aircraft took off, the incident was quickly captured by news helicopters which ran feed that was shown live nationally on cable news. Many passengers on the flight said they watched images of their own aircraft's flight on JetBlue's LiveTV system.
• On October 13, 2006, a Gulfstream Aerospace jet overran the runway upon landing.[71] There were no reported injuries amongst the five passengers and two crew members. New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez was on board, en route to attend the funeral of teammate Cory Lidle. Rodriguez was uninjured, but the accident happened two days after the fatal plane crash of his teammate.
• On December 6, 2018, Southwest Airlines Flight 278 from Oakland overran the runway in heavy rain. The flight was stopped by the EMAS installed following the similar Southwest Airlines Flight 1455 incident in 2000.[72]
• On February 22, 2023, a near mid-air collision was reported at the Hollywood Burbank Airport when a SkyWest Embraer 175 was cleared to takeoff on runway 33 and a Mesa Airlines CRJ-900 was cleared to land immediately after on the same runway. The accident was averted by initiating a go around and neither plane suffered any damages and there were no injuries for any passenger on board.[73]

• California World War II Army Airfields
• List of airports in California
•  This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hollywood Burbank Airport.

• Hollywood Burbank Airport, official site
• Elevate BUR, official replacement terminal site
• Burbank Airport at Burbank.com
• Aerial image as of March 2004 from USGS The National Map
• FAA Airport Diagram (PDF), effective October 5, 2023
• FAA Terminal Procedures for BUR, effective October 5, 2023
• Resources for this airport:
  • AirNav airport information for KBUR
  • ASN accident history for BUR
  • FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
  • NOAA/NWS weather observations: current, past three days
  • SkyVector aeronautical chart for KBUR
  • FAA current BUR delay information