Developers Planning On-Airport Condos For Pilots -- And Their Planes

If you've ever felt so enamored of aviation that you'd rather be at the airport than anywhere else -- even your home -- Santa Paula's Bob Banman and Bill Lindsay have the ideal solution for you.

Partnering in a unique airpark housing and hangaring community, Banman and Lindsay are planning to break ground this fall on 37 hangar-homes located on the Santa Paula airport, according to the Associated Press.

With over 600 airparks across the country, the idea of a fly-in community certainly isn't a new one... but the feature that makes this one different from most is the resident will actually own the airport property the house sits on. It will be the first of its kind in California, Banman and Lindsay said.

The pair have designed two-story condos, consisting of a first-floor hangar and second-floor living space, expected to sell for as much as $800,000 each. Of the 37 hangar-homes, only 36 will be for sale -- Banman plans to keep one of them for himself.

Undeterred by recent economic downturns, Banman and Lindsay are not worried about the success of their project. Judging by the two dozen presale commitments from interested homeowners, their confidence appears well-founded.

Not surprisingly, a notable requirement to buy into the community is a pilot's license. "I think it is enough of a supply-and-demand type of thing, enough of a niche, that we'll be fine," Lindsay said.

Already having worked through lots of red tape to get the project this far, Lindsay quipped, "Every agency in the state of California known to man is tied to this project."

Because an airport was involved, the Federal Aviation Administration had to sign off, as well as local planners and transportation agencies, the AP said. So did the state Department of Fish and Game, because the Santa Clara River runs right by the airport.

The air park, dubbed the Sky Lofts of Santa Paula, has been well-received by local pilots, many already spending considerable time at the airport working on their projects and soaking up the atmosphere.

Rick and Susie Williams occupy a nearby hangar on the field, and have almost transformed it into a hangar-home already, installing a kitchen, bathroom and small loft. They park their plane in a living-room setting that includes a couch, chairs and a throw rug under the wings.

Enthusiastic about the prospect of living in one of the new Sky Loft condos, Susie Williams said, "Tell them to just hurry up already. Everybody here has been waiting forever for this."

FMI: www.santapaulaairpark.com