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Santa Paula Airport (SZP / KSZP), Santa Paula, California, USA Location & Overview

Tucked into the sun-soaked orchards and rolling hills of Ventura County at historic Santa Paula Airport (KSZP)—a non-towered GA reliever 30 miles west of Los Angeles—CP Aviation is a family-owned powerhouse delivering flight training, aircraft maintenance, and emergency maneuver programs since 1987. Specializing in building confident pilots through Private, Instrument, Commercial, and CFI certifications, plus tailwheel transitions and aerobatic thrills in Cessnas, Citabrias, and Decathlons, this vibrant school thrives amid SoCal’s endless VFR skies and diverse traffic patterns. From discovery flights over the Pacific to spin recovery mastery, CP equips aviators for real-world adventures near Oxnard beaches, Ojai hikes, and urban fly-ins—perfect for aspiring pros or recreational flyers chasing that first solo.

Coordinates: 34°22′15″N 118°54′00″W | On-field at Santa Paula Airport

Brief History
Launched in 1987 as a grassroots flight school at KSZP—a 1930s-era field that trained WWII pilots and now buzzes with 100,000+ annual operations—CP Aviation evolved into a family-run staple, celebrating 30 years in 2017 with a focus on holistic training. Founded by aviation enthusiasts, it pioneered emergency maneuver training (EMT) scholarships in memory of Vicki Cruse since 2005, partnering with the International Aerobatic Club (IAC) to fund spin and unusual attitude courses. Today, under seasoned instructors with military, airline, and competitive backgrounds, CP continues shaping pilots ami