Author: Aviatorfinds

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Located in Santa Paula, California, this aviation business provides professional local services. Nestled at the historic Santa Paula Airport (KSZP) in Ventura County’s sun-drenched valleys—30 miles west of downtown Los Angeles—Olmsted Aviation is a premier aerobatic flight school dedicated to pushing pilots’ limits through advanced upset recovery, precision aerobatics, and tailwheel mastery. Led by owner Chris Olmsted, a Learjet captain and certified aerobatic judge with 8,000+ total hours (2,700+ aerobatic), this boutique operation transforms everyday aviators into confident aces using a fleet of high-performance extras. Ideal for GA pilots seeking adrenaline-fueled skill-building amid SoCal’s endless VFR days, unlimited airspace, and proximity to beaches, mountains, and urban fly-ins.

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

Brief History
Founded by Chris Olmsted in the early 2010s after his tenure as president of the Los Angeles Aerobatic Club (IAC Chapter 49), Olmsted Aviation emerged from a passion for competitive aerobatics and safety training. A former contest director for the annual Duel in the Desert and co-founder of the Figure One Foundation—which awards scholarships for aviation career advancement—the school has trained hundreds of pilots, blending IAC expertise with real-world jet command to fill a niche in advanced maneuvers at KSZP’s legacy reliever field, established in 1930 as a WWII training site.