The Lone Pine Death Valley Airport revovation project has been completed

After many months of sweat and toil, the Lone Pine Death Valley Airport Terminal Building is smiling, inside and out. With a generous grant from the RAF, many volunteers, work parties, and amazing contributions from RAF members including Banks Glass, the interior restoration project is reaching its conclusion. It’s hard to believe what the place used to look like when FLPA first was formed. The roof was leaking, with many damaged patches in the ceilings. The floor was carpeted, filled with dust and stains, covering over clear grained wood floors. The window panes were falling out of windows, many cracked. The walls were dirty, damaged. The place smelled musty and dusty, and had clearly seen better times. 

After the County replaced the roof in the spring of 2024, FLPA first started work on the exterior restoration in May, putting hundreds of hours into removing flaking paint and old cables, patching and repairing damage, priming and painting. RAF volunteers attended many fly in work parties getting the work done. Once the grant proposal for the interior was approved by the RAF, FLPA began work in earnest through the Winter and into Spring of 2025. Banks Glass was a real morale booster when they came in and replaced the remaining windows, including installation of windows in the outdoor bathrooms - a final step that had not been tackled. Each time we reached a new milestone, the history of the building came through a little more. 

How about the details, you may ask? Well, for the record, the Pilots Lounge has a new painted tongue and groove ceiling, refinished floors, glass in the window partitions to the County office, a painted back wall where once there was fake paneling covering the original wall, vintage lighting, and a bookshelf where once there was a boarded up doorway. A beautiful new double paned picture window frames the Inyos for pilots who come in to seek shelter from the weather. The front office is repaired and painted, awaiting a final window installation donated by the amazing crew at Banks Glass, and provides a desk for pilots to work utilizing the free public wifi. The first display of pictures highlighting history of the Tunnel Aircamp are hung, a gift from Janeen Langenheim, who ran the FBO with her husband for many years after Bob and Shirley White. More historical displays will be added. The bathroom has a refinished wood floor, repainted walls, a new toilet, new fixtures, and a new insulated window, thanks again to Banks Glass. The kitchen also has a new tongue and groove ceiling, painted walls, new double paned glass in the windows (guess who?) and a new floor which extends into the County office. The County office ceiling was also repaired and painted. There are new blinds in all the windows. 

Having the grant and collaboration of the RAF made this project possible. It was so empowering to take something that clearly had meaning and history and make it shine again. Many thanks to all the volunteers, the donations of time and materials, and the hard work put in by all. A special thanks to Brian Forbes, who did a tremendous job on the skilled carpentry work we needed and for his donation of the vintage lights. Also a special thank you to Banks Glass for their incredible donation of windows and expertise! We have a lot more to do. Next on our list is creating a Youth and Aviation program, maintenance on the historic Bob White Hangar, and Restoration of the Tunnel Aircamp Hangar. 

New kitchen you can actually use

New vintage cabinets located in the kitchen

The pilots office and history room

Donated images

The county office with equipment to keep the airport running

There is a shower in the internal restroom

Upgraded inside bathroom that works (there are 2 more outside)

The Lone Pine Death Valley Airport Renovated Terminal Building