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A Castle & Cooke hangar at Van Nuys Airport is shown in this photo from 2024.
Signature Aviation has acquired the fixed-base operation (FBO) of Castle & Cooke Aviation at Van Nuys Airport in greater Los Angeles, expanding its presence at one of the nation's busiest general aviation airports.
Signature completed the acquisition Sept. 15 for an undisclosed price, rebranding Castle & Cooke’s facilities as Van Nuys Airport (VNY) North. The world’s largest FBO chain operates two other locations at the airport, Signature VNY East and West.
Located in the San Fernando Valley 20 mi. northwest of central Los Angeles, VNY recorded 334,068 operations (takeoffs and landings) in 2024, according to airport owner Los Angeles World Airports, making it one of the busiest U.S. general aviation (GA) airports. The airport is also served by FBOs Clay Lacy Aviation and Jet Aviation.
“GA activity accounts for the vast majority of operations at VNY, making up 89.5% in 2024, mainly due to the high-net-worth clientele who base their private aircraft at the airport,” states an economic impact study released by the airport in September 2026. “[B]y 2024, charters constituted 10.4% of total operations.”
While piston-powered aircraft have traditionally made up the largest share of based aircraft at VNY, the shares of piston and turbine aircraft have gradually converged since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the study. As of 2023, turbine aircraft comprised 48.1% of based aircraft, piston aircraft 47%, and helicopters 4.8%.
“Van Nuys is one of the most important business aviation markets in the world, and this acquisition strengthens our ability to serve guests in this critical gateway,” said Signature Aviation CEO Tony Lefebvre.
“We’re excited to welcome the Castle & Cooke Van Nuys team to Signature and build on the outstanding reputation they’ve established,” Lefebvre added. “Together, we’re expanding our capacity while continuing to invest in the people, facilities and service that define the Signature experience.”
Castle & Cooke had operated a corporate hangar and fuel farm at VNY since 1980. The company announced city approval of a 30-year lease for a full-service FBO in 2009.
Castle & Cooke said its second location at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu is not affected by the sale.
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