▁d irt ▁run ways . ▁ ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁the ▁federal ▁government ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁air port : ▁From ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁until ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁Air ▁Corps ▁and ▁the ▁California ▁National ▁Guard ▁used ▁ 2 1 8 ▁acres ▁as ▁an ▁aer ial ▁observation ▁training ▁center ; ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁the ▁War ▁Department ▁added ▁hard ▁surface ▁run ways ▁and ▁lights , ▁bar ra cks , ▁hang ars , ▁and ▁mechan ic ▁sh ops . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁ 1 8 3 ▁private ▁pil ots ▁and ▁ 2 0 ▁advanced ▁students ▁were ▁trained ▁here ▁though ▁a ▁feder ally ▁spons ored ▁Civil ian ▁Pil ot ▁Training ▁Program ▁for ▁armed ▁services ▁f liers . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁the ▁Navy ▁began ▁using ▁the ▁air port ▁as ▁a ▁training ▁center ▁for ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Fle et . ▁ ▁The ▁federal ▁government ▁turned ▁the ▁air port ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁county ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 . ▁South west ▁Air ways ▁started ▁passenger ▁fl ights ▁with ▁Douglas ▁DC - 3 s ▁that ▁year . ▁ ▁South west ' s ▁fl ights ▁to ▁San ▁Luis ▁Ob is po ▁ended ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁when ▁the ▁air line ▁moved ▁to ▁Pas o ▁Rob les ▁Municipal ▁Airport ▁in ▁northern ▁San ▁Luis ▁Ob is po ▁County ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁ 4 0 0 0 - ft ▁run way ▁at ▁San ▁Luis ▁Ob is