Mount Si with trees in foreground

Twin Peaks Location – Black Lake Airport

The tour of airports in Twin Peaks continues with a look at the Twin Peaks Airport from episode 2.020 in season two. While the “Twin Peaks Access Guide to the Town” calls the airpot Old Unguin’s Field, it is called Blake Lake Airport in the script. In reality, the scenes were shot at Whiteman Airport in Pacoima, California.

WHERE IS BLACK LAKE AIRPORT LOCATED IN TWIN PEAKS?

According to the “Access Guide,” the airport is located at the end of Lakeside Drive on the outskirts of Twin Peaks. It was originally named for Unguin Packard (1878-1974) who was was the wife of James Packard. They settled in the region around the spring of 1890.

Tim and Tom's Taxi-Dermy drops off John Justice Wheeler
The Mauve Zone

Between January 30 through February 15, 1991, Harley Peyton and Bob Engles drafted the script for episode 2.020. At the beginning of Act Four, the name of the airport is identified as Black Lake Airport. This scene featuring Tim and Tom’s Taxi-Dermy was revised on February 15 and was ultimately deleted. I wrote about this Missing Piece in this article for Twin Peaks Blog.

Google Maps
Google Maps

Through the years, several websites have identified this California airport as a Twin Peaks film location. I’ve divided this story into three sections as there are three distinct times the airport is used in the episode. But first, a history lesson.

HISTORY OF WHITEMAN AIRPORT IN PACOIMA, CALIFORNIA

Whiteman Airport (Airport Code WHP) is located at 12653 Osborne Street in Pacoima, California. According to the Los Angeles County Airports website:

Originally established in 1946 by Marvin E. Whiteman Sr. as a private general aviation airport, the airport, now owned and operated by the County of Los Angeles, is publicly available to general aviation aircraft 24-hours a day seven days a week and is home to over 600 based aircraft, a restaurant, and numerous aviation-related businesses.

Google Earth
Google Earth, May 1994

Here’s a Google Earth image of the airport from May 1994, just a few short years after episode 2.020 was aired.

JOHN JUSTICE WHEELER PREPARING AIRPLANE

Flight crew pulling wheel chucks
Episode 2.020

There is a short transition scene in episode 2.020 that shows John Justice Wheeler preparing his jet to leave Twin Peaks. The scene opens with a flight mechanic removing wheel chocks.

EXT. BLACK LAKE AIRPORT – DAY

Sunset. An attendant kicks the wheel blocks from Wheeler’s jet. Portable stairs fold upward, closing Wheeler inside.

Flight crew pulling wheel chocks
Episode 2.020

As he stands, we see a first clue as to where exactly this scene was shot. Notice the square building in the distance.

Google Maps
Google Maps

Compare that building to the one in this image from Google Maps. Wheeler’s jet was most likely parked in this spot off the runway.

John Justice Wheeler closing airplane door
Episode 2.020
Side of airplane
Episode 2.020

Wheeler boards his 1968 Leerjet and closes the door.

Google Maps
Google Maps

This aerial view gives a better idea where this short scene was filmed.

AUDREY HORNE TELLS WHEELER “IT’S YOUR JET”

Pete Martell driving truck by airport
Episode 2.020

Audrey Horne convinces Pete Martell to drive her to the airport so she can see John Justice Wheeler one more time. Pete flies down a dirt road near the runway with Audrey in his baby blue Dodge D-100 truck. This is the same truck  (with 12 Rainbow Trout in the truck bed) that Windom Earle will steal while dressed as the Log Lady.

Google Maps
Google Maps

This aerial view shows the progression of Pete’s truck toward Wheeler’s plane. Today, the paved area houses helicopter landing pads. You may notice it was originally unpaved as seen in the 1994 image above.

Pete Martell's truck driving on tarmac
Episode 2.020

The episode script continues.

EXT. BLACK LAKE AIRPORT – DAY

Audrey points ahead to the airstrip and jet.

AUDREY
There he is. Step on it!!

Pete Martell's truck driving on tarmac
Episode 2.020

Pete lets out a war whoop, they barrel forward.

Pete Martell's truck driving on tarmac
Episode 2.020
Pete Martell's truck driving on tarmac
Episode 2.020
Pete Martell's truck driving on tarmac
Episode 2.020

Pete passes a number of parked aircraft which you can see the details about them in this Twin Peaks Blog article. My favorite detail in this scene is the “Packard Mill” logo on the side of the truck.

Wheeler's Jet begins to taxi
Episode 2.020

Wheeler begins taxing his jet. Notice the rectangular sign just above the airplane.

Google Maps
Google Maps

The sign and trees were the identifying clues to determine where the scene took place.

Wheeler's jet begins to taxi
Episode 2.020
Wheeler's Jet and Pete Martell's blue truck
Episode 2.020

Pete stop in front of Wheeler, blocking him from continuing his take off preparations.

Audrey Horne in the passenger seat of Pete Martell's truck
Episode 2.020
Audrey Horne jumps out onto tarmac
Episode 2.020

Dressed in a Houndstooth jacket, Audrey leaps from Pete’s truck and stands in front of the jet.

EXT. BLACK LAKE AIRPORT – DAY

The truck careens onto the tarmac. The jet pauses. Audrey leaps out of the truck, runs to the jet, shouts up at the cockpit.

AUDREY
HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!!

Google Maps
Google Maps

This image from Google Maps shows what was behind Audrey as she exited the truck.

Audrey Horne flags down Wheeler's jet
Episode 2.020
Audrey Horne flags down Wheeler's jet
Episode 2.020
John Justice Wheeler sitting in his jet smiling
Episode 2.020
John Justice Wheeler sitting in his jet smiling
Episode 2.020

Desperately, Audrey motions Jack to stop the plane. He can’t believe what he is seeing.

John Justice Wheeler standing in the doorway to his jet
Episode 2.020

Jack Wheeler’s face appears in the cockpit window, grinning from ear to ear. He vanishes. Audrey races around to the exit door. It opens, the stairs unfold. Wheeler appears in the open doorway.

WHEELER
(as the stairs touch ground)

I should have known a simple goodbye was out of the question.

Audrey Horne and John Justice Wheeler share a hug by a jet
Episode 2.020

Audrey runs up the stairs into his arms. They kiss for a very long beat. Finally, Audrey looks into his eyes.
No quips, no flirtation, no barrier between. Just the simple truth.

Audrey Horne and John Justice Wheeler
Episode 2.020
Audrey Horne and John Justice Wheeler
Episode 2.020

Confessions of love are shared between the love-struck couple. Audrey asks Jack to make love to her in his jet.

Wheeler and Audrey kiss by jet
Episode 2.020

The two kiss again before they enter the jet for some afternoon delight.

Pete Martell watching Audrey and Wheeler climb into jet
Episode 2.020

Meanwhile, Pete watches this exchange from afar. This shot gives another great look at the film location.

Google Maps
Google Maps

This aerial view gives approximate locations for action. It appears the shell of the rectangular sign is still at the airport today.

Pete Martell standing next to truck
Episode 2.020
Pete Martell crying next to truck
Episode 2.020

Pete watches them with a happy tear in his eye.

Pete Martell's Hand shaking next to truck
Episode 2.020
Pete Martell's hand shaking next to truck
Episode 2.020

There is no mention of Pete’s hand shaking in the script by Peyton and Engles. It was clearly something added on set.

JOHN JUSTICE WHEELER TAKES OFF IN JET

Pete Martell sleeping in truck
Episode 2.020
Pete Martell sitting in truck
Episode 2.020

Night has fallen in Twin Peaks and the sound of Wheeler’s jet taking off wakes a sleeping Pete Martell.

Airplane taking off at night
Episode 2.020

Interestingly, the scene of Wheeler’s plane was taken from the opposite side of the runway. Pete would not have seen this image from the position of his truck.

Google Maps
Google Maps

This aerial map gives a better approximation of where the take off scene was shot versus where Pete used his truck to stop Wheeler.

Google Maps
Google Maps

The mountains in the distance where the key to identifying this approximate location. I love using mountains and other landscape or architectural features to identify locations. They don’t change all that often as notated in the Google Street View image above. Compare the circled image with the mountain peak from the episode.

Pete Martell standing next to his blue truck at the airport
Episode 2.020

Pete exists his truck which has now been parked along a row of tall trees.

Google Maps
Google Maps

My guess is the row of trees in the Google Maps image above is where the truck was parked. The crew could have lit the trees from behind along the access road.

Airplane leaving in the night sky
Episode 2.020

Wheeler’s plane climbs into the sky.

I’ve mentioned in the other airport articles that my new favorite thing is watching take off and landing videos on YouTube. I found this one from NarbonneGauchoBoingo that shows what John Justice Wheeler would have seen during his flight.

After a beat, Audrey shows up next to Pete who is surprised to see her.

Pete Martell and Audrey Horne discuss Jack's leaving
Episode 2.020

Most likely they moved this plane to provide great framing for the scene.

Audrey Horne
Episode 2.020
Pete Martell
Episode 2.020

Pete offers to cure brokenhearted Audrey by taking her night fishing.

Airplane flying away in the night sky
Episode 2.020

One last look as Wheeler flies away. This scene gives another clue as to the direction of his flight. Notice the utility pole in the bottom left corner.

Google Maps
Google Maps

The utility pole appears to match one of the wooden poles along San Fernando Road just next to the airport. Wheeler appears to be flying west toward Los Angeles and the Pacific Ocean.

Pete Martell and Audrey Horne walking back to Pete's truck
Episode 2.020

Pete and Audrey leave the airport together in a scene that reminded me of the ending to “Casablanca.” The beginning of a beautiful friendship until the Twin Peaks Savings and Loan explodes a short while later.

Author

  • Steven Miller at Twede's Cafe enjoying cherry pie and coffee

    A "Twin Peaks" fan since October 1993, Steven Miller launched Twin Peaks Blog in February 2018 to document his decades-long fascination with David Lynch and Mark Frost's wonderful and strange show. With his Canon camera in hand, he's visited numerous film locations, attended Twin Peaks events and conducted extensive historical research about this groundbreaking series. Along with fellow Bookhouse Boys, he dreams of creating a complete Twin Peaks Archive of the series and feature film. Steven currently resides in Central Florida.

    View all posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Top