jbskies wrote:

In the 1960s and even into the mid-1970s those of us who were airline pilots based at LAX could fly light singles into LAX and park on our airline's maintenance ramp (not the passenger terminal ramp).

(Why) did it stop?


Well, this may not be the direct reason but it may indirect reason...

On August 31, 1986, a Piper Archer mid-air collided with Aeromexico
Flight 498 DC-9 in approch to LAX. 64 in DC-9, 3 in Piper and 15 on
the ground died. That event caused FAA established Class-B airspace.
This greatly reduced the small GA airplanes accessing the major
airports such as LAX.

You can read the full story at AOPA:
http://www.aopa.org/asf/asfarticles/2001/sp0101.html


That is not correct. The Class B (TCA prior to airspace
reclassification to ICAO nomenclature) was established prior to the
midair to which you refer. In fact, the Piper was clipping a corner of
the Class B when the midair occurred.

An excerpt from the NTSB's probable cause:

AN INV REVEALED N4891F HAD INADVERTENTLY ENTERED THE LAX TERMINAL
CONTROL AREA (TCA) & WASN'T IN RADIO CONTACT WITH ATC.

As to airline employees flying light aircraft into LAX to park at their
respective carriers' maintenance hangars, Class B had no affect on that
at all.