Edwards AFB Incursions Danger to GA Pilots
Recent airspace incursions around Edwards Air Force Base, including one during a live-fire gunnery exercise, have led base personnel to remind local pilots that they must obtain permission before entering restricted airspace.
In the past few weeks, general aviation aircraft have made at least three incursions into the restricted airspace near Edwards AFB. Two of the incursions occurred as test flights were under way, and Maj. Bill Koukourikos, chief of flight safety for the base, said that the incidents came dangerously close to resulting in midair collisions. The third incursion happened during a live-fire exercise.
Base officials are urging local pilots to carefully study their sectional charts before flying in the vicinity of Edwards AFB and nearby China Lake Naval Air Station. Although most of the restricted areas near the two military bases are in nearly constant use, they are occasionally inactive on weekends and at night. To find out whether these restricted areas, including R-2515, R-2524, R-2502, R-2505, and R-2506, are active and to get permission to transit the areas, pilots should contact the High Desert Tracon, commonly known as Joshua Control. Pilots who are approaching from the Las Vegas area should contact Los Angeles Center.
More information is available on the Edwards AFB Web site ( www.edwards.af.mil/psafety/SEF/maca.htm).
Revenue Diversion an Issue at Auburn
Revenue diversion is a hot issue at Auburn Airport after the City of Auburn developed a 40-acre industrial park on the airport, and then put its revenue into the city's general fund instead of returning it to aviation. The issue has been brewing for several years and resulted in legal action in the past. The California Pilots Association had previously filed a formal complaint with the FAA, which did not successfully resolve the allegations of revenue diversion. However, the FAA has continued to investigate and take action. More recently, city officials and pilots have been negotiating with the FAA over the payback of the revenue. The FAA calculated a payback figure of $535,000, but the city's calculations placed the figure at closer to $300,000. The FAA has given the city 30 days to review the proposed payback amount.
Appeals Court Says Noise Complaints Will Remain Anonymous
California's Appellate Court has ruled that the identities of people who file airport noise complaints do not need to be released. The case began when the Mercury News sued the City of San Jose over its refusal to disclose the names of people who had complained about noise at the city's airport. The court ruled that the public's interest in encouraging complaints by keeping the names of complainants confidential weighed more heavily than the interest in disclosure. The ruling comes on the heels of a movement in several parts of the United States to request the names of people who have filed noise complaints. This information was sometimes used to tell the complainants that they would be compelled to reveal those complaints to anyone who wished to purchase their property, possibly lowering property values and thereby discouraging future complaints.
Camarillo, Oxnard Under Continued Fire
Opposition to projected growth continues at both Camarillo and Oxnard airports. Recent updates to the master plans for the two fields projected increased activity at both airports and increased passenger demand at Oxnard. Neighbors and some pilots have expressed opposition to expansion plans designed to accommodate jet activity at Camarillo, and a vocal citizens group has objected to a proposed runway extension and expansion of passenger facilities at Oxnard. Large sums of money have been spent on planning at Oxnard, and the airport manager has proposed increasing rates and fees to offset the drain on airport funds. The airport authority has approved an 18- percent increase in tiedown rental fees, county hangar rentals, and land leases for private hangars. Hangar fee increases for fixed-base operators could top 30 percent.
Council Candidates Speak at Embattled Hawthorne
Nine of the 13 candidates for Hawthorne City Council spoke at the city's embattled airport recently. The candidates, who were invited to share their views and see the value of the airport firsthand, visited the airport at the invitation of the Hawthorne Airport Community Association (HACA). Each candidate discussed his or her vision for the future of Hawthorne, and all expressed their support of the airport as a valuable asset to the community. In addition to their speeches, the candidates shared in a potluck meal, viewed a static display of the types of aircraft based at Hawthorne Municipal Airport, and toured the control tower. HACA is a nonprofit group dedicated to keeping Hawthorne Municipal Airport open and developing.
Toll Dropped for Mather AWOS
Following objections from AOPA and local airport users, Sacramento County has lifted a toll charged to anyone trying to access the automated weather observation system (AWOS) at Mather Airport by telephone. Previously, callers wanting a weather update could telephone a "1-900" toll number. Since November 1, however, callers have been able to access the AWOS through a standard, local telephone call.
Fee Increases Proposed at Nevada County
Pilots at Nevada County Airport are concerned about proposals to increase rates and charges at the field. The county has based the proposed rate hikes on a comparative study of other airports, but local pilots say that the airports in the study make a poor basis for comparison because they are not similar to Nevada County.
Developer Proposes Homes Near Visalia Municipal
A developer has proposed constructing as many as 240 homes approximately one-half of a mile from the centerline of Visalia Municipal Airport's Runway 30. The 60-acre site west of the City of Goshen is less than one mile from the site of another proposed development, which was recently defeated. In that case, a developer had proposed building a sports stadium near the airport. The plan was rejected as being too close to the airport and incompatible with airport operations. The County Board of Supervisors was expected to review the latest housing development proposal.
Runway Extended at Lancaster
Lancaster's General William J. Fox Airfield has been the beneficiary of major improvements, including lengthening the primary runway to 7,200 feet, making it longer than runways at the busy Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport. In addition to that project, which was recently completed, the airport has received new taxiways, runway and taxiway lights, asphalt overlays, and fresh paint on runways and taxiways. As part of the runway expansion, a high-speed turnoff was added.
Stockton Metropolitan Receives Improvement Funds
The FAA has awarded grant funding to Stockton Metropolitan Airport to pay for reconstruction of the primary runway; to move the localizer; and for other improvements such as a blast fence, signs, and high-intensity runway lights. The grants total nearly $3.5 million. Work is expected to begin in April 2000.
Legal Action Threatened at Carmel Valley
The dispute between airport users and neighbors living near Carmel Valley Vintage Airport could end up in court after an attorney for the neighbors sent a letter to the airport owner threatening legal action. The airport — a privately owned, public-use facility — is home to seven based aircraft and about 1,600 operations annually. Nearby residents have long used airport property to jog and walk their dogs and are vigorously opposing the owner's efforts to institute improvements at the field. Meanwhile, the county has informed the airport owner that it plans to hold a public meeting about the airport before making recommendations to the County Board of Supervisors.
Bay Area Airport Managers Share Plans
The managers of airports in the San Francisco Bay Area met recently to discuss the latest update to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission Regional Airport System Plan. Representatives from the area's three primary airports and from nearby general aviation reliever airports discussed the expansion issues facing the region.
In addition, managers from a number of airports offered updates on activities at their fields. At Hayward Executive Airport, commercial developers have expressed interest in following the lead of Home Depot, which recently received a lease to build on airport property. Airport neighbors have expressed concern that further development could lead to increased street traffic and crime.
Meanwhile, Santa Clara County's Palo Alto and Reid-Hillview airports have submitted an application to the FAA for grant monies to update their master plans. Currently, Palo Alto Airport is undergoing major rehabilitation of the runway, ramp area, and perimeter fencing.
At San Francisco International Airport, studies are under way to create alternative landing approaches that might increase landing capacity. The attempts to create new approaches are part of an effort to increase capacity without building a new runway.
Sonoma County Airport officials have been buying property near the airport in an attempt to create a noise buffer and stop encroachment from incompatible development. The move comes as a new high school, located about a mile from the end of the runway, was dedicated.
At Gnoss Field Airport, Marin County officials are considering extending the existing runway by 1,100 feet, to a total length of 4,500 feet. The county is also considering construction of a crosswind runway. Both efforts might be stopped by a Department of Fish and Game plan to turn property surrounding the airport into wetlands. Under that proposal, the water level around the airport would rise as much as 18 inches, precluding expansion efforts.
