Noise Complaints Prompt Changes at Van Nuys
The Los Angeles Department of Airports has announced plans to begin soundproofing some homes around Van Nuys Airport.
The homes to be affected include some of the 1,000 residences considered under federal and state noise regulations to have noise problems as a result of the airport. The decision marks the first major effort at noise mitigation for Van Nuys and may be the result of increased complaints and calls from area residents for curfews and other restrictions.
The cost of soundproofing all of the affected homes is not yet known, although the city has spent some $12 million to soundproof 300 homes near Los Angeles International Airport.
Meanwhile, a consultant hired by the city to investigate the impact of imposing restrictions on jets operating at the airport has released a study showing that the proposed restrictions at Van Nuys Airport could claim up to 565 jobs and cost aviation companies at the airport as much as $190 million within three years. The Van Nuys Airport Association, which represents fixed-base operators at the airport, had said that imposing restrictions would adversely affect corporate business jets that are based at the airport or that use airport facilities for repairs and maintenance.
Governor Appoints Key Transportation Players
Gov. Gray Davis has made two key transportation appointments to his administration.
Maria Contreras-Sweet has been appointed to the cabinet-level post of business and transportation secretary. The 42-year-old Los Angeles management consultant and former federal trade official will be in charge of a dozen state agencies, including Caltrans, which oversees aviation policy.
In a separate appointment, Jose Medina, a San Francisco attorney and county supervisor with close ties to organized labor, has been named director of Caltrans. Medina, 57, has no known transportation experience, and some members of the local media report that he was appointed at the insistence of San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown.
AOPA Continues Fight for Hawthorne
Recent letters to the Hawthorne City Council from AOPA and other organizations may have led city leaders to postpone a decision that would close Hawthorne Municipal Airport (HHR).
The city has been considering a proposal to close the airport and replace it with a shopping complex. A vote on the measure had been scheduled for a January city council meeting, but it was removed from the agenda after AOPA and other organizations objected to the idea of closing Hawthorne. The airport is a key reliever close to Los Angeles International Airport.
The battle is being fought on economic grounds, but proponents of the airport say that the developer who wants to build on the property is underestimating the airport's value.
"The benefit of a local airport cannot necessarily be determined by looking at a balance sheet for the airport," said Bill Dunn, AOPA vice president for regional affairs. "The airport has a far-reaching impact on the community surrounding the airport."
Dunn told city fathers that a study by the Commonwealth of Virginia showed that for every dollar generated at the airport, another $1.52 was generated in the community surrounding the airport. AOPA also reminded the city that it has accepted federal Airport Improvement Program grants, which carry obligations to continue operating the airport for a defined period.
AOPA has already contacted the FAA to express its concern and strong opposition to any effort by the city of Hawthorne to close this important reliever airport.
ALUC Joins Lawsuit Over Butte County Development
For only the second time in state history, an airport land use commission (ALUC) has joined in a lawsuit against the overriding legislative authority of a county board of supervisors.
The Butte County ALUC has joined the California Pilots Association and the North Valley Pilots Association in filing a lawsuit challenging the Butte County Board of Supervisors' decision to override ALUC recommendations and allow the construction of up to 160 homes under the traffic pattern for Chico Municipal Airport (CIC). AOPA has been actively following this dispute and is also considering possible legal action.
The ALUC and others, including AOPA, Caltrans, and the City of Chico Airport Commission, had objected to the proposed housing development on the grounds that it would put homes too close to the airport. But the county supervisors overrode the ALUC's findings in the case, allowing the development to move forward.
Edwards AFB Offers Free Safety Seminars
Southern California pilots can get help with safely transiting the restricted airspace around Edwards Air Force Base (R-2508) through a program from the base's Flight Safety Office.
Representatives from the safety office make presentations to pilot groups throughout the Southern California area. The seminars, which are offered free of charge, focus on avoiding midair collisions between civilian and military aircraft and inform local general aviation pilots about the type and location of military activity above the desert base. The seminars also include refreshers on using restricted airspace and the best scanning techniques. Pilot groups of 10 or more can schedule a seminar by calling the base safety office at 805/277-2623.
Individuals can get more information about safely using the airspace around Edwards AFB by visiting the safety office's Web site ( www.edwards.af.mil/psafety/) and clicking on "Flight Safety."
Carmel Airport Owners Battle Joggers On Runway
The owners of Carmel Valley Vintage Airfield (O62) are asking the Monterey County Planning Commission to help them keep joggers and walkers off the runway and other airport property. Local residents have taken to using the airport, including the runway, as a walking path and open area.
Recently the owners of the privately owned public-use airport also asked the commission for permission to develop homes on the airfield. The commission initially denied the proposal, but it is scheduled to hold another hearing on the subject. If the commission again rejects the plan, the owners are expected to appeal to the County Board of Supervisors. Carmel-area residents opposed the development plan because they feared it would increase activity at the airport.
Jack Kemmerly, AOPA's regional representative for California, has been active in working with all parties to reach a positive resolution.
New Association Unites Sacramento Aviation Businesses
Air cargo carriers, fixed-base operators, aircraft maintenance providers, and airport businesses at Sacramento International Airport (SMF) and Sacramento Mather Airport (MHR) have joined together to form the Sacramento Air Cargo and Business Association. Members will meet regularly to keep one another up to date on activity affecting the airports and their businesses. Some members of the group complain that the airports have failed to provide in an organized and timely manner information that could affect their operations.
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