AOPA Helps Pilots Oppose Lawsuit
A developer has filed a lawsuit against the California Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) and the County of Napa after the ALUC determined that a proposed residential resort development was inconsistent with the Napa County Airport land-use plan.
The developer had proposed building the residential project known as Stanly Ranch partially under the downwind leg to Runway 18. But, after a recent series of public hearings, ALUC officials determined that the development would not be an appropriate use of the land.
AOPA is working with Susan Adler, the Airport Support Network volunteer for Napa County Airport, and other AOPA members to support the ALUC decision.
Aviation Coalition Continues Work on Legislation
The California Aviation Coalition, which includes AOPA, is in the process of drafting legislative language to amend existing state airport land-use planning laws. The amendment would increase the role of Caltrans Aeronautics personnel in enforcing the land-use laws.
Jack Kemmerly, AOPA's regional representative in Cali-fornia, is working on the legislation, which is designed to strengthen the state's ability to enforce laws dealing with airport land-use commissions when local governments fail to fully implement the laws.
Kemmerly is also involved in drafting a letter to high-level officials involved in state transportation and aviation issues. The letter will outline aviation issues that the coalition believes the state should address, including the use of aviation-related tax revenue.
The coalition, which is dedicated to promoting aviation in California, also includes the California Aviation Business Association, the California Pilots Association, the National Business Aviation Association, and the Southwest Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives.
Torrance Loses Airport Manager
The City of Torrance, home of the embattled Zamperini Field, has reorganized its staff to eliminate the airport manager's position. The reorganization follows the resignation of the airport manager and involves dividing the duties among several people in different departments of the city government. Some observers have suggested that the decision is a prelude to closing the airport.
Westover Fuel t Tanks Shut Down
Westover Field Amador County Airport is among the latest to be forced to suspend fuel service for failure to comply with state and federal fuel tank requirements that took effect in December.
The airport's fuel tanks were shut down on February 2 by the Amador County Environmental Health Department. Airports were given until December 22, 1998, to replace or upgrade old fuel tanks. Trevor Mottishaw, the county government services administrator, says that the airport's fuel tanks were scheduled to be upgraded as part of an FAA grant process. The replacements were delayed after all initial bids on the work were rejected as too high and weather interfered with excavation attempts.
Meanwhile, pilots at the airport are being forced to make other arrangements for fuel, including possibly having fuel brought in by trucks. It is not yet known how long the airport will remain without fuel service.
Oceano Adds Live Web Camera
Potential visitors to Oceano County Airport can find out exactly what to expect at the airport thanks to the introduction of live images and a virtual weather station to the airport Web site.
The camera, which is mounted on the airport beacon tower, gives a real-time view of the airport on the Web site ( www.aircamp.com). The weather station provides continuous updates of a variety of weather conditions, including wind direction and velocity, rainfall, and humidity.
Tom Ramler, the AOPA Airport Support Network volunteer for Oceano, says that the site has exceeded expectations, logging as many as 21,000 hits a day.
State Legislation Could Affect School Siting, El Toro Conversion
AOPA is carefully following a variety of aviation bills that will come before the California State Legislature during the 1999 legislative session.
Among the bills of concern is a measure that could undermine the authority of Caltrans Aeronautics to make decisions regarding plans to build schools within two miles of an airport.
Currently, Caltrans investigates proposed school sites near airports and makes recommendations as to the appropriateness of the sites. The bill, A.B.747, would give the California Department of Education the right to allow school boards to proceed with building schools near airports over the objections of Caltrans officials. Under the bill, the Department of Education's decision would be final.
Other bills that AOPA is watching would affect the conversion of El Toro Marine Corps Air Station to a civilian facility, offer relief to FBOs from fines levied by the Air Resources Board, and require Caltrans to reimburse an airport land use commission for the costs of performing certain functions.
Group Proposes MAJOR New Airport for Bay Area
The North Bay Agricultural Alliance has proposed using Skaggs Island as the site of a new international airport for the San Francisco area.
The preliminary proposal for the airport, which was presented to the Regional Airport Planning Committee on February 26, would include two intersecting runways — one 15,000 feet long and the other 12,500 feet long — as well as plans to widen Highway 37 along the northern shore of San Pablo Bay and the creation of a water ferry system to connect the airport with a number of points around the San Francisco area.
The group, which is a coalition of about three dozen ranchers in Sonoma and Napa counties, has also requested that the FAA conduct a "preliminary determination of airspace adequacy" for the project.
Skaggs Island, which is located 32 miles north of San Francisco International Airport, was used as a Navy base until 1993. Most of its 2,600 acres consists of reclaimed land protected by levees.
Airplane Rides Inspire Disabled Children
The International Wheelchair Aviators (IWA) and Challenge Air for Kids and Friends joined forces to give 96 disabled children from the San Diego area the opportunity to experience flying in a small airplane.
The event brought five disabled pilots and three able-bodied pilots to Ramona Airport for the February 6 event. Before their rides, the children were given a short educational ground school and invited to view a variety of static displays.
Among the children participating in the event was 8-year-old Benjamin Samuel, who suffers from cerebral palsy. "I got to wear the headsets just like a real pilot, and I got to drive the plane," Samuel said after his flight.
Challenge Air, which is based in Texas, was established in 1993. Since then it has hosted more than 100 events in 20 states and given more than 7,500 seriously ill and disabled children the opportunity to experience flight.
Wilderness Overflight Restrictions Stopped
The U.S. Forest Service has decided not to impose new overflight restrictions for the Desolation Wilderness area near Lake Tahoe.
New restrictions, which could have prevented any overflight of the Desolation Wilderness section of El Dorado National Forest, were first proposed in 1994 as part of an environmental study. But pilots in the region opposed the proposed restrictions and voiced their concerns at public meetings held in Lake Tahoe, Oakland, and Placerville.
Don Lane, the wilderness manager for the area, said that the decision not to change the longstanding restriction limiting flights to a minimum of 2,000 feet agl in the area was the direct result of pilot input.
North Coast Plan Marches On
The financial and forecast elements of the first-ever regional aviation system plan for the north coast of California are expected by the end of the month.
The plan will encompass aviation facilities in Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, and Mendocino counties. Caltrans Aeronautics, airport management, and county transportation planning personnel are working together to formulate the plan for the region's aviation system. A technical advisory committee that includes facility users also will help to guide the process.
