California Airport Managers Hold Third Annual Meeting
About 80 airport managers, state aviation officials, and others gathered in South Lake Tahoe recently for the third annual meeting of the California Airport Managers Working Group. Officials from Caltrans Aeronautics made presentations on a variety of aviation-related programs and gave updates on the status of a number of projects under way at airports around the state. Among the issues discussed were the scheduled update of the state Airport Land Use Planning Handbook, the update of the statewide aeronautical chart, and the status of the Airport Noise Program.
Compliance issues — especially those focusing on use of airport lands, revenues, and improvement grants — were among the most talked about at the meeting. A representative from the FAA's Washington, D.C., headquarters presented a half-day seminar on compliance issues. During the seminar, presenter Kevin Kennedy emphasized that the FAA intends to strictly monitor and enforce compliance and pointed out that programs such as the AOPA Airport Support Network help bring potential violations to the FAA's attention.
In addition to the presentations, California AOPA Regional Representative Jack Kemmerly moderated a round-table discussion on the need to create an aviation alliance in California. Participants included representatives from AOPA, the California Pilots Association, the California Aviation Business Association, Caltrans Aeronautics, The Ninety-Nines, and the Experimental Aircraft Association. The participants generally agreed that there is a need to form some type of aviation alliance or coalition that can communicate with all of the aviation interests in the state to build grass-roots support for specific aviation measures. There is also a need for those involved in aviation and airports to take a more active role in educating local leaders and citizens about the benefits of aviation.
Night Flight Restrictions Threatened for San Carlos
San Carlos Airport could fall under stringent restrictions on night flight if county supervisors win the current battle. The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors has proposed a curfew that would limit flights to the hours of 8 a.m. until two hours after sunset on weekdays and from 9:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. on weekends and holidays. The airport's pilot association is fighting the proposal, which is awaiting a decision by the FAA. In the meantime, local pilots, neighbors, and elected officials have agreed to voluntarily limit night flight, though not to the extent requested in the proposed curfew. The issue of curfews for San Carlos also came up in 1992 when the FAA declined the county's request to restrict night flights with a mandatory curfew.
School Officials Oppose Oxnard Airport
Oxnard Airport is under attack from a new direction — the Oxnard Elementary School District Board of Education. According to a report that appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the five-member school board unanimously adopted a resolution opposing proposals to refurbish or expand the airport. The resolution, adopted at the group's September 1 meeting, also suggested that the airport eventually be closed and relocated.
Concord Fielding Noise Complaints
Buchanan Field Airport in Concord is one of the latest targets of noise complaints. The planned return of scheduled commuter service, combined with a large helicopter training facility and other airport operations, has prompted residents surrounding the airport to complain. Leo Saunders, AOPA's Airport Support Network volunteer for the field, is working with assorted residents' groups to find areas of agreement and to increase the residents' understanding of both airport operations and of the value of the airport to the community as a whole. The complaints come despite the fact that the airport already has a noise-abatement program in place. That program limits operations between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. to aircraft producing less than 78 decibels of noise.
Apple Valley Becomes Home to Airborne Law Enforcement
The California Highway Patrol and the San Bernadino Sheriff's Department are moving their flight operations to Apple Valley Airport. The two groups have begun construction projects that will include 5,500 square feet of office space, five helipads, redesigning the ramp and taxiways, and more than 12,000 square feet of new hangar space. The law enforcement agencies will conduct operations in both helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
In other positive news, Chuck McGregor, the AOPA Airport Support Network volunteer for Apple Valley, reports that the airport has obtained an additional 218 acres of land intended to prevent future encroachment and allow for airport expansion and the execution of the airport's strategic plan. In addition, a new full-service FBO, Flight-Line Aviation and Academy, has moved to the airport, where it offers flight instruction, aircraft rentals, maintenance services, and ground school classes.
AVGAS Contamination in Chico
Some 7,000 gallons of 100LL fuel sold at Chico Municipal Airport were apparently contaminated with Jet-A. The fuel, which was sold by Pacific Flight Services between August 31 and September 20, was believed to have been contaminated after the delivery service failed to purge 980 gallons of Jet-A from its tanker truck before filling it with the 100LL. The initial contamination was estimated to be close to 12.5 percent. Since that load was deposited in a tank with avgas and further distributed into trucks with residual avgas, the percentage of dilution that ultimately made it to aircraft fuel tanks was likely less than 10 percent, but the oil company that supplied the fuel was conducting tests to determine the true severity of the contamination. In the meantime, pilots who purchased the contaminated fuel were being urged not to fly their aircraft and to contact Pacific Flight Services. They were also advised to contact their insurers. For more information, call AOPA's Pilot Information Center at 800/872-2672 weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time.
Battle Over Tree Removal Continues
For the second time this year, Dunsmuir-Mott Municipal Airport has been ordered closed because of the hazards posed by trees along the airport's approaches. The airport was ordered closed on September 30, the deadline set by the FAA and state aviation officials to have the trees removed.
The trees have long been a source of tension between city officials, landowners, and area pilots. They were first identified as a hazard several years ago, and in 1995 the City of Dunsmuir petitioned the FAA to waive its order to remove the trees. That request was denied. Earlier this year, the state suspended the airport's permit because the trees still had not been removed. The airport was ordered closed at that time, but a negotiated settlement allowed the field to remain open during daylight hours while the tree removal was accomplished. But when the deadline for removal once again passed without action, the airport was closed.
The trees in question are not limited to airport property, and some landowners have requested payments of as much as $50,000 each in exchange for allowing the city to remove the trees. Funding for the tree removal has been another sticking point. Area pilots remain hopeful, however, that the trees can be removed and the airport reopened soon. Caltrans Aeronautics officials have said that another extension to reopen the airport might be possible once the tree removal process has begun.
Pilots Meet Regional Rep at French Valley
AOPA California Regional Representative Jack Kemmerly spoke to a group of some 75 pilots, media representatives, and airport officials at a cookout and meeting hosted by the French Valley Airport Pilots Association. After Kemmerly's presentation on issues affecting general aviation within California and nationwide, he remained to answer questions from participants in a session that lasted nearly two hours.
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