AOPA opposes legislation to restrict aircraft at Santa Monica
It's not the first time in recent years that lawmakers have tried to restrict access to Santa Monica Municipal Airport, and once again AOPA is getting involved.
In a Nov. 27 letter to Santa Monica's mayor and city council, AOPA pointed out that draft legislation to prevent Category C and D aircraft from landing or taking off at the Category B II airport is contrary to the airport's federal grant obligations and to past FAA findings.
In fact, when AOPA fought the city's attempt to impose similar restrictions in 2002, the FAA's director of airport safety and standards told officials that the airport's design category "is not intended, and cannot be used, to limit operations of an airport." The letter went on to state that FAA does not consider it inherently unsafe for larger, faster aircraft to use an airport designed for smaller planes.
AOPA is urging city officials to sit down with airport neighbors and the aviation community to discuss the issues and concerns behind the rash of legislation and environmental studies designed to restrict operations at the vital general aviation reliever airport.
November 29, 2007
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