County’s Congested Skies
Alarm rather than concern manifested itself as we read Jeffrey Perlman’s article “Up There, It’s Always ‘Rush Hour’ ” (Sept. 7). The following excerpts disturbed us greatly:
“Big jets share airspace with small planes that do not have to be in two-way communication with anyone, and do not have to be equipped with transponders, the electronic devices that help controllers see the planes on radar.”
“Workloads for Coast Tracon (Terminal Radar Approach Control) have increased dramatically, and overtime has risen tenfold.”
“Fifty-nine near-collisions reported to the FAA since 1981 are statistically insignificant” (according to the pilots of small, private planes). Insignificant!
It seems that there is immediate need for county residents to plead for/demand a Terminal Control Area around John Wayne Airport as was stated in the article. Perhaps urging our elected representatives to pressure the Federal Aviation Administration would be one way to achieve this goal. One safeguard, yes, but as traffic increases, so must safety. Lives are too precious to risk another Cerritos tragedy.
NANCY and JIM PENNEY
Laguna Beach
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