Under the friendly skies

WHAT:

Low-altitude commercial airline flights over Laguna.

WHAT’S BEHIND IT:

Flights out of John Wayne Airport take off headed out to sea until

released by the Federal Aeronautics Administration to turn back over

land. Following the closure of the U.S. Marine Air Base at El Toro,

some commercial airliners began making the inland turn earlier,

flying over Laguna Beach at an appreciably lower altitude, which

saves time and fuel. Residents were told that new technology made the

earlier release possible.

City officials and residents complained to the Federal Aviation

Administration and to the noise complaint office at John Wayne

Airport. They were told that flight patterns had not been altered.

FAA officials met with some residents at a Bluebird Canyon home in

2002 and later invited them to visit the FAA headquarters in San

Diego County, which controls flight patterns.

There is no pattern to the low flights. They disappear, usually

after a barrage of complaints and then begin again, increasing when

no or few complaints are filed.

Flights begin shortly after 7 a.m., when John Wayne opens, and fly

over Laguna at various altitudes and frequency.

WHAT NOW:

Congressman Christopher Cox (R-47th District) got no more

satisfaction than Laguna Beach officials have from the FAA regional

administrators.

In a letter to the congressman dated May 5, Regional Administrator

William C. Withycombe said that taking everything into consideration,

the FAA regional office believes that the departure procedures that

are currently in use do minimize the number of aircraft that cross

the shoreline below 7,000 feet.

There are more than 15,000 aircraft based in Southern California,

six major commercial airports and 46 public use and military

airports, 15 FAA control towers, five federal contract towers and six

military control towers, according to Withycombe.

“The area underlying this vast amount of airspace is densely

populated and the demand for air travel is increasing,” he wrote.

“FAA must provide safe and efficient air traffic control services to

our aviation customers at all of these airports, while we consider

the impacts on the quality of life of all of the communities in

Southern California “

Withycombe also said the 175 degree heading that aircraft fly

after departing John Wayne Airport is not a noise-abatement

procedure. The planes stay on the 175 degree heading until an air

traffic controller can turn them eastbound and there are occasions

when the aircraft are turned over the shoreline below 7,000 feet.

Pilots of departing airliners from John Wayne routinely explain the

take off procedure as noise abatement.

WHAT’S SAID:

“They said the same thing to him that they have said to us,” Mayor

Cheryl Kinsman said. “We plan to ask Cox’s office to arrange a joint

meeting with us, him and Withycombe. We have documentation that shows

there are more low flights over Laguna Beach now than there were when

El Toro (U.S. Marine Airbase) was open.”

WHAT’S NEXT:

The National Airspace Redesign Team, which has been working on the

“Los Angeles Basin Redesign, has been looking at ways of reducing the

impact of noise, according to Withycombe. The proposal would include

changes in arrival and departure routes for most of the major

airports in Southern California, he said. Changes in departures at

Los Angeles International Airport would allow more airspace off shore

for the departures from John Wayne, he said. Funding is such that

completion of the project is estimated as the fall of 2009.

Meantime, people who are annoyed by the low flights can call the

John Wayne noise abatement number, 252-5185, and the FAA Noise

Hotline for the Western Region at (310) 725-3638, or write FAA

Regional Administrator, P.O. Box 92007, Los Angeles Ca., 90009.

-- Barbara Diamond