ORANGE COUNTY PERSPECTIVE : Safety First in Takeoffs

As it turns out, there were at least two scary incidents in 1989 at Orange County’s John Wayne Airport that prompted a review of takeoff procedures that have been strongly criticized by pilots. The procedures--which involve a steep climb at takeoff and an engine power cut at 500 feet--have been allowed by the Federal Aviation Administration to reduce noise beneath flight paths. But pilots have challenged the safety of the procedures, and now it’s easy to understand why. The two incidents are a strong reminder that safety must be paramount.

Times reporter Jeffrey A. Perlman obtained reports of the incidents under the federal Freedom of Information Act. Both involved Boeing 737s flown by America West Airlines. In one, an airliner at full capacity cut its power at 500 feet and continued to ascend to 1,100 feet--but then it began a sudden 700-foot descent. The crew was able to pull the plane up. In the other incident, a plane’s tail hit the ground as it attempted to take off at a steep angle.

There’s some dispute as to whether the incidents were the results of pilot error or were at least partly attributable to the takeoff noise restrictions at John Wayne. In any case, the FAA already has decided that the procedures are not safe enough. It has suggested that pilots be allowed to climb to 800 feet before having to cut power.

That procedure is being tested. It has not been implemented yet because of concern that it will cause unacceptable noise levels in the area. Residents are understandably upset about that prospect because a settlement reached in 1985 between the Orange County Board of Supervisors and Newport Beach allowed a $310-million expansion of the airport only if noise levels were kept down.

Still, if the noise restrictions are not safe, they must be altered. Last year, a pilots’ survey rated John Wayne as one of the five most hazardous airports in the nation, partly because of the power cutbacks allowed at 500 feet by airline companies trying to meet local noise standards. Is such a rating something that Orange County wants to be known for?