Long Beach expansion will hit Costa Mesa

The final approach path to Long Beach Airport pays no attention to

artificial political boundaries called county lines, as jets fly over

many Orange County cities, including my hometown of Huntington Beach.

The south side of Costa Mesa may have just received protection for

another 10 years with the new John Wayne settlement agreement.

However, the north side is vulnerable to expansion of Long Beach

airport. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but people need to be

educated about this issue.

At Long Beach, there is only a “noise cap,” but absolutely no caps

on flights, cargo tonnage, passengers or surface traffic clogging the

San Diego Freeway. Contrary to popular belief, 41 daily flights is

not the “limit,” it is the minimum that was required by a federal

judge in “Alaska Airlines vs. city of Long Beach.”

At the time of the ruling, these 41 daily flights were based on

what was then stage two aircraft in the early 1990s. So long as jets

become “quieter,” then more can be squeezed into what is called a

“noise bucket.” Personally, I prefer to think of it as a minimum

misery index.

If one thought that April 15 was a day to dread, exactly six

months later, Oct. 15 will also be a day to dread (for those living

under the Long Beach flight path.) On that day of each year, the

airport manager will release an annual study detailing how much more

“room” there is for flights under the “noise bucket.” Then, the

following Jan. 1, the airlines can use those additional slots. Gee,

Happy New Year’s.

Even the so-called noise cap penalties are weak. The fines start

at $100 and peak at a mere $300. (One round trip sold pays that off.)

The city of Long Beach wanted stronger fines, but a federal judge

would not allow it. If the city tinkers with the fines, they would

risk jeopardizing the current airport agreement.

The pressure for Long Beach airport expansion is not just coming

from the airline industry itself, but from those who don’t want so

much as a single flight coming out of El Toro. For example, Irvine

Councilman Mike Ward (and El Toro Reuse Planning Authority chairman

at the time) wrote to the Board of Supervisors claiming that “Long

Beach is operating below capacity.” Really? According to airnav.com,

Long Beach averages 1,375 daily operations, making it one if the

nation’s busiest facilities. This is in contrast to El Toro, with

zero daily operations.

For Ward to have the gall to claim Long Beach is “operating below

capacity” would be akin to an off-shore, tax-dodging corporation

suggesting an increase in personal income taxes to offset the federal

budget deficit.

REX RICKS

Huntington Beach