Lolita Harper
Aviation. Education. Collaboration.
Those are the key terms surrounding the boost in airplane presence
over the city and the steps that should be taken to resolve the
quagmire, officials say.
Costa Mesa's problem of increased airplane traffic is fraught with
confusing terminology, conflicting statements from local airport
authorities and local officials who are desperate for some way to
take action in an area in which they have no authority.
City Manager Alan Roeder said city officials have been diligent
about gathering information about local flights and plan to take more
aggressive steps that include hiring outside experts and teaming up
with other city leaders to pressure federal aviation officials for
change.
Roeder said the increase in flights has been clearly documented by
airport flight paths and mounting complaints from residents. What
isn't clear is exactly where the flights are coming from or what can
be done to stop them, he said.
ALL SIGNS POINT
TO LONG BEACH
While he can confidently point the finger at Long Beach, Roeder
said the evidence gathered so far exonerates John Wayne Airport as
the culprit. City officials have spoken with Long Beach and John
Wayne airports' representatives, who both claim to have no part in
the flight increases.
Long Beach Airport spokeswoman Sharon Diggs-Jackson has said her
airport is too small to be the cause of such a noticeable increase
and said residents should look to JWA and LAX for answers.
Officials from John Wayne have volunteered various maps and charts
that detail the number of flights traveling through their air space
and clearly identify which are routed into and out of John Wayne,
Roeder said. City staffers have also researched LAX flights, Roeder
said.
"Based on what we've seen, there just any documentation that says
this is an LAX or John Wayne issue," Roeder said.
EDUCATION IS KEY
Without pointing fingers, Roeder said the first order of business
was to educate city leaders on aviation and what role, if any, they
can play in finding a solution.
Councilman Gary Monahan invited Tom Naughton, a former pilot and
president of the Airport Working Group, to brief council members on
various factors involved in the increase in flights over the city.
Most of the increase stems from the adjustments in air space by the
federal government.
Federal Aviation Administration officials confirmed changes in
allocated airspace over the Southern California region, including a
