A Taxpayer Disaster?
                                 The County's "Two-Airport" Plan

The Air Transport Association says "We cannot afford... two facilities".
American Airlines says "American could not support... both locations".
United Airlines says "United is opposed to a two-airport system".
The FAA , in 1996,  is very negative because of air traffic problems.
FAA 2001 Airspace Determination sees "extensive delays" between El Toro and John Wayne.
Air Line Pilots Association objects to crowded airspace for safety reasons.
Former DOT official predicts a Denver-style shutdown of JWA if El Toro is approved.
National Air Traffic Controllers union objects to two airport system.
Gary Simon says John Wayne will shrink by half.
Despite warnings, County proceeds with a politically motivated two-airport plan.

On October 15, 2001, Gary Simon, Executive Director of the County's El Toro Local Redevelopment Authority, wrote to the Supervisors,

"All of the FAA approved forecasts approved for the project and EIR indicate that when El Toro commences operations, the commercial activity level at JWA will drop by nearly 50%, and even by 2020, return to only 5.4 MAP, well below JWA's recent peak activity levels."

The County has not identified one airline willing to operate from both airports, and no evidence that JWA will not shrink to a level of economic nonviability.


On June 22, 2000 the National Air Traffic Controllers Union wrote to Board of Supervisors Chairman Charles Smith:

"We are forced to conclude that if Orange County wishes to take advantage of the aviation growth potential of the El Toro location, John Wayne Airport must be closed to commercial and business jet operations." 


On October 16, 1998, the Air Transport Association, representing 21 airlines, told the County of Orange, that they oppose a two airport plan:

"The carriers question how a system in which both John Wayne and El Toro operate as commercial airports can be financially justified... Operating two airports that essentially serve the same market in such close proximity creates an inefficient use of airport and airline resources, will unnecessarily drive up costs, and could adversely impact the air service being provided to the community."


On July 8, 1998, United Airlines expresses opposition to the two-airport concept, a train link between John Wayne and El Toro and any attempt to limit John Wayne to short haul markets.

On September 18, 1998, Mr. R. W. Baker, Executive Vice President of Operations of American Airlines throws water on the two airport concept.  In a letter to the El Toro Airport Info Site, Mr. Baker writes that,

"We would urge the selection of an airport to serve the area be carefully considered since American could not support operations from both locations."


A September 18, 1996 internal FAA memo says that John Wayne and El Toro airports can not operate together successfully in a two airport system for commercial traffic.

"Two airports within seven nautical miles poses significant problems for air traffic. Overlapping airspace boundaries, crossing instrument approach and departure procedures and insufficient airspace capacity to manage a large volume or mix of heavy turbo-jet operations and general aviation demand would surely result in gross inefficiencies at both airports and would serve no useful purpose to the National Airspace System. The only viable solution to the problems would be the application of a "turn-key" type operation, wherein the existing John Wayne Airport would close when the MCAS El Toro Airport opens." 

August 2001 FAA Airspace Determination, predicts there will be "extensive delays to aircraft on the ground at MCAS El Toro while waiting for a lull in the arrival flow to John Wayne airport. . . The airspace analysis revealed that delays for north departures for an aircraft using runway 35 at El Toro were calculated to be between eight and 60 minutes."

On October 1, 1998, Mary Schiavo, former inspector-general of the US Department of Transportation said there was "no way" that the FAA would approve of El Toro and John Wayne working side by side at such close proximity.

Schiavo pointed out that the federal government ordered the closing of Denver's Stapleton Airport on the day that the new Denver International Airport opened.  The FAA could do the same thing to John Wayne as a condition of approving El Toro Airport.


On October 11, 1996, the Air Line Pilots Association, representing the safety concerns of 50,000 commercial pilots, wrote to the county that,

"John Wayne should shut down all commercial passenger and cargo operations if El Toro is opened as a new commercial airport."


On December 11, 1996, the Board of Supervisors approved environmental impact report 563 and a reuse plan for El Toro that said,

"all commercial aviation operations at John Wayne airport would be moved to the MCAS El Toro site.  JWA would operate, in the future, as a general aviation airport only."... (ie. private planes only, no commercial airlines)...

When faced with strong public opposition to the wasteful shutting of John Wayne, the Supervisors asked their staff to study a two-airport system.

On October 23, 2001, despite years of warnings that the airline industry is opposed to two O.C. airports, pro-airport Supervisors certified a new EIR 573 and a two-airport Airport System Master Plan. 

Until March 2002, when voters passed Measure W to stop the airport project, pro-El Toro supervisors continued to plan for a second county airport.

Southern California doesn't need two airports, 7 miles apart, with one sitting nearly empty or shut down. 

 
 
 Issues Main Page
 Home