Who Okayed Straight-North Takeoffs?

Convincing voters that planes will takeoff straight-north over the mountains, rather than turning to the northwest over Tustin, Orange and Villa Park, is an  essential part of  the county's campaign to woo central county support for El Toro. But they never asked the FAA if its okay.


In December 1996, the Board of Supervisors approved an airport plan for El Toro which called for aircraft departing on the north  Runway 34, to turn left after takeoff, towards Tustin, Orange and Villa Park.

In March 1998, responding to political pressure from central county residents, county planners proposed a daring new takeoff route - straight-north into the mountains.

LA Times, March 26, 1998
“El Toro Takeoff Plans Shift With Political Winds”
“Anxious to prevent the spread of anti-airport sentiment to another group of communities under El Toro’s secondary flight path, county officials are trying to figure out if departing planes can be directed away from Tustin, Cowan Heights and East Orange.... officials have been trying to forge a solution to the potential noise problem that an international airport at El Toro would create for some central [county] communities.” “An erosion of support in these cities could cause problems for the county’s airport plan.”

LA Times, March 27, 1998
"Takeoff Plans Conflict With FAA"
"Effort by county officials to assure leaders in Tustin and Orange that they want to keep El Toro's noisy departing
planes from flying over their communities is at odds with recommendations from the Federal Aviation Administration and the county's own consultants."

OC Register, March 27, 1998
"New El Toro flight path study raises skepticism"
"Orange County's previous planning, based on discussions with the Federal Aviation Administration, had El Toro jets turning left 2.3 miles from the end of the northerly runway, which would put them and their noise right over [Orange Park Acres] and parts of East Orange and Tustin."

On April 3, 1998, El Toro Master Development Program Manager Courtney Wiercioch wrote to her boss, Jan Mittermeier that the FAA would be sent a recommendation on the new takeoff plan:
"As you know, the aviation team believes that there are operational efficiencies, and noise reduction benefits associated with a straight-out departure from Runway 34.  I remain hopeful that, at the conclusion of the analysis by early May, we will be able to forward a recommendation for a straight-out departure to the FAA for their consideration."
But county planners never forwarded such a recommendation to the FAA and didn't ask the FAA for consideration of the new north takeoff plan.  What happened next may explain why.

On July 2, 1998, after repeated warnings to  the county, the 50,000 member Air Line Pilots Association made public its opposition to the straight-out departures into the mountains.
"Takeoffs to the northwest on runways 34L and 34R should be limited to head wind or calm wind conditions and a turn should be made to the northwest promptly after departure to avoid Loma Ridge. We know of no other airport in the country where such a significant terrain mass is overflown within three (3) miles of takeoff by commercial aircraft."
Submitting a recommendation for straight-north takeoffs to the FAA would have put the county plan in direct conflict with the pilots' association and might have raised embarrassing questions from the FAA. 

On February 2, 1999,  Mr. Herman Bliss, Manger, Airports Division of the FAA Western-Pacific Region reported to Leonard  Kranser, Editor of the El Toro Airport Info Site, in response to a Freedom of Information Request for documents on this subject:

"Your request concerns Orange County plans for straight out northerly departures... The FAA has not reviewed or approved any flight paths for the proposed civil airport.  Orange County has not yet submitted a request for FAA review...  Contact between the County, their consultants, and the FAA has been relatively infrequent."  Regarding county documents such as the analysis referred to by Wiercioch in her memo, he says "The documents are sent to us with copies of the associated press releases, without a transmittal letter and do not include a request for review."
On February 4, 1999, an FAA official stated that the pilot's position would definitely be taken into consideration when the Administration eventually answers the question of whether straight-north takeoffs will be permitted.

The county planners balked, and did not forward the recommendation to the FAA for consideration.  It is likely that the straight-north takeoff plan was too crucial, politically, to risk being questioned or turned down by the FAA.


Meanwhile, the Board of Supervisors voted, 3-2, to spend $3 million on a flight demo using north takeoffs that have not been approved by the FAA.   The county continues to spend heavily on brochures and advertisements that show takeoffs going straight-north into the mountains, rather than turning northwest towards Tustin, Orange and Villa Park. 

For pictures of the mountainous terrain facing pilots and passengers to the north, click here.
For reports of dangerous engine failures on takeoff, click here.
For the Air Line Pilots Association objections to north takeoffs, click here.
For more on flight paths, click here.