West Takeoffs
On October 11, 1996, the Air Line Pilots Association, (ALPA), the nation's largest commercial pilots union, wrote to the County of Orange as follows:
"ALPA will steadfastly oppose
the use of El Toro as a commercial airport if takeoffs to the
east on runways 7L and/or
7R are a condition of its use of such a facility."
On March 9, 1998, the President of the Allied Pilots Association, (APA), the nation's other commercial pilots union, wrote to the County of Orange as follows:
"The safest primary departure path, using the current runway alignment, would be to the west, into the prevailing winds and away from the rising terrain.. Our pilots will use the safest departure paths into the prevailing winds and away from rising terrain at El Toro, just as we do now at the John Wayne Orange County airport "If you were an airline pilot which takeoff path would you choose?
|
|
|
| East? | East? Are you sure? | Or West? |
 |
 |
 |
| Flyover Sand Canyon and Oak
Creek at 2000 feet |
Flyover UC Irvine and Turtle Rock
at 3000 feet |
Flyover Newport Coast and Fashion Island at 4000 feet
|
Click for North takeoff photos
|
|
|
|
|
|
