Which Way to Takeoff?

While most planes depart John Wayne airport to the south, some commercial airline pilots have been taking off to the north. Reports of 757’s flying opposite to usual traffic patterns have been confirmed with the airport control tower.

The incidents demonstrate what many pilots have been saying about the proposed El Toro Airport. The FAA may approve runways - that are strips of concrete running in two directions - but pilots will decide which one is the safest direction for take off.

Jeff Thorstensen, Air Traffic Control Manager at John Wayne (949-668-0141) confirmed that pilots request and receive clearance to depart John Wayne to the north. “We will do that if the traffic permits.” The latest incidents occurred because the wind was blowing “from the north at 2-3 knots” and pilots prefer the added lift that comes from climbing into the wind. “When the wind gets up to 5 knots out of the north, we’ll turn everyone around and go that way.”

Stanley Sanders, Safety Committeeman for the Allied Pilots Association which represents all American Airlines pilots, said such pilots requests, “ happen all the time.”

Critics of the proposed El Toro Airport plans note that county plans call for 70 percent of flights to take off to the east, which is in the wrong direction relative to prevailing winds. Richard LeVoy, President of the Allied Pilots Association wrote to Supervisor Silva on March 9, 1998 that “our pilots will use the safest departure paths, into the prevailing winds and away from the rising terrain at El Toro...” That means west.

El Toro terrain complicates the wind direction problem. The county plans call for takeoffs into mountains east and north of the base. The 50,000 member Air Line Pilots Association wrote, on July 2, 1998, that it opposed such takeoffs for safety reasons. An engine failure on takeoff would put the aircraft at risk.

The Wall Street Journal, July 27, 1998 page 1 article, “FAA Data Deficiencies Hamper Effort to Spot Airline Safety Hazards” reports that engine failures while climbing are more common than what is reported. Continental Airlines had “six serious in-flight engine failures in 24 days” last fall, without any evidence of deficient maintenance.

Posted August 4, 1998