GOOD MORNING, I AM AMERICAN AIRLINES CAPTAIN STAN SANDERS . REPRESENTING THE ALLIED PILOTS ASSOCIATION. I WILL GIVE YOU SOME OF MY BACKGROUND INFORMATION. AFTER FLYING NAVY FIGHTERS (F-4'S) DURING THE VIETNAM ERA I JOINED AMERICAN AIRLINES IN 1973 AND I AM CURRENTLY FLYING THE BOEING 757,767,777, AND I HAVE FLOWN OUT OF THE EL TORO AIRPORT.

THE PROPOSED FLIGHT TESTS AT ELTORO WILL BE INVALID IF RUNWAY 25 IS NOT THE PRIMARY RUNWAY FOR TAKEOFF. THE UNIONS REPRESENTING NEARLY ALL OF THE AIRLINE PILOTS IN THE U.S. HAVE PUBLICLY STATED THAT THEY WILL NOT USE RUNWAY 7 AT EL TORO AIRPORT AS A PRIMARY RUNWAY. I REFER TO THE MARCH 9,1998 LETTER TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM RICH LAVOY THE PRESIDENT OF THE AILLIED PILOTS ASSCIATION REPRESENTING THE 10,000 PILOTS OF AMERICAN AIRLINES.

TO THE CONTRARY, THEY WILL USE RUNWAY 25 AS THE PRIMARY RUNWAY AND R.W. 34 AND 16 AS SECONDARY RUNWAYS. AMERICAN AIRLINES MANAGEMENT SUPPORTS THE PILOTS POSITIONS. I OBTAINED PERMISSION FROM AMERICAN AIRLINES EXECUTIVE VP. OF OPERATIONS ROBERT W. BAKER TO STATE AMERICAN AIRLINES POSITION ON THE PROPOSED FLIGHT PATTERNS AT EL TORO AIRPORT. MR BAKER SAID" CAN WE USE RUNWAY 7? YES, UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. IS IT DESIRABLE? NO, IT IS HIGHLY UNDERSIREABLE TO USE RUNWAY 7 AS A PRIMARY RUNWAY" HE ALSO STATED THAT AMERICAN AIRLINES WOULD NOT SUPPORT TWO AIRPORTS IN ORANGE COUNTY. JOHN WAYNE OR EL TORO, BUT NOT BOTH.

NO PILOT CAN TRUTHFULLY CLAIM THAT A TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 7, DOWNWIND AND INTO RISING TERRAIN, WOULD BE SAFER THAN TAKING OFF ON RUNWAY 25 INTO THE WIND AND AWAY FROM THE TERRAIN. THEREFORE RUNWAY 25 TO THE WEST WILL BE THE PRIMARY RUNWAY FOR TAKEOFF AND RUNWAY 16 AND 34 WILL BE SECONDARY RUNWAYS. I CHALLENGE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OR ANYONE ELSE TO PROVE OTHERWISE.