Protect Citizens Surrounding Palomar Airport

Frustrated residents surrounding Palomar Airport are concerned for their safety due to self-interested, hazardous flying practices at McClellan-Palomar Airport.   Although most residents are proponents of the airport, and the benefits it brings to our community, democratic principals dictate that the government officials and airport operators make every effort to balance the needs of transportation with those of the residents, who support them by way of patronage and taxes. This balance has been swayed toward business interests at Palomar Airport, so much so, that residents have been tragically treated as though they were the nuisance, and not a partner.  Our goal is very simple:  enforce the Quiet Hours and departure patterns of the current Voluntary Noise Abatement Policy, VNAP, per the Part 150 Study.  This request is all about safety and environmental quality, yet officials have ignored resident pleas and denied concerns and responsibility. 

Voluntary programs simply are not working as evidenced by  review of NTSB plane crash records as well as the number of complaints registered with the county for non-compliance.  We will greatly decrease the number of accidents, fear of greater tragedy, improve noise and environmental quality  in the surrounding community if guidelines were made mandatory.

The current Negative Declaration for Proposed Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan will omit environmental impact studies on future development around the airport and serve as precedent for the future planned expansion of the airport.

It is our opinion that if officials cannot maintain safety and enforce current guidelines over homes, schools, churches, and parks at the current level of growth, that any expansion of services and extension of the runway to accommodate larger and more planes, will create more surface traffic and will surely be the end of the Village by the Sea and become a seaside metro, congested and noise polluted, providing safety hazards to both residents and visitors alike.

We the undersigned, call on the City of Carlsbad, County of San Diego, State of California and Federal Aviation Administration and Federal Representatives to:

   1.   Oppose relaxed environmental standards for future development adjacent to the airport included in the Negative Declaration for Proposed Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan at McClellan-Palomar Airport which would waive Environmental Impact Reports and studies upon local communities.  This may lead to unrestrained standards when they move forward to extend the runway and expand operations at the airport.  The proposed runway extension is intended over a land fill where underground fires and gases are known to dwell.  Greenhouse emission impact on local communities is significant and must be reviewed to maintain the quality of our communities under CEQA and SB 375 aimed at limiting urban sprawl.   

   2.   Oppose any extension of the runway or expansion of operations which will bring additional air traffic vis-%uFFFD-vis larger planes holding more fuel, more noise pollution, increased safety threats, more noise and higher passenger volume, which will overburden already crowded roads and highways. 

   3.   Submit to public vote any expansion of the airport or extension of runways per Carlsbad City Ordinance 21.53.015 so stating.

   4.   Remediate the horrific safety record of Palomar Airport by enforcing FAA guidelines set forth.  This airport record of fatalities far exceeds others and is only a flight away from crashing into a home, school, church or park.  Most of these accidents result from negligent or untrained pilots, negligent mechanical upkeep, weather and fog. All of these can be reversed by actions herein.  

From 2000-2009 Palomar has had 17 incidents and 13 fatalities, while Lindberg has 10 incidents & 1 fatality,

LAX has 26 incidents & 8 fatalities, John Wayne has 8 incidents and 0 fatalities.  This is extraordinary by any standards.

     5.       Close the airport and make Quiet Hours 10:00PM to 7:00AM mandatory, when air traffic controllers are not on duty, for ALL aircraft except emergency as intended by Part 150 Study and Par 2000 Study and per the FEDERAL REGISTER, dated  12/18/06.  
     6.    Make arrival and departure guidelines mandatory and impose penalties on pilots and aircraft owners that do not comply with VNAP (Voluntary Noise Abatement Procedures), including departures to fly at a 250%uFFFD degree heading (Staying on the north side of Palomar Airport Road) until %uFFFD mile off the coast before making turns for navigation. This is to include all aircraft, including training flights. 

   7.    Require FAA Traffic Controllers take a pro-active role to provide direction and penalties to pilots to comply with VNAP, maintain required altitudes, and prevent operations when fog is present.

   8.   Require Helicopters to fly along highway and main road navigation routes to avoid residential areas in non emergency situations.

   9.   Provide incentives for flight schools to train out of remote areas, such as Borrego Springs, avoiding dense population over homes, churches, schools and parks.

   10.  County request a Part 161 Study by FAA to make mandatory Palomar Airport VNAP and Quiet Hours.

   11.   Adopt a 3-Strikes policy and tracking system for pilots and operators not in compliance with VNAP and Quiet hours, denying them airport access, as adopted at John Wayne Airport, and public notification and posting of names. 

   12.   Adopt a control system for both pilot training and airplane inspections with stiff penalties for non compliance.