By Karl Abrams
The intolerable noise and sickening jet fuel pollution coming from thousands upon thousands of private jets taking off and landing at the Santa Monica airport yearly has pushed residents to their limit once again. With their hands over their ears, a nauseating metallic taste in their mouth and fears mounting over the unexplainable absence of runway safety areas around the airport, people are crying out “No more! Send the jets to LAX where they belong!”
Closing the airport has been an ongoing and contentious issue for a long time. The Santa Monica City Council passed a resolution calling for the closing of the airport back in 1981 even though “legal obligations (with the Federal Aviation Administration) may keep it open until the year 2015.” (Beachhead, Nov. 1981, pgs. 6-7)
If you would like to join the fight against jets flying below FAA elevation limits, causing noise, chemical pollution and an ongoing threat to the safety of the community, please e-mail venicesky@me.com ASAP to have your name added to a petition to stop this insanity.
Categories: Environment
I just wanted to add that the single engine planes are no picnic either. The traffic pattern as it is, usually puts the noise right over Oakwood. I do value general aviation-the dream of flying is something near and dear to me-I just wish the nuisance aspects could be better distributed. Notice that when the wind is from the East, the noise factor West of the airport is greatly reduced? That’s because the planes are taking off and landing into the wind, into the East. Is there a regulatory reason why planes couldn’t take off to the East on calm days? Or even when Westerly winds are less than say 5 knots? I think that could go a long way towards relieving some of the stress certain of us feel because we’re where the noise/pollution are so concentrated.
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