Long Dive Is Reversed : Air Traffic Increases at Van Nuys Field

Airplane traffic at Van Nuys Airport, which has fallen steadily for 10 years, showed an increase in the first three months of this year, the Los Angeles Department of Airports said Monday.

The number of operations--takeoffs and landings--rose to 110,231, a 7% increase from the same quarter in 1986, a department announcement said.

Airport spokesman Tom Winfrey said airport authorities do not know the cause of the increase.

Clay Lacey, president of the Van Nuys Airport Assn.--made up of flying schools, aircraft charter companies and other airport users--speculated that mild winter weather was responsible.

“When the weather’s good, you get more pleasure flying and more student pilots out, shooting touch-and-goes,” he said, referring to repeated practice landings and takeoffs. “I kind of doubt the trend will hold up, although we hope it would,” said Lacey, who operates a large aircraft charter firm.

In 1986, the number of operations fell to 477,689, a 3% drop from the previous year and the lowest total in 21 years. Operations hit an all-time high of 618,694 in 1976 and have fallen in most years since.

Industry sources blame the decline on a slump in general aviation--private, business and charter flying--brought on by high fuel prices in the 1970s, the recession of the early 1980s and a steep increase in liability insurance rates.

For many years, Van Nuys Airport had the third-highest number of operations in the United States. Airport officials say they do not have current statistics, but believe the airport has dropped to about sixth-busiest.