Light-Plane Traffic Over Orange and L.A. Counties

Your story (Sept. 16) of the Fullerton Airport air crash was shoddy, irresponsible reporting on an important issue.

The reporter’s only interest seemed to be in defiling the Fullerton Airport and quoting the hysterical mayor of Buena Park. If you had done a reputable job, you would have at least called the airport manager to get the facts, such as there are no touch-and-go landings allowed at the Fullerton Airport.

The fact is that if anything should be done, the airport should be enlarged. Some of the housing at the west end should be condemned and the runway lengthened. It should also be noted that the airport is used by police departments and other emergency services, such as medical evacuation and paramedics. It is also used for mail and small cargo. I’m sure the mayor of Buena Park would be first to scream if there were no emergency services available for her town during a county emergency, such as a large earthquake.

The impression was also given that all these students and pilots are out flying around just for a lark. There are many students training at Fullerton (and other small airports) that have career goals in mind. Everyone wants to use the airlines but nobody wants the pilots to get any training. Not everyone gets trained in the military.

Let’s be realistic. There are many tragic accidents on the streets and freeways, and cars even run into houses and businesses with numerous people injured and killed. But nobody says “close the streets and freeways, no more driving of cars and trucks.” (It might be noted that Los Angeles County has approximately nine civilian airports, Orange County has two).

ROBERT C. LONNEGREN

ELAINE LONNEGREN

Fullerton