Making the Skies Safer

The chief of operations at Orange County’s John Wayne Airport wants to reform Southern California’s complex airspace regulations. The intent is to increase safety while simplifying rules.

Widened Skyways: Private pilots prefer to fly along routes were airplanes simply watch out for each other. But growth of controlled airspace has left fewer “see-and-be-seen” routes for pilots to follow--increasing the risk of collisions along the remaining paths, pilots say. The reform plan would establish smaller, more heavily controlled zones to protect commercial airliners while opening up more unrestricted flight paths smaller planes.

Bustling Skies: Three Southern California airports are among the nation’s busiest top 10. Takeoffs and landings from January to October, 1991: Chicago O’Hare Dallas/Fort Worth Los Angeles Atlanta John Wayne Van Nuys Phoenix Sky Harbor Denver Stapleton Miami Charlotte Douglas John Wayne Airport Operations: Total takeoffs and landings: SOURCE: Federal Aviation Administration, John Wayne Airport