Plan for New Terminal at John Wayne Airport OKd

A proposal that could map a new course for general aviation at John Wayne Airport and result in the demolition of the old Edward J. (Eddie) Martin Terminal was approved by the Airport Commission on Wednesday night.

The plan was recommended to the Orange County Board of Supervisors on a voice vote, despite concerns about the level of services afforded to the owners and operators of private planes.

The proposal includes plans for a new, 2,000-square-foot terminal, which would be too small to handle general aviation, said Donald I. Miller, an official of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Assn.

That is smaller than an average Orange County home and an insult to the thousands of air travelers who depend on general aviation for intercity travel, Miller said.

But Deputy Airport Director O. B. Schooley responded that the smaller size is considered only a minimum and the actual terminal may be larger. But he added that the larger the terminal, the more expensive it will be to operate.

The proposal calls for tearing down the old Martin Terminal and turning over the lease to eventual use by Martin Aviation, the largest provider of aircraft services at the airport.

Martin Aviation would have an option to build a new $3.8-million center to cater to business jets. It would pay an initial $1.7 million for a one-year option to develop plans for a general aviation center.

Private aircraft owners expressed concern that their planes would be moved to a more remote location. About 750 spaces would be reserved for private aircraft.

Four out of every five landings or takeoffs at John Wayne Airport involve private aircraft. But general aviation has been on the wane, and federal officials have been concerned about the hazards of mixing large, fast commercial aircraft with the small, generally propeller-powered private planes.