El Toro Ideas Other Than Airport Needed

* What if the Orange County Board of Supervisors took a fresh look at the conversion of the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station? City governments are obviously split over its future. Citizens are lining up on each side of the issue as if there were no alternatives between an international airport or residential/commercial use of the site. Business leaders are threatening to float an initiative. It’s time for the board to come up with a shopping list of alternatives so that the issue is not permanently polarized.

What if all small propeller-driven aircraft were moved out of John Wayne Airport and moved to one of the shorter runways at El Toro? The mixture of small airplanes making their base turn into the final approach of 757s at JWA is an explosive mixture waiting for a match. The Cerritos disaster and the recent crash at the approach to John Wayne Airport are ample proof that a major disaster is awaiting us.

What if the money spent to build a new Riley Terminal and all the other related airport support features at El Toro was spent to build a rapid rail system? This high-speed system could connect John Wayne to an El Toro transportation facility, and then run to George or Norton AFB where a commercial airport is desired. The Santa Ana River is a possible route for part of this rail line, as are other existing rights of way.

What if the runway at JWA was extended like LAX so that all of the existing facilities of JWA could be used for an international airport? Does it really make sense to re-create all of them seven miles away at El Toro?

What if 20 years after the main runway at El Toro were destroyed, a quiet hypersonic aircraft was developed? How stupid would we feel?

What if we took an idea from Monaco or Long Beach, and ran a profitable race car event once a year at a course designed around the taxiways and runways of El Toro?

What if the federal government exercises its right to replace the Marine station with another government agency because we were not mature enough or unselfish enough to do our best for the Orange County of the future?

SCOTT DENNISON

San Juan Capistrano

* It is distressing to see how Orange County is being split between the North County cities with their Lincoln (Club) financial empire and the South County cities that are contiguous to and will be impacted by the El Toro closure, touted for a new commercial airport. El Toro is just (seven) miles from John Wayne Airport, which is serving the area adequately.

Practical and technical feasibility is being swept under the rug by the subjective and highly emotional pie-in-the-sky allegations of improved lifestyle. For whom? Certainly not the nearby residents who will be faced with the thunderous roar of super-cargo and passenger planes at all hours of the day and night.

Now these high-powered and richly financed commercial airport proponents are trying to take the matter out of the hands of the established and well-represented study commission by their petition drive. Don’t be misled by their devious petition drive.

DICK OSTERLIND

Laguna Hills

* The runaways at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station are not suitable for commercial or cargo aircraft, but this fact seems to have fallen on the deaf ears of the Lincoln Club and the North County cities. Neither the military nor most of the airlines can visualize such a conversion. They agree with Laguna Beach resident Charles J. Quilter II, a captain for a major airline and a veteran military flier for the past 33 years. Having thoroughly researched the field with which he is familiar, he concludes as follows:

“A key factor concerning El Toro’s use as a commercial airport involves significant differences in takeoff procedures between airliners and tactical military jets.

At El Toro, the main takeoff runways slope uphill and point to rising terrain, frequently accompanied by an unacceptable tail wind. The high performance of modern jets helps to overcome these limitations. This is not the case with airline transports who operate under civil regulations which demand certain minimum performances. One of these regulations requires airliners to be able to climb out safely with an engine failure just before liftoff. It follows then that transports must be lightly loaded. To accomplish this, either fuel loads or passenger loads must be sacrificed. A great way to begin an international flight!

Are there alternatives? Yes, if you want to take off into the teeth of John Wayne airport traffic; are willing to impact the new residential sections with noise decibels of a new dimension; can change the area’s air traffic control procedures; are willing to suspend takeoffs at El Toro while an aircraft is on approach. Under instrument rules, this can reduce the hourly capacity of the airport by a factor of five to 10. An airport that can only handle relatively few arrivals and departures per hour does not have much commercial potential. If, and after the Marines leave, its best use as an airport may be for general aviation purposes.

ELIZABETH H. QUILTER

Laguna Beach

* It was good news that a majority of the supervisors will not support an initiative proposal by the Lincoln Club to allow voters to decide whether El Toro Marine Corps Air Station should be converted to a commercial airport.

So far the supervisors have only stopped or not supported different options. When are they going to show any leadership? A real solution was proposed by Larry Agran (Times commentary, Feb. 6). Why has no elected official adopted, or even adapted, his brilliant proposal of an El Toro/Irvine Co. land swap?

KAY HUNTER

Lake Forest

* There have been heated discussions regarding what to do with the El Toro base after closing it to further military use. There are some who think the only thing to do with the base is to develop it into a commercial airport. Those who are supporting this idea do not know what they are talking about. I have spent some 30 years in the aviation business as an airport and terminal planner for major international airlines. The conversion of El Toro into a commercial airport is “not in the cards” due to many reasons, including the following:

1. Due to the status of economics among all airlines in today’s market, their support of rental rates and landing fees for another airport within the close vicinity of John Wayne, Long Beach and Ontario would be unlikely. Garden Grove and Stanton should support their closest neighboring airport, Long Beach

2. The runway configuration and runway usage would have to be modified to satisfy the requirements of commercial aircraft, due to taxiway/ramp weights and take-offs and landings. Modifications would require major funding by the airlines, FAA and airport commission. Airliners require longer and thicker runways than existing at El Toro.

Rather than attempt to obtain support to convert El Toro to a commercial airport, let us look to conversion of El Toro to a more useful and needed complex that will not only benefit but enhance the entire county. Please consider the following suggestions:

1. Transportation Center: The need for a transportation center in this location should justify conversion of some of the site to this function. Nearby location of Amtrak, and both interstates 5 and 405 would provide an excellent South County transportation interchange.

2. New Orange County Fairgrounds: The location of the base is a very good center for the fairgrounds: Existing aircraft hangers could be reconfigured as buildings to house exhibits.

3. Racetrack: Construction of a horse racetrack, to supplement other southern California racetracks.

4. Construction of a theater of performing arts and amphitheater facilities may be a good community addition to this area.

5. Sports center: A major league sports center could possibly be utilized by the Los Angeles Raiders.

Again, the thought of turning the base over to a commercial airport is totally unfounded, since the airline industry is suffering great losses and the industry could not support another airport in Orange County.

C. ROY MILLER

Mission Viejo

* Here are a few facts about the noise at El Toro from someone who does not live in Santa Ana or La Habra, but near the landing approach.

The base, which most of the time operates under restricted hours, has less than 300 landings and takeoffs on the average day. The amount of loud noise has been estimated at only 20 minutes per day. Most of the time there is little activity on weekends, and the airfield is closed on holidays for two, three or four days in a row.

In comparison John Wayne Airport handles about 1,200 arrivals and departures each day, and about 240 are commercial carriers subjected to the 10 p.m.-7 a.m. curfew. the remaining 960 are part of general aviation and do not have to abide by that curfew.

Now if you think single-engine planes are not noisy, you have not been along Newport Boulevard in Costa Mesa. The residents there are getting the bulk of that air traffic 24 hours a day; or in Buena Park west of the Fullerton Airport--they are nerve wrecking!

Sure the Marine jets can be loud at times, and on a one-on-one basis they probably are noisier! But the volume and frequency of aircraft generating noise at El Toro with a civilian airport will be devastating. NICOLAS G. DZIPINA

Aliso Viejo