Airport Expansion Not Everyone’s Cup of Tea

I assume columnist James Flanigan lives nowhere near an airport or else he would not be so gung-ho on airport expansion (“High Time for Airports,” Feb. 14). He is absolutely right when he says airports arouse opposition from all sorts of people. Why? They are unbearably noisy, they create pollution, things drop from planes, there is a constant chance of accident.

Building more and more--whether it be airports or highways--encourages more usage and pretty soon we are right back where we started--never enough room on the freeways--never enough airport capacity. We can’t go on getting bigger and bigger forever.

JANICE K. MASLOW

Oceanside

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It was most disappointing to see Flanigan’s article so prominently displayed on the front page of the business section, blatantly pushing for the construction of a civilian airport on the site of El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

Thus, Flanigan and The Times join with the millionaire businessmen and construction interests and the wealthy Newport Beach residents grasping at a chance at profits and at the chance to rid themselves of some bothersome noise from John Wayne Airport at the expense of the rest of us.

The only redeeming factor is his clear point that John Wayne is only being utilized at half its capacity because of limits imposed by its surrounding communities. How ever, these communities have no hesitation imposing what they fear on a much larger population surrounding El Toro.

IRVING E. FRIEDMAN

Laguna Niguel

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Before you condemn south Orange County residents opposed to a mandated airport at El Toro simply as NIMBYs, just imagine yourself as someone who bought a nice little retirement home in the middle of nowhere in 1964 near the El Toro base.

As the years progressed, jets succeeded propeller-driven aircraft, and during the infrequent overflights--perhaps at most an average of 10 a day--you suddenly found that your TV couldn’t be heard. Sometimes plates rattled and windows vibrated. No problem. It was only a few times a day.

Now consider what’s been proposed some 30 years later: an international airport with perhaps as many as 500,000 flights per year. That’s more than 1,200 flights per day, an average of more than 50 an hour. No more TV. No more talk. No more sleep. I challenge anyone to welcome that over his or her head.

GEORGE MANET

Laguna Hills