More Evidence Airport Won’t Fly

It seems that every unbiased report regarding the plans to build an El Toro airport supports the opponents (“Airline Coalition Joins Fray Over El Toro Airport,” June 12).

This latest report joins with the findings of the Southern California Assn. of Governments last month in criticizing the proponents and supporting those against a general airport on the El Toro site.

This recent research by “an influential coalition of 23 major airlines” emphasizes exactly what the opponents have been disclosing. Some of the dangerous conditions it mentions are “crosswinds in the area, nearby mountains and housing developments, and worse air traffic congestion over Southern California” creating safety hazards.

These objections and warnings are among those that precisely match what the opponents have been saying all along. If only this was widely known to the voters prior to the election approving the airport. But this information was deceptively withheld by the slick proponents.

Why should some Newport Beach residents, unhappy over some bothersome noise from John Wayne Airport, and wealthy investors whose personal agendas include huge profits, be permitted to ignore these dangers and threats to the rest of Orange County’s residents?

BETTY JANE GOSTIN

Costa Mesa

* Is it possible that the majority of people in south Orange County are right and that Newport Beach plus the North County are wrong about an international airport at El Toro?

Within the past few weeks, two separate, knowledgeable and expert associations have raised serious doubts about the mandated airport and caused concern regarding the reliability of the consulting firm hired by the county Board of Supervisors.

The two point out serious questions and cautions regarding the geographic terrain, air and ground traffic congestion, noise pollution, wind patterns, runway configuration and passenger demand overstated by almost 50%. Meanwhile, proponents of the airport say, “We’re in the very early stages of the planning process,” and state that more study is necessary!

Well, I don’t see how any of these problems can be mitigated; the winds have been blowing this way forever, the mountains won’t go away, the nearby communities can’t be moved and the runways are there. So what’s to study?

HERBERT FRANKLIN

Laguna Niguel

* The U.S. Marine Corps air bases in Tustin and El Toro lived in harmony with the surrounding communities for over 50 years.

The Washington bureaucracy, with its “if it ain’t broke, let’s break it” mentality, decided to move these state-of-the-art bases to Miramar. The cost estimates for these moves are probably at least 50% low.

Now, after a few helicopters have been relocated to Miramar, the residents there are complaining about the noise. Washington’s new solution is to move the helicopters to March Air Force Base in Riverside. The estimated cost of this change in plans has not been publicized.

Where will they move the fighters and other really noisy aircraft when the residents complain about those? Will Miramar be upgraded at taxpayer expense only to be abandoned when the residents complain about the really noisy aircraft?

My frustrations as a taxpayer are limitless. Is there anyone in Washington who thinks about potential problems before committing to billions of dollars of wasteful spending? Is there anyone in Washington who thinks?

KATHRYN G. WEINMANN

Mission Viejo

* It is encouraging that a heavyweight nongovernmental organization is weighing in on the question of a commercial airport at El Toro. At last we are hearing from the real world.

Does it make sense to nestle a major airport into a place surrounded on three sides by hills and mountains? Does it make sense that the dangers are compounded by excluding takeoffs and landings in the safest direction, west, over Irvine?

Air carriers are asking the right questions. We must demand that their questions be answered to forestall the possibility of creating the El Toro Killing Field.

These rational considerations can overcome the provincial moneyed and political forces that have dominated Orange County’s thrashing around to date.

HARRY T. LARSON

Laguna Hills

* You must be joking. How many years has the military used El Toro successfully? The military planes don’t bother us. I see them crossing over Interstate 5 from the west. Yes, they are noisy but they are over nonresidential areas.

Poor argument!

ROSE ESPOSITO

Santa Ana