Saltarelli Seeks Test of El Toro Plane Noise

Know where County Supervisor Don Saltarelli can borrow a plane?

Saltarelli said Friday that he and his staff are asking commercial airlines and cargo carriers to consider lending the county an aircraft for a day to fly in and out of El Toro Marine Corps Air Station so residents can get an idea of what a commercial airport might “sound like.”

“I think people would appreciate an actual flight test so we could judge for ourselves and decide whether fears of an airport are justified,” Saltarelli said. “This is a way to find out.”

The county is considering developing a major passenger-cargo or cargo-general aviation airport at the 4,700-acre base when it is closed by the military by mid-1999.

A draft environmental report released last month by the county said that an airport would reduce noise in areas surrounding the base because commercial aircraft are quieter than military jets and would fly more restricted routes. However, the report also said the duration of that noise would increase with an airport operating 24 hours a day.

Some South County residents who live near the base or under proposed flight paths fear noise from an airport would make their lives unbearable and their homes unsalable. They say they do not believe the environmental report, which bases its finding on computer-generated noise models.

Hence Saltarelli’s unusual proposal.

“Computer modeling is fine, but I think people would appreciate an actual flight,” he said.

So far, Saltarelli hasn’t been successful in finding a jetliner for the test. He has little to offer the airlines--he said he might be able to come up with fuel money. He said he is essentially relying on the generosity of air carriers.

Saltarelli also would have to get the military to agree to put flight activities on hold for a day to conduct his experiment.

Some South County residents applauded the supervisor’s efforts.

“This will give us a real listen as to what the noise impacts will be,” said Irvine resident David Markley, a member of the El Toro Citizens Advisory Commission, which is helping to form a base reuse plan.

Others accused Saltarelli of grandstanding. Airport opponent Bert Hack, who believes the county’s environmental report is biased, said he wouldn’t believe the results of such an experiment.

“We need a full study of all the impacts, noise, traffic, pollution,” Hack said. “I’m not in favor of portions. This isn’t part of a full study.”