FAA Test Flights Won’t End Debate

* Re “FAA Takes an El Toro Test Flight,” Jan. 4:

I have been hesitant to believe statements from anti-airport activists who claim El Toro airport is unsafe. Finally, we will have that question answered by objective experts. The FAA took a major step in evaluating its safety as it tested departure routes and obstacle clearances at the former base. I believe when the results are announced, we will know positively that El Toro airport is perfectly safe for commercial aircraft use.

ANGELA GALLAGHER

Costa Mesa

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* Hopefully the El Toro flight tests conducted by the FAA included a survey of all of the proposed departure and landing routes in EIR 573, not just the route being pushed by Supervisor Charles V. Smith: using the existing runways. If they checked the V-Plan route (also known as the Wildlands Ranch plan in EIR 573), they will find that there are no obstacles or problems with air traffic patterns with landings from the north over Loma Ridge and takeoffs to the south over Crystal Cove State Park. They will also find there are no neighborhoods on either side of this particular flight path.

MARK BURY

Newport Beach

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* I found the FAA test of El Toro very interesting. In the story the reporter and observers focused on Runways 34 and 16. There was no mention at all about Runways 7 and 25. The county plan calls for almost 70% of the flights to depart to the east on Runway 7, but the FAA didn’t test this runway. Did this test confirm that Runway 7 (as the pilots and aviation experts [contend]) will not be used as expected? I’ve been in both a Lear jet and a Boeing 747, and it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to see the performance difference in the two, but perhaps this is just more of the smoke screen [the county is using] to gather support. I’d say the exclusion of Runway 7 sends a major signal of things to come.

DAVE KIRKY

Coto de Caza