Debate Over El Toro Airport Continues Anew

Re “2 Supervisors Propose a Fifth Ballot Measure on El Toro Planning,” Aug. 1:

I am appalled by the lack of leadership being displayed by Orange County Supervisors Chuck Smith and Cynthia P. Coad. The proposed Measure B by Smith is an obvious attempt to resurrect the dead El Toro airport option by usurping the powers of the city of Irvine. It ignores the will of the people.

Not only are they trying to destroy the recent diligent efforts of the Navy, they are endangering our country by meddling with the economic benefits the Navy will realize from its current proposed land auction. These revenues are needed to fight the war on terrorism. The current Navy plan will ensure maximum revenue to the Department of Defense and strengthen our country.

Edward F. Gogin Jr.

Trabuco Canyon

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Re “Controversy Is Airborne Once Again Over El Toro,” Aug. 11:

Like Freddie Krueger, the serial killer in the [“Nightmare on Elm Street”] movies, the El Toro airport won’t stay dead no matter how many stakes are put through its heart. At least Rex Ricks is honest enough to admit that he would not want an airport in his backyard. His letter refers to the “V-Plan”--meaning, I suppose, the alternative design that avoids takeoffs downwind and uphill, as in the county supervisors’ proposal.

That facts are that the only feasible flight path for fully loaded takeoffs from El Toro would require a westerly route over Irvine and Newport Beach. We already have an airport with a takeoff path into the prevailing westerly sea breeze. It’s called John Wayne Airport. Most of the pro-airport letter writers express concern about the “terrible shortage” of passenger capacity at John Wayne.

Fine. I have a solution. Extend John Wayne’s runways to the east through the industrial parks until capacity is increased. If we need more runways, extend [them] laterally into the areas north and south of the airport. Of course, I always look at the address of the letter writers because most of the pro-airport letters are from Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. Somehow that reduces the credibility of their advice. Both sides of this story are concerned about quality-of-life issues. Major airports don’t belong in residential areas. If we could agree on that we might make some progress on a solution to all our communities’ problems.

Michael T. Kennedy

Mission Viejo

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Re “El Toro Vote to Seek Full Navy Cleanup,” Aug. 7:

Of course, county supervisors voted unanimously to have county voters vote on whether the Navy should spend billions to child-proof an old airfield. Rather than converting the Marine Corps Air Station at El Toro to its most logical (and cheapest, most efficient) use as an airport, let’s take years to sanitize the soil to make a park. Meanwhile, all the other Southern California airports will experience gridlock. The Navy should put a permanent fence around the acreage and tell Orange County to come back with a plan that shows they can play well with others.

Gary R. Albin

Long Beach