Pilot Has It Right on El Toro Feasibility

Re “County Has Options After El Toro Vote,” letters, June 9:

Thank you pilot and aircraft owner Patrick Barry for your letter that states what the Airline Pilots Assn. said from the beginning. The El Toro runways will not work, and neither will an international airport in southern Orange County. The “never say die” pro-airport politicians and uninformed people of Orange County will never acknowledge this.

The residents of Leisure World look down on the runways, which are so close one can almost spit on them.

An airport would mark the demise of Leisure World, which is home to 18,000 people, and other nearby communities. No one could tolerate the noise from the low-flying jumbo jets 24 hours a day. People complain about the millions of dollars already spent for the possible airport; just think what the real thing would cost. Staggering!

There is no law that says Orange County must have two airports. There is no place or room for an airport in southern Orange County. The voters have made that clear.

Ruth Ann Harrell

Laguna Woods

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Robert M. Beard is of the opinion that “the entire region should be empowered to vote on regional airport issues.” I suggest the first regional vote should decide whether to extend the artificial passenger caps at John Wayne Airport.

The entire region knows that our airport is limited to 50% of its design capacity by the self-serving operating limits imposed by neighboring Newport Beach.

If Beard is so adamant in his desire to allow the entire region to determine airport capacity, then we must not allow Newport Beach alone to dictate John Wayne’s operation.

Richard Soden

Lake Forest

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Robert M. Beard writes that “an umbrella agency” is needed to ensure that all of Southern California’s counties expand airport capacity. He continues that “the entire region should be empowered to vote on regional airport issues.” Mr. Beard wants Los Angeles to vote on whether we build El Toro to serve LAX’s overflow. Be careful what you wish for, Mr. Beard. Bill Konther

Lake Forest