California Airports

TRUCKEE, Calif. – The Truckee Tahoe Airport District is accepting land leasing proposals for both public and private development, following an inquiry by one of the area’s largest employers.

Truckee-based Clear Capital, a national provider of real estate analytics and valuations, has approached the airport district with the idea of leasing property since it is looking for a long-term facility, preferably in Truckee, to house its headquarters, said Kevin Marshall, co-founder and president of the company.

Birds Beware: San Jose Airport to Consider Bringing in Crews to Clear Airspace – Fear of birds flying into engines and causing potentially fatal plane crashes has prompted one California airport to consider bringing in crews to shoot at the flocks.

Friday, November 23, 2012 – Allegiant’s first flight to Hawaii leaves Santa Maria airport Nipomo resident among group of first passengers. (CalPilots Editors Note: This is good news for the airport, and just a heads up that there may be new airline traffic coming to an airport you use or plan to visit.)

San Rafael Airport MarinSoccer Complex Hearing Postponed Following Allegation of Mayor’s Conflict of Interest – Monday’s public hearing for the San Rafael Airport’s proposed soccer complex was rescheduled so Mayor Gary Phillips, who has a lease with the airport, could obtain written approval from a state agency that will allow him to participate in the decision.

The planned public hearing on the San Rafael Airport‘s proposed soccer facility has been postponed following an allegation that Mayor Gary Phillips should recuse himself from the meeting due to a conflict of interest.

The California Pilots Association attended the Contra Costa County Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) meeting held in Martinez, CA on November 14, 2012. The agenda included the proposed expansion of the Randy Howell Jet and Training Center.

OCEANSIDE — City Council paid honor to Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. and Oceanside resident and airman, the late Bob Maxwell, by renaming the Mission Avenue Bridge after King and the airfield at Oceanside Municipal Airport after Maxwell on Nov. 7. The council voted unanimously to rename the bridge that crosses Mission Avenue the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Bridge.

There is a feud underway between the owner of the Lealand Fly Fishing Ranch and pilots who use California’s Sanoma Valley Airport (0Q3). Ranch owner Josh Frazier has erected a solid-log fence across the airport’s runway safety overrun area.

Sonoma pilot David Mace has placed a petition on the website “Change.org” in an effort to build support for the removal of the fence.

Once again Airport Day attracted a good crowd and people learned a lot about their airport.  As always, the tower tours were a hit as were the EAA Young Eagles flights. The formation flight was impressive and it really showed the interesting things that ordinary GA aircraft can do. We estimate that between 3000 and 4000 attended.  Palo Alto Mayor Yiaway Yeh who gave a brief welcoming statement, was very impressed with the crowd and commented on the range of ages and diversity among attendees.

Airport hangar owner Ken Hetge files an appeal. Photo by Ed GordonAn action by the Tehachapi Planning Commission to approve the architectural design and site plan for a planned 69-room, three-story Motel 6 on a 1.06 acre site in Capital Hills has been appealed to the Tehachapi City Council.

Ken Hetge, a hangar owner at the airport, objected to the motel over concerns that the flight path of the airport passes over the site. Last week he paid the $1561 city filing fee on behalf of hangar owners. The appeal will come before City Council at a future meeting.

However, it seems that even at the time Planning Commissioners approved the project, the property owner Terry Delamater — and city officials — knew that Delamater no longer intended to build a Motel 6 on the site.

A new online tool is designed to help decision makers at the airports in Washington state make more strategic investment choices to support local communities and the state’s economy. The Aviation Economic Calculator allows decision makers to estimate how changes in activity at an airport, such as new flight activity, businesses or capital projects, may affect an airport’s economic vitality.