California Airports

Turbo jets and turbo propeller aircraft will now be more common at Tracy Municipal Airport, following a four-foot addition to its main runway on Oct. 2.
According to airport coordinator Bruce Ludeman, it wasn’t until a recent measurement that airport officials discovered the actual measurements for the east-west runway — officially Runway 12/30 — was 3,996 feet.  Ludeman said the goal was to ensure the runway was at least 4,000 feet, which would designate Tracy as a medium size airport under Caltrans and allow more pilots to land their planes at the airport at the southern end of Tracy Boulevard.

For those who were unable to attend our Annual Meeting in Mojave, CA. Oct 19-21 2012, you really missed out. Not only did we have a great line up of speakers, and some interesting tours, Mojave Spaceport is truly an innovative, mysterious and fascinating place.

Where else can you find a Convair 880 and F4 Phantom guarding the airport gate? The mothballed airliners are parked everywhere, and the airport staff are willing to provide a tour of the airport for a small fee, for those who land there.

During our weekend meeting there was a retired 747, in old United Airlines colors, sitting right there on the ramp without its engines. The cowls were on but no engines. We saw an old 727 parked on the ramp too, and it left sometime during the weekend.

MOJAVE, Calif. — The sign into town, slightly weathered, says “Gateway to Space!” (Location of our 2012 Annual Meeting October 20th)

Burbank Bob Hope Airport’s role in regional transportation was prominently featured at the San Fernando Valley Council of Governments Mobility Summit on October 22. Supervisor Mike Antonovich highlighted the importance of building a new Airport Metrolink station on the Antelope Valley Line at Hollywood Way and San Fernando Road, and Glendale Mayor and Airport Commissioner…

(Oct 2012) – Monterey, Calif.– Monterey Regional Airport officials said Wednesday a Monterey County Superior Court judge upheld most of the District’s Runway Safety Area project, which was hanging in the balance to comply with a federally-mandated upgrade.

The Hollister Airport has been awarded 2.5 million dollars from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to upgrade its runway. The federal funding will allow for the removal of safety hazards. The runway channels were originally constructed in 1942, by the United States Navy and are in dire need of repairs and will be brought up to FAA safety standards. The project will establish a subterranean drainage system on both shoulders of the runway which will increase the safety for all users of Hollister Municipal Airport.

SONOMA COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) — The owner of a small historic airport in Sonoma County is battling with a neighbor over what he can build next door and whether it puts pilots, and the public, at risk. The Sonoma Valley Airport is located off Highway 121 in an area surrounded by vineyards.

The Watsonville City Council met on Tuesday evening September 25th to adopt the updated General Plan 2030, and the associated recirculated Environmental Impact Report (EIR).

The Watsonville Pilots Association (WPA), the Friends of Buena Vista, and local Sierra Club sued the city after the May 2006 meeting where the council approved the General Plan 2030 despite major opposition.

The issue was over development and encroachment of Watsonville Airport requiring closure of runway 8-26. Not to mention the urban sprawl with the associated environmental problems it would have created.

Members of the General Aviation Community – Those of us who enjoy flying generally hate doing paperwork. Getting us to write a letter is even tougher unless the cause is either so dire that it would impact us all or it hits so close to home that we are compelled to take action.  I accept this as fact, but after over 14 years of being involved in GA issues at San Jose International and seeing the general aviation community heavily impacted by issues such as 18 years of no new city tenants, non-competitive pricing for parking and fuel, and other issues too numerous to mention, the San Jose City Council has crossed a line.

As the debate continues about whether Santa Monica Airport (SMO) should be shut down or continue operating as is, one thing is for certain: what happens in thenext 30 months will determine whether or not City Hall may potentially be engaged in a litigious battle with the federal government.