Santa Maria Airport could be future launch site for drones

CalPilots

dronesThe Central Coast could become home to a drone launch site. The Santa Maria Airport’s Board of Directors met to consider joining with the Ventura County Department of Airports and the Indian Wells Valley Airport District, which have applied to be drone test sites.

The Santa Maria Airport would be a location where drone systems could be recovered, refueled and then re-launched.

The Federal Aviation Administration intends to start using drones in national airspace.

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Santa Maria Airport Sweetens Incentives for Carrier

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Santa Maria AirportSM Airport sweetens incentives for carrier – Board approves $1 million in support package
The Santa Maria Public Airport is upping its ante in the game to land commercial passenger service to a Midwest hub.

The airport has enhanced its Airlines Support Program in hope of enticing a carrier to land here. A combination of rent, landing fee and fuel flowage waivers creates approximately $1 million in incentives to prospective airlines.

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Opponents blast SMX taxiway plan

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SMXlogoAIRPORT BOARD OPTS TO STOP EVICTION OF ARTCRAFT PAINT – A group of local pilots and air traffic controllers landed hard Thursday night on the Santa Maria Public Airport District’s plans to redesignate taxiways at the airport.

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Santa Maria Airport Taxiway Plan Questioned

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Santa Maria_AirportThe Santa Maria Airport General Manager is planning to implement, what local pilots and Air Traffic Control [ATC] officials say, is a new runway taxiway re-designation plan which will be confusing to all pilots. This confusion can lead to unsafe and possibly deadly conditions at the airport.

Santa Maria Airport Air Traffic Control manager, James Jones states the changes “would be very confusing to air traffic controllers, local and transient pilots”. James goes on to say that” The confusion that will result from these proposed changes would only increase runway incursions at the Santa Maria Public Airport”.

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Santa Maria Airport – A Jewel for all of North County

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Santa Maria_AirportSanta Maria AirportSM airport proves Aesop’s wisdom – Santa Maria, North County and all of California were hit hard by the Great Recession. Some places responded with hand-wringing, worrying and sheep-like bleating to elected officials for a government program of one sort or another.

There is no renewed prosperity on that path.

Perhaps we have been guilty of some fretting ourselves. Perhaps Santa Maria is not a perfect picture of fiscal health, but it could be doing a lot worse. And that would not be good for the area, because a healthy Santa Maria is essential to the well-being of North County.

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Appeals Made to Let Business Stay at SMX

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jolieJolie Lucas, Region 3 Vice President testified before Santa Maria Airport Board to encourage solution versus eviction for long-time airport business ArtCraft Paint.

Teresa Venegas Arredondo has been doing business at the Santa Maria Public Airport for 28 years as the owner of ArtCraft Paint Inc., and Thursday night friends and business associates made an appeal to the Board of Directors to let her continue.

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Santa Maria Airport Gets Hawaiian Route

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logo sm.gifFriday, 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.)

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Santa Maria Airport – Legacy Continues

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Illustrious aviation legacy continues – The Santa Maria Public Airport continues the legacy of the city’s illustrious aviation history. Occupying 2,600 acres at the city’s southwest corner, the airport — also known as Capt. G. Allan Hancock Field — lies west of Highway 135 between Betteravia and Foster roads. The terminal, with its unique undulating roof line, is reached via Skyway Drive.

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