sr-020877-11aSanta Monica, California, February 1, 1977
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TO: Mayor and City Council ~ 1 a~ ~`~# a; a~L~ /~`
FROM: City Staff `' ~! r/
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SUBJECT: Airport Operations ~gyy ~riy~~'~ ~~~
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Introduction
This report transmits alternatives to the procedures related to landing
and take-off operations currently in effect at Santa Monica Airport.
Background
Pursuant to the joint meeting with the Airport Commission, on January
I3th, 1977 the City Council requested Staff to report on issues relating
to airport operations and economic status in four separate reports. This
report is the first and provides recommendations to establish, a 750 foot
displaced threshold for landing and to impose strict flight departure in-
structions ensuring as much as possible that all planes departing toward
the west maintain a direct course of flight over Penmar Golf Course.
Displaced Threshold
On May 8, 1975, the Airport Commission submitted to the City Council a
proposed airport regulation ordinance which included provisions to establish
a displaced threshold on the airport runway. A displaced threshold at each
end of the runway for landing only, would require that aircraft land farther
down the runway, keeping .aircraft higher on approach and thereby reducing
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February 1, 1977
noise. Implementation of a 750 foot displaced threshold would reduce noise
by 3 to 4 dbs SENEL, which represents a 24% to 31% actual audible noise
level reduction for those homes within 500 to 2, 000 feet of the airport
runway, It is estimated that the 24°fo to 31°~o noise reduction would affect
approximately 700 homes; 400 to 500 homes within the proximity of the
east end of the runway, and 150 to 200 homes adjacent to the west runway
landing approach.
It should be emphasized that the displaced threshold is recommended for
landing purposes only, thus allowing the entire runway length (5, 000 feet)
to be utilized by departing aircraft. This enables departing planes to achieve
maximum altitude upon reaching the end of the runway with the purpose of
minimizing noise generated from take-off operations.
The 750 foot displacalthreshold would leave 4, 250. feet available for landing
operations, which is considered. safe under current aviation standards.
Displaced Threshold -Costs
Displacing the threshold would require the relocation of the VASI (Visual
Glide Slope Indicator Lights), REIL (Runway End Identification Lights),.
and Threshold Lights on the runway surface. In addition, the runway would
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February 1, 1977
have to be sandblasted and remarked to distinguish the displaced threshold..
It is estimated that the total cost for these alterations would be approxi.-
mately $30, 000. This project may qualify for funding under the provisions
of the Calforaia Airport. Grants Program (CAF). It can also be financed
by the Airport Improvement Fund.
Flight. Pattern Over Penmar Golf Course
The departure pattern currently used at 5aata Monica Airport specifies
that astraight-out departure at the best rate of ciixnb after take-off for
at least one mile or until crossing Lincoln Boulevard toward the ocean.
'Further, the instructions indicate that turns into the crosswind leg or
..pattern departure leg shall not be made prior to reaching that point. The.
current pattern altitude is 1, 200 feet and is normally reached at or around
the downward leg after making the turn at Lincoln Boulevard. Santa Monica
Airport has: utilizedr this straight-out departure pattern since' 1974, -Prior to
.1974 a 10° left turn departure pattern was utilized.
Recently, the City Staff and Airport Commission. have received complaints from
the Sunset Park Home Owners Association and other residents specifying
that the straight-out departure pattern is now unsatisfactory because it has
resulted in a continual flow of aircraft over the Sunset Park residential
area, which is north of the current straight-out departure pattern.
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The intent of the straight-out departure pattern is to direct the flow of
traffic over the Penmar Golf Course to the greatest extent possible, but
it must be realized that any aircraft departure pattern is merely a general
flow of traffic and cannot be restricted to the extent street curbs restrict travel
on a surface road. However, in ,order to help reduce the noise problem
presently experienced by the Sunset Park area, Staff believes that the
following actions could improve the present situation:
1. Request that the FAA control tower increase the separation
distance between departing planes from 3 000 to 3 500 feet.
The FAA control tower currently imposes a 3, 000 foot separation
distance between departing planes. On occasion, this has resulted
in faster planes overtaking slower departing planes and thus having
to veer to the right over the Sunset Park area. Staff believes that.
if the distance of separation were increased 500 feet, it might
reduce the occurrence of planes forced to fly over the Sunset Park
area. It should be noted that the control tower uses a 3, 000 foot
separation distance as stipulated in the Federal Air Regulations
Manual and that there is no indication that the tower will comply
with the request.
2. Impose more specific departure instructions to further ensure that
planes utilize, to the greatest extent possible the airspace over
Penmar Golf Course.
In the interest of preserving a low level of noise for homes on both
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the north and south side of the runway, the City could issue
instructions requiring that departing planes maintain a center
line heading until reaching. the end of the runway and then turn
10° to the left directly over the golf course. This should minimize
noise for residents both north and south of the runway. It should
be noted that this instruction differs from the 10° left instructions
used prior to 1974 because it specifies that no l00 left turn shall
be. initiated until the end of the runway has been reached and at no
time prior to that point. The pre-1974 instructions requested that
a 10° left be initiated at a safe point in flight, thus causing a wide
variance in the pattern of departure.
Upan departure aircraft should -still be instructed to turn at Lincoln
Boulevard. To require planes to turn over the ocean would result
in an unsafe condition, since visual contact by the FAA tower must
be maintained. There is no radar available for air traffic control
at Santa Monica Airport.
Alternative s
1. Maintain present
750 foot displace
e
>rocedure by not
This alternative would be unsatisfactory in that the noise level for
those homes adjacent to the runway approach area would remain
subject to the present level of noise resulting from airport landing
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operations..
2. Maintain present airport departure procedures by utilizing existing
departing instructions including the 3, 000 foot separation distance
currently used by FAA control tower.
This alternative would not take complete advantage of flight over Penman
Golf Course thus minimizing noise to residents on both sides of the runway.
Recommendations
In order to further reduce the impact of noise level emanating from the
airport`s current landing and departure procedures, the Staff recommends
that the following changes be imposed:
A 750 foot displaced threshold far landing purposes only be
4I jn/' ~~ implemented at a cost of $30, 000. Funds would be appropriated
from the Airport Improvement Fund, or should the project
qualify, 90°jo funding would be available from the California
Aviation Grants Program.
2. Instruct the Airport Director to request that the FAA control
tower increase the separation distance between the departing
airplanes from 3, 000 to 3, 500 feet.
!y/f~ Instruct the Airport Director to issue flight departure in-
~f structions specifying that a 10° turn directly over the
Penman Golf Course be made after reaching the end of the
runway
Prepared by: Clyde V. Fitzgerald
Airport Director
Larry J. Kosmont
Administrative Assistant
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