North Island runways are under-utilized
“Use it or lose it” seemed to be the criterion for the recent closing of military bases across the country. With that in mind, it is difficult to see how the Navy’s North Island facility was able to escape closure given the small amount of runway activity there.
Perhaps members of the latest airport authority should take some time off and spend it on Shelter Island and talk to those who bring their motor homes and campers for the day and wonder, as I do, about the lack of activity on the runways on North island. On most days, a handful of take-offs and landings seem to be the norm.
For the panoramic view of the Navy’s facility on North Island, authority members might stop by the Cabrillo National Monument atop Point Loma and gaze down upon the vast, sprawling wasteland of under-utilized runways.
At the same time, one can look across the bay to Lindbergh Field where a combined daily total of airplane arrivals and departures reaches approximately 600 flights using a single runway, with 48,000 passengers per day arriving in San Diego, according to the airport’s PR department.
Things have changed a tad since I arrived here in 1925.
As detailed in recent letters to the editor, San Diego has never denied the Navy anything it asked for. Perhaps San Diego may share some of the blame for the adamant stance now taken by the Navy, for in the act of acquiescing to the Navy’s wants, the city has conditioned the Navy for “receiving,” as opposed to “giving” or even “sharing.” This might account for the quick, off-the-cuff “no” when the authority spoke of sharing. Could this be a sort of “I’m on board, pull up the ladder”?
However, the airport authority should not be lobbying (excuse the expression) for a share of North Island, given the lack of runway use there. Rather, North Island should become the sole, exclusive site for San Diego’s new civilian, international airport. The Navy’s new airport should be 20 minutes away by air and east of the Laguna Mountains. A portion of the island could be retained by the Navy for servicing aircraft carriers and helicopters, which do not use the runways.
In appreciation for the support of the Secretary of the Navy in this endeavor, his name could be emblazoned over the main entrance to the airport terminal.
Charles Plummer, Point Loma
Airport window opens wider at Miramar
At Lindbergh, due to coastal weather conditions and the number of residents, we have a takeoff and landing ban, prior to 6 a.m. or after 10 p.m. Now move the airport to Miramar. No residents to the east, so for sure no landing ban.
But now we cannot get planes out of Miramar and the property to the immediate west is commercial or apartments so we can start earlier or even depart later?
La Jolla, Clairemont and UTC, pay attention.
Wayne Miller, La Jolla
How about military airport in the desert?
If the airport authority came to the conclusion that the best airport solution would be for the military to vacate Miramar, they would not be able to put such a choice on the ballot in a military town.
With around 12 military installations and 24 military housing areas in the county, San Diego certainly fits that definition. In addition, the country is at war with terrorism.
However, they could try to achieve that result by putting joint-use on the ballot and hoping that the military would elect to find another home should the voters vote for it in November and then all of the local politicians get behind it.
What we need to do now is pass it and see that our politicians are on board or voted out of office the next time they run for re-election. Politicians have more experience with compromise than Department of Defense officials.
The airport authority identified Camp Pendleton, Campo/Boulevard and Imperial County as possible sites for a civilian airport. Wouldn’t they be suitable sites for a military airport? The military could relocate to one of those sites without the need for a high-speed rail line or concern about how far they are from downtown.
During the past five years, several statements from the airport authority made one wonder if they had the guts to select the best location; however, in the end, they did indeed select the best site. Now it is up to us, the voters, to make that choice a reality.
Don French, Ocean Beach
Leave Lindbergh well enough alone
This airport situation has become like a broken record. I will vote to keep Lindbergh Field to remain in the same exact spot. Just leave well enough alone.
Number one, somebody was not using their head by allowing this Corky McMillin to right away begin to use the Navy Training Center (NTC) to build dwellings. This land could have been used to enlarge the runway for our airport. Or it could have encouraged the Marines to move next door where the Navy left and utilize that land for another landing strip.
Not only that, but the situation concerning the houses McMillin was allowed to build has contributed to the wall-to-wall traffic in the Midway, Sports Arena and Rosecrans areas. That’s another problem that has been created and having to second-guess what to do to correct this traffic problem.
Now these people that supposedly use their head have not come to any sensible conclusions. Lindbergh Field is an ideal, perfect location already.
Pauline O’Malley, Point Loma
