Santa Monica Airport

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Santa Monica Airport Santa Monica Municipal Airport
IATA: SMO – ICAO: KSMO – FAA: SMO
Summary
Airport type		Public
Owner		City of Santa Monica
Location		Santa Monica, California
Elevation AMSL		177 ft / 53.9 m
Coordinates		34°00′57″N 118°27′05″W / 34.01583, -118.45139
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	ft	m
3/21	4,973	1,516	Asphalt
Helipads
Number	Length		Surface
	ft	m
H1	40	12	Asphalt

Santa Monica Airport (IATA: SMO, ICAO: KSMO, FAA LID: SMO), also known as Santa Monica Municipal Airport, is a general aviation airport located in the heart of the residential community of Santa Monica, California, United States. The airport is located approximately six statute miles north of LAX and one mile east of the Santa Monica Bay (Pacific Ocean). Van Nuys Airport is 12 miles to the north.

Contents 1 History 2 Operations 2.1 Landing fees 2.2 Safety concerns 2.3 Pollution 3 Future 4 Accidents 5 References 5.1 Notes 6 External links

[edit] History

Originally called Clover Field, the airport was the home of the Douglas Aircraft company. The first circumnavigation of the world by air took off from and returned to Clover Field in 1924. Cloverfield Boulevard, a street in Santa Monica, is a remnant of the airport's former name.

[edit] Operations

The airport has a control tower and, on average, handles 400-500 operations a day. Jet air traffic has increased substantially in recent years - 18,000 annually, from 1,000 in 1984.^[1] This is partly due to the ease of access from Hollywood, and partly due to increased fee's associated with fewer access slots at LAX.

In an effort to peacefully coexist with the residents that live in the upscale western Los Angeles County the city of Santa Monica has strict noise ordinances[2] that prohibit takeoffs between the hours of 11pm and 7am on weekdays and between 11pm and 8am on weekends as well as other procedures to minimize the noise impact on nearby residents.

Three restaurants are on the airport property; The Hump and Typhoon both have runway views and Spitfire Grill is across an airport street with no view of the runway. The Museum Of Flying at the airport houses a collection of historic aircraft. It is currently closed while a new facility is built on the North side of the airport and is expected to re-open in mid-late 2009.

[edit] Landing fees

On August 1, 2005, the Santa Monica City Council implemented a revised landing fee program (Resolution No. 9855) for all transient aircraft (those not based at the Santa Monica Airport) based on a uniform rate of $2.07 per 1000 pounds of Maximum Certificated Gross Landing Weight. Since the Santa Monica Airport receives no federal, state or local funding to operate, the landing fees fill the gap between other Airport revenue and the cost of operations.^[2]

[edit] Safety concerns

The City of Santa Monica Airport Commission voted a proposal to take away airport land to restore the safety perimeter around the runways that has been eroded by nearby residential development, to protect residences in the event of an aircraft accident. Part of the land opened as an 8.3-acre public park on non-aviation lands at the southeast corner of the Airport. The new park, known as Airport Park,^[3] features a synthetic turf soccer field, open green space and an off-leash dog area.

However, the long term effects of this proposal places the city at odds with the FAA, which is concerned that a shortening of the existing runway will result in heavier air traffic being diverted to LAX.^[4] City officials were reported to be surprised at the FAA's position on the matter. "I believe the City was blindsided by the fact that the FAA finds only half the safety (footage) acceptable," said Commission Chair Mark Young. "The only compromise has been on the City's part… yet we have been asked to compromise further." A response from the FAA regarding the passage of this proposal is expected on August 3rd, 2007.

[edit] Pollution

California Assembly Bill 700 (AB 700) would require the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to study the amount of time that turbine aircraft engines run pre-take-off to help determine the extent of this danger. This bill is supported by residents and environmentalists[3] but opposed by business interests who have a financial stake in the increased airport operations.[4]

[edit] Future

The Santa Monica Airport land grant, which is owned by the City of Santa Monica, was dedicated to aviation uses for one hundred years beginning in 1915. In 2015, the City may close the airport and use the land for some other purpose.

After reviewing the city’s arguments for restricting jet traffic at the airport, the FAA issued its director’s determination. The document notes that the city’s contention that it can close the airport in 2015 is not valid. Not only is the airport obligated to remain open through 2023 because of federal funding it has accepted in the past, but the airport also sits on federal surplus property, meaning it must remain an airport in perpetuity, regardless of whether or not it continues to accept federal funding.

Meanwhile, the city of Santa Monica has asked the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn an April 28 restraining order stopping the city from enforcing its jet ban.[5]

[edit] Accidents

• In 1994, the pilot of a single-engine Piper Saratoga died when a fuel system misconfiguration led to an in-flight engine shutdown. The aircraft stalled in a subsequent 180 degree turn for a forced emergency landing and impacted the ground, which resulted in a post-crash fire.^[5]
• In 2001, an inexperienced pilot rented a Cessna 172 from Justice Aviation at the airport and subsequently lost control of the aircraft over the Pacific Ocean upon encountering dark, instrument meteorological conditions. Three were killed.^[6]
• Later that year, the pilot of a twin-engine Cessna failed to remove the device that locks the control system for parking (to prevent wind damage) and two were killed when the aircraft overran the runway after an unsuccessful aborted takeoff.^[7]
• Game-show host Peter Tomarken and his wife Kathleen died when his Beechcraft Bonanza crashed during climb-out from the airport on the morning of March 13, 2006. The Federal Aviation Administration reported that the aircraft had engine trouble and attempted to turn back before crashing into Santa Monica Bay.^[8][9]
• On January 13, 2008, a home-built aircraft ran off the end of runway 21 after a brake failure, jumped over the hillside, landing on a service road. The three passengers on board were not hurt although the kit-built aircraft was damaged severely. The runway was closed for 20 minutes.

[edit] References

• Santa Monica Airport
• Runway Safety
• FAA Airport Master Record for SMO (Form 5010 PDF)

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

• Museum of Flying
• FAA Airport Diagram(PDF), effective 5 June 2008
• Resources for this airport:
  • AirNav airport information for KSMO
  • ASN accident history for SMO
  • FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
  • NOAA/NWS latest weather observations
  • SkyVector aeronautical chart for KSMO