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Santa Monica Airport Officially to close in 2028

NotarPilot

By NotarPilot
in Miscellaneous Aviation Talk

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NotarPilot Veteran

NotarPilot

Posted
Posted

Damn heathens!

Santa Monica to close

 

The Santa Monica City Council on Saturday announced it reached an agreement with the federal government to close Santa Monica Airport in 2028.

The agreement ends a longstanding legal battle and secures that the 227-acres of property will be returned to the residents of Santa Monica, according to a press release from city officials.

Key terms of the agreement include:
 

  • The airport will close Dec. 31, 2028.

 

  • The runway will be immediately reduced to 3,500 feet, substantially reducing jet traffic and commercial charters.

 

  • The U.S. government acknowledges that Santa Monica has the right to establish its own proprietary exclusive fixed based operation (FBO) services.

 

  • No environmental assessment is required to close the airport.



More details into the closure were expected to be released at a 2 p.m. press conference Saturday afternoon.

NotarPilot Veteran

NotarPilot

Posted
  • Author
Posted
15 minutes ago, thinwing said:

If this isn't fake news,sounds like the Feds totally caved in...this also means American flyers and the fbo Atlantic ??...eviction will proceed..

Unfortunately I don't think this is fake news. The news link comes from one of our local TV news organizations and not some Russian website. 

This is maddening.

aviatoreb Grand Master

aviatoreb

Posted
Posted

The main problem with this closure is it is a precedent - one that can be copied by other municipalities. This is why AOPA was fighting so hard so as to stop a possible avalanche to follow.

  • Like 1
KLRDMD Grand Master

KLRDMD

Posted
Posted
27 minutes ago, daver328 said:

I sincerely hope the residents of Santa Monica thoroughly enjoy the wonderful LAX experience of $$$ parking, ticketing, security, that friendly airline customer service and being crammed into a  sardine can with all those other wonderful humans. They deserve every moment of it. 

The vast majority don't know anything else.

KLRDMD Grand Master

KLRDMD

Posted
Posted
Just now, daver328 said:

Once we had the GA experience, after years of being abused by those " friendly Atlantans" at Hartsfield, we will never go back. It's the Mooney or nothing for us...

I wish I could say that but it just isn't practical for me. Last Sunday KSMO was reporting cloud bases at 400 ft at the time of my proposed arrival. The VOR-A won't get you in with that weather so I had to fly commercially. Next week I'm going to Canada. Theoretically I could fly myself but it would add an extra day on either end of my trip which just isn't practical. I fly from Tucson to Portland, OR regularly. If the icing isn't bad enough fatigue would be. After working four consecutive 14+ hour days it would mean an extra overnight to rest and then most of the next day getting home (in a 231 yet). I envy those of you that can do the "Mooney or nothing" thing.

NotarPilot Veteran

NotarPilot

Posted
  • Author
Posted
14 minutes ago, daver328 said:

After I retire, I hope to never see another airline terminal. My dream Mooney would be the 252 M20K. (Can't afford an Acclaim)

I would love to get a Velocity XL or Velocity Twin when I retire. Very sexy planes, I love the canard concept and you get the added bonus of EAB rules for avionics.

  • Like 1
Piloto Grand Master

Piloto

Posted
Posted

Not unusual. I have seen communities saying that they would rather have a mall or a housing development were they can collect high property taxes. I even saw one converted into a cemetery.

José

thinwing Grand Master

thinwing

Posted
Posted

Ok they shorten it to 3500...except the homeless park smo will soon be building next to the blast fence...than the first accident say 2019 due to the shortened runway...I am totally amazed at the FAA decision...they have lost their insight into their misson

thinwing Grand Master

thinwing

Posted
Posted

Oh and Santa Monica city will soon charge new mandatory landing fees of 1000 usd per landing and takeoff...2000 usd mitigation fee if your aircraft burns any thing besides yak turds or tufu.Any noise over the sound of a butterfly farting is an immediate aircraft confiscation.

  • Like 1
MB65E Grand Master

MB65E

Posted
Posted

I found the original documents from the city as well as the amendments to the FAA's negotiations... They rolled over. The current appointed FAA pulled one over on everyone.  All 2 days after ALL back rent was demanded or face eviction. Absolutely criminal!!!

Only hope is current White House Admin fix it.

http://www.smobserved.com/story/2017/01/28/news/trump-admin-sandbagged-on-santa-monica-airport-closure-will-no-doubt-reverse-it/2550.html

lets see!

-Matt

Bob_Belville Grand Master

Bob_Belville

Posted
Posted
On ‎1‎/‎28‎/‎2017 at 3:47 PM, daver328 said:

My wife and I can fly unlimited standby for free, and get ID-90/75/ZED FARES on other airlines ... but WE'RE SO DONE with the airlines ... we don't even think about it if the mission is Mooney Capable. We did buy tickets to Colorado last summer to visit family ... too much distance for the old C. Eight hours just flight time from Georgia to Fort Collins. Too much. And tickets were cheaper than the gas.

I have over 300,000 frequent flyer miles but we fly commercially once a year to go to Malibu for Pepperdine Bible Lectures. Once a year is enough.

  • Like 2
carusoam Grand Master

carusoam

Posted
Posted (edited)

Yves, 

I'm no fan of politics, but this one can actually support GA...

You have got to see that one...  insight on US style politics.  The change from long standing democrats to republicans and vice versa is a reminder that change is good.  Vote out the encumbents... 

I am interested to see if the New Boss has some significant support for GA and all the jobs it brings.  He has many more GA planes than any other President that I know of...?

http://www.smobserved.com/story/2017/01/28/news/trump-admin-sandbagged-on-santa-monica-airport-closure-will-no-doubt-reverse-it/2550.html

Search in Google for this...

Trump Admin Sandbagged on Santa Monica Airport Closure; Will No Doubt Reverse It

FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, an Obama Appointment, Double Crossed His New Boss Elaine Chao

 

Best regards,

-a-

 

Edited by carusoam
tigers2007 Mentor

tigers2007

Posted
Posted

I'm surprised they just didn't carve some huge X's in the runway like at Meigs Field.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

yvesg Mentor

yvesg

Posted
Posted
6 hours ago, carusoam said:

Yves, 

I'm no fan of politics, but this one can actually support GA...

You have got to see that one...  insight on US style politics.  The change from long standing democrats to republicans and vice versa is a reminder that change is good.  Vote out the encumbents... 

I am interested to see if the New Boss has some significant support for GA and all the jobs it brings.  He has many more GA planes than any other President that I know of...?

http://www.smobserved.com/story/2017/01/28/news/trump-admin-sandbagged-on-santa-monica-airport-closure-will-no-doubt-reverse-it/2550.html

Search in Google for this...

Trump Admin Sandbagged on Santa Monica Airport Closure; Will No Doubt Reverse It

FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, an Obama Appointment, Double Crossed His New Boss Elaine Chao

 

Best regards,

-a-

 

The article text fonts don't show up on my iPAD, I only get thick grey lines. Still not working this morning. If nobody can copy paste e text... I'll have no choice but fire the big computer.

Bob_Belville Grand Master

Bob_Belville

Posted
Posted
8 hours ago, yvesg said:

Bob, the article does not come out properly on my iPAD. Could you copy and paste the text here please?

Thanks.

Yves

It seems apparent that the Trump Whitehouse was not told in advance of Saturday's announced closure of the Santa Monica airport, as of 1/1/2029. That's because Donald Trump would never have agreed to it.

At a hastily called Saturday meeting, the City Council approved a settlement with the FAA restricting SMO's use until 2029, followed by its closing and turning over of the land to the City. The timing of the announced settlement, one week after the swearing in of a new Republican President, is hardly an accident. It is a parting shot by an Obama appointee at Trump and his allies. The settlement will not stand, and SMO will not close. Here's why.

The Federal Aviation Administration is headed by Michael Huerta. President Barack Obama appointed him to head the FAA in 2013; he has a five year term.

The FAA is an agency within the Department of Transportation. Huerta is also acting DOT Secretary, until the Senate approves the next Secretary of Transportation. He has his own political ambitions, no doubt.

President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to run the DOT, Elaine Chao, testified before a Senate panel last week en route to what is expected to be an easy confirmation, says the Washington Post. She was deputy secretary of transportation under George H.W. Bush. Chao has not been confirmed or sworn in yet, however.

To understand why this is Huerta's slap in the face to the Republicans, consider two facts: Chao is married to Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader. She has not yet been confirmed, but will be soon, at which time she will become Huerta's boss. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaine_Chao

Santa Monica is perhaps the most liberal community in the US. It is filled with the type of people Trump despises; well educated, left wing one percenters. Hillary Clinton came here to conduct numerous fundraisers with Hollywood A-Listers. 88% of Santa Monica voters were With Her in November 2016.

On June 7, 2016, the night of the California Primary election, Bernie Sanders' State HQ was in Santa Monica. At the Airport's Barker Hanger, of all places. A Bernie Sanders rally is very much the kind of "cultural event" that Santa Monica plans for the airport's future.

Why would the Trump administration want to reward Santa Monica with the gift of 227 prime acres, used for 100 years as a municipal airport? The answer is: He doesn't.

 

s_bottomTEMP425x425-6986.jpeg

Santa Monica airport is a rich man's club and an irritant to ultra liberal Santa Monica. Why would Pres. Trump want to close it and hand it to the City as a park?

The settlement is the outgoing Democratic administration's gift to the ultra liberal community of Santa Monica, which has many residents vocally in favor of closing its airport and turning it into a park, luxury condos, cultural event venues and overpriced sushi bars. Most of those vocal opponents are vigorously rejecting the settlement. The SM City Council only voted to accept it 4-3, and only after the City Attorney told them at a rare Saturday closed session, that this offer was only on the table until Chao is confirmed. At their final opportunity, the City reluctantly accepted the offer because they know it's their last chance to get rid of the airport, and 12 years is better than never.

The rushed settlement was jammed through in the closing days of the Obama administration, along with a flurry of pardons, executive orders and national parks. Obama did approve the settlement himself; however President Donald Trump or Chao can override it and will probably do so next month.

Stay tuned. There's more here than meets the eye, and it ain't over till it's over.

For more information, see http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-santa-monica-airport-20170128-story.html

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