SMO To Close For Runway Shortening

0

The Santa Monica Airport, which the city has long tried to shut down while the aviation community has rallied to keep it open, will close for 10 days this month so the single 4,973-foot runway can be shortened. The shutdown will begin on Dec.13 and conclude on Dec. 23, according to the airport website. The new runway will be just 3,500 feet long. Notams will be issued, and operators can find updated information on the airport website. Aircraft owners unable to operate on the shorter runway will have to remove their aircraft from the field prior to Dec. 13, the city said. NBAA said the runway change is still under litigation, and if NBAA prevails in court, the city will have wasted $3 million.

The runway change will mainly involve changes in markings and lighting, taxiway configuration and the location of navaids, NBAA said. “The 10-day closure and runway shortening will have a significant impact on the local companies that rely on SMO, small businesses at the airport and operators that depend on SMO as a gateway to the Los Angeles area,” said Stacy Howard, NBAA Western regional representative. “That role has earned SMO a ‘reliever’ designation by the FAA. NBAA is concerned about the impact to other Southern California airports and the effect on the national airspace system. NBAA will continue to use all means available to fight access restrictions at SMO.”

LEAVE A REPLY