Many residents have expressed concern about increased air traffic, noise, and potential pollution from aircraft. An Airport subcommittee has been formed to determine if and how FCA should address JWA impacts on North Tustin. If you would like to participate, contact Committee Chair Hal Marshall. Be sure to complete the form below and include your name on the form for validation.

Since the end of last year, residents in Cowan Heights, Lemon Heights, and other areas of North Tustin have noticed a significant increase in the number of commercial and private jets overflying their homes. On some days, this can number up to a third of all approach flights into the airport, over an area that experienced very few flights in the past. There has also been an increase of flights over North Tustin headed to Long Beach airport as well. This change in flight patterns is due, in part, to the FAA opening up the air space once reserved for the former El Toro and Tustin Marine bases. As a result, many aircraft that in the past approached the airport west of Easter Hill are now allowed to approach east of the hill, putting them right over Cowan and Lemon Heights. FAA regulations dictate how pilots are to approach JWA. During overcast conditions or periods of low visibility, pilots must intercept the Instrument Landing System (ILS), a radio guidance system, at a distance approximately seven to ten miles from the airport, which means they must fly west of Easter Hill, away from Cowan and Lemon Heights. However, in clear weather, pilots have the discretion to intercept the ILS at a point much closer to the airport, thus allowing them to cut across the foothills to line up with the guidance system. Also, there is no minimum altitude at which they must operate over the foothills, as long as they fly the aircraft in a safe manner. These changes in approach patterns do not bode well for the residents of the foothill communities. Some residents have expressed their feeling that the increase in flights already has had a serious impact on the environment and has altered the rural character of the region. There is a possibility that property values could begin to suffer as well.

If we do not respond in some way, JWA will inevitably continue to grow; even today, there are forces actively working to further increase the size of the airport. Those forces include: (1) an increasing OC population, which is inevitably causing increasing demand for John Wayne services; (2) groups which are actively campaigning to promote future growth at JWA.

At the March 2008, annual meeting of the Foothill Communities Association (FCA), attendees concerned with aircraft noise were invited by the Mr. Alan Murphy, Director of John Wayne Airport (JWA), to visit the Airport facilities. The purpose of the visit was to hear a briefing by the JWA staff describing their activities to monitor and regulate aircraft operations that affect noise due to aircraft arriving and departing the airport.

On May 5, 6 and 13, 2008, a total of 40 concerned residents from North Tustin and neighboring cities attended these briefings. In the image to the left Richard Nelson, Eric Freed, Hal Marshall, and Sarah Demont (left to right) stand in front of radar track maps showing aircraft approaching JWA. Mr. Eric Freed, Manager of Access and Noise, discussed the roles and responsibilities of his staff in implementing the County policies and regulations controlling aircraft noise, noting that JWA is one of the most regulated and restrictive airports in the nation. These restrictions include maximum noise levels, the number of noise regulated departures, the number of passengers allowed to travel through the airport annually, and a night time curfew. These restrictions are a result of the 1985 and 2003 Settlement Agreements entered in to by the County of Orange, the city of Newport Beach and two citizen organizations, and may expire in 2015 unless a further agreement is reached.

These regulations do little to control aircraft noise over the North Tustin & Tustin, except during night time curfew hours of 11:00 PM and 7:00 AM. To be specific, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the pilot in command of an aircraft have exclusive control over flight paths and altitudes. As a consequence, most efforts to reduce aircraft noise over North Tustin and corridor cities must be directed to the FAA and the airlines.

The FCA Airport Committee has been studying the issues and is in the process of acquiring the technical information needed to discuss our concerns with the FAA. There are new capabilities in aircraft navigation equipment and procedures that have the potential to reduce noise in our neighborhoods, if approved by the FAA and implemented by the airlines. The Committee plans to explore alliances with neighboring cities concerned with aircraft noise and pollution. The JWA staff has indicated they are fully supportive of FCA efforts to address airspace and navigational issues affecting aircraft noise and will facilitate discussions with the FAA and airlines.