LAX Status Update -November, 2009

LAX averted a major disaster on the “fixed” southern runway complex when a landing aircraft missed one on the ground by several feet. The FAA’s pronouncement that the centerline taxiway precludes this was wrong. Runway status lights minimize these errors but the FAA guessed wrong on which sites to place them. Meanwhile the north complex, which the FAA is pushing hard to change, is operating safely.

Several upgrade projects such as the Tom Bradley West expansion of the number of international gates and a new Central Utilities Plant to provide adequate power, air conditioning, and heating for LAX is in work along with fixes to baggage handling system.

Many more of projects, “green lighted” four years ago by the “Settlement Agreement,” remain stalled. The Consolidated Rental Car facility could dramatically improve LAX traveler experience by removing thousands of buses from the Central Terminal Area.

Real safety items such as repair of the upper CTA roadway in the also have not progressed either. The roadway expansion joints were deemed “failed” in a 2003 CalTrans report. This project has yet to be started (it is a footnote in the list of capital improvement projects).

Van Nuys – The creation of a FAA Federal Part 161 regulation request to limit aircraft at VNY is still in process. The Part 161 study by HMMH Company will justify rejection of all stage 2 aircraft. Bob Hope Airport had objected to any reduction of aircraft coming to Van Nuys in the past, but has softened its stance since its own Part 161 to ban all night-time flights was rejected by the FAA. Approval of a facilitator for a new VNY-Community Noise Roundtable was also approved.