How friendly are these skies?

Thanks to the city of L.A. for having the vision to make El Toro an

international airport! Without the airport, Orange County will remain

an economic backwater as far as international status is concerned.

The opposition to the airport is essentially led by the Irvine Co.,

which looks forward to building thousands of homes on the site. The

time has come to prove that the Irvine Co. no longer controls Orange

County.

ED HEPNER

Corona del Mar

Let’s put the airport where it already is. A few buildings, and we

are up and running.

John Wayne expansion in 2005 will only harm an already growing

problem, jeopardizing our schools in the event of a mishap. El Toro

had the airport and the community grew up around it, mainly avoiding

the traffic area with schools and communities.

Let’s be heard over the Irvine and Mission Viejo communities and

put the airport where it belongs and stop spending unnecessary funds

for clean-up and planning which is far more expensive to the

community.

I support the El Toro Airport project 100%.

JOHN SAYLOR

Newport Beach

While the county of Orange, including our own Supervisor James

Silva, continues to tout the benefits of John Wayne Airport and

increasing the number of flights and carriers at the airport, they

have failed to pick up the latest statistic ranking John Wayne

Airport at No. 1. In the recent report by the Federal Aviation

Administration, Office of Runway Safety, it ranked the safety of

airports.

The administration assigns airport safety rankings based on the

number of “incursions” compared to the number of overall flights.

Yes, you guessed it, John Wayne is the least safe airport. The

national average comes in around 0.6 to 0.7 incursions per 100,000

operations. John Wayne was ranked “least safe.” John Wayne’s rating

was an astounding 1.81 rating, beating out its nearest competitor, in

St. Louis. John Wayne even beat out LAX and San Francisco.

It makes no sense to increase the flights or the number of

carriers servicing John Wayne until and such time as the safety of

the airport is addressed.

THOMAS C. EDWARDS

Newport Beach

I would like to go on record in favor of the El Toro Airport. We

need another airport, as John Wayne is already at its capacity. It

makes sense to utilize El Toro as an airport.

FRED W. ARNOLD

Costa Mesa

I am calling to voice my opinion that we need an airport at El

Toro. There are too many noise issues right here for us with the John

Wayne Airport’s proposed expansion. And I believe that El Toro would

bring in more jobs, more revenue and be a much better situated

airport for all the air traffic that will be coming in and out of

Orange County in the very not too near future.

ANDREA FINE

Newport Beach

I have to say without El Toro in the mix of Orange County’s

future, we are going to wind up 30 million passengers roughly short

in a not-too-distant future. El Toro is essential to Orange County’s

economic growth and transportation needs.

VIRGIL GALEY

Newport Beach

I was never able to determine if Orange County really needed

another airport, but I seem to recall that if it does, El Toro had a

reasonable buffer zone, while John Wayne doesn’t, and a lot of homes

and businesses would have to be destroyed to expand John Wayne.

An airport might fit better at El Toro, but that is if we truly

need one. So if we do, then I hope that there is still a chance for

an airport at El Toro.

ROBIN LEFFLER

Costa Mesa

Yes, I think there still is a chance for a commercial airport at

El Toro. I just don’t understand why the south Orange County

residents think it’s OK for commercial aircraft to fly over people’s

homes in Los Angeles and Newport Beach, but not their own. The vast

majority of south Orange County residents knew there were military

jets landing and taking off at El Toro.

When my husband’s grandparents built our home in Newport Beach

back in 1964, John Wayne/Orange County airport was a small,

recreational airfield. As south Orange County continues to grow, LAX

and John Wayne will be expected to increase flights, while an

expansive airfield in south Orange County that has been there since

World War II is going to become housing and a park.

Orange County officials seem to have put blinders on. They aren’t

looking out for the well-being of Orange County and Southern

California as a whole. I really hope the federal government

intervenes and El Toro becomes the commercial airport. Orange County

is growing, not shrinking, but has anyone in south Orange County

noticed?

TERESA MINKE

Newport Beach

We have seen all the dirty politics played by our politicians who

promised a great park, but are trying to sell most of the land to

land developers. The cost to cleanse the land at El Toro of dangerous

pollution would cost billions of dollars and it is not practical. A

great park would benefit the residents of Irvine mostly while a great

airport would benefit all of Southern California. I think L.A. Mayor

James Hahn realizes this, and we should too.

KINGSTON WITCHEZ

Newport Beach

Yes, we definitely need a bigger airport. With the size and

importance of Orange County, we can’t get by with that tiny, one-lane

John Wayne. We must get a new one.

ANNE HAYDEN

Newport Beach

I think there should be an airport at El Toro, I hope there’s a

chance. I think it’s unfair that South County that generates all the

airport use expects every other community to absorb their need.

MARGARET RYCKOFF

Corona del Mar

I am calling to support Mayor Hahn in the El Toro airport battle.

I agree with Mr. Hahn

VIRGINIA BRALEY

Newport Beach

I think we need the airport, definitely. Put me down as a yes.

DOROTHY M. JOYCE

Newport Beach

Unfortunately, I don’t think there is a chance, and they

frightened everybody to death when they put it to the vote, used

scare tactics to get people to vote their way, and unfortunately,

this is the result.

BOB HOFFMAN

Newport Beach

I am for the El Toro air base to be built and I don’t see why

anybody is against it, because we certainly need another airport to

bring all kinds of jobs and everything in this area. To build up the

economy, we need more airport facilities, and John Wayne can’t handle

it all.

ANTHONY SANSONE

Newport Beach

I would certainly be 100% for it and would vote for it.

GLORIA STANTON

Corona del Mar

I think it’s great that the L.A. mayor wants to readdress the El

Toro Marine Air Base for an airport. I think there should be an

airport there. I think that it makes a lot of sense and I think South

County residents should pull their own weight in airport needs. They

continue to dole, yet they don’t want to have any of the sacrifices

and they think that it’s fair that Newport Beach is the only city in

the county that has a detrimental effect of the airport.

You know what, I live under the flight path, it’s not that bad.

And I think everyone should have some participation, or else they

should use L.A. and San Diego and not use John Wayne.

SUSAN CALL

Newport Beach