Former air station is safe and effective...

Former air station is safe and effective

Why do people continue to write letters to the Daily Pilot against

the planned El Toro airport? Whether it’s the conspiracy theories of

Rex Ricks on May 26 or the South County logic of Ann Merritt on May

25, these individuals suffer either from Long Beach Airport or John

Wayne Airport and should be glad to see El Toro opened.

The arguments against downwind, uphill, fuel-efficient, cross

runways were answered years ago. The Federal Aviation Administration

approved El Toro takeoffs into the mountains, and every airline

interested in El Toro has written letters of support for the planned

airport. I love the El Toro Airport, where saving energy is paramount

and safety is No. 1.

DONALD NYRE

Newport Beach

El Toro would be a safe place to land

Both Ann Merritt and Rex Ricks, writers of letters to your Mailbag

section this week, are repeating the tired, old, South County

argument that the El Toro airport cannot be used because it is

unsafe. So here it is, one more time:

El Toro was used as a military airport for 57 years and was never

considered unsafe. Both military and civilian transport planes flew

out of El Toro in all directions. It was used as a training ground

for new pilots.

The absurdity of Ricks’ argument is that “a high-performance

fighter jet can handle ... eastern take-offs ... but no sane pilot

would even try that with a commercial passenger jet.” In reality, the

Marines used commercial passenger jets to transport troops out of El

Toro for the Gulf War, departing to the east.

Modern commercial jets are more powerful, quieter and safer. They

overcome a mild tailwind with no difficulty.

The Federal Aviation Administration approved the county plan for

El Toro airport, as did the Naval Department. El Toro remains the

best airport in the Southern California region to help meet the needs

of rapidly rising passenger demands.

FLORENCE STASCH

Newport Beach

No need to have marijuana facilities

I think the Newport Beach City Council made the right decision [on

placing a moratorium on medical marijuana facilities]. I don’t think

we need a facility dispensing any kind of marijuana or drugs in the

city.

EVELYN TARZIAN

Newport Beach