Airport Noise and Safety Committee
Thursday, May 25, 2006 – 5:00 p.m.
Fullerton Council Chamber
303 W. Commonwealth Ave.

Chair Robert Hynes called the meeting to order at 5:05 p.m.

ROLL CALL

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

It was decided that the minutes of the February 23, 2006 meeting would be available for approval at the next meeting.

OLD BUSINESS

1.NOISE AND OPERATIONS REPORT/AIRPORT INCIDENTS

Airport Manager Rod Propst spoke about Fullerton Airport’s air traffic operations [a take-off or a landing] for the quarter. Propst reported that for the last 12 consecutive months operations continued to decrease. He spoke, again, about the cost-benefit ratio used to evaluate the necessity for control tower funding; the “breaking point,” he said, would be an annual operational count below 75,000. Propst went on to explain, however, that the figure was based only on operations that could be recorded/counted. He further explained he was not concerned about the low numbers because of the increasing demands on the tower to communicate with helicopters from Long Beach Airport and the military aircraft at Los Alamitos.

Manager Propst reiterated what he said in previous meetings: decreasing operations had been a regional trend that was probably the result of rising fuel costs and even bad weather.

In response to an inquiry by Chair Robert Hynes, Manager Propst explained how a traffic count was defined: a take off or a landing, not aircraft transiting the airspace over Fullerton. A discussion ensued about operations at Fullerton.

Manager Propst discussed noise and safety complaints made to the airport since the last committee meeting; there was a slight decrease in complaints during this reporting period in comparison to the same period last year. Propst pointed out that there were no complaints about Air Combat.

-Public Comments on Individual Complaints – None.

2.AIRPORT MONTHLY SAFETY INSPECTION

Manager Propst discussed monthly airport inspections. In view of the inspection reports, Propst said the Airport Services Workers had put a lot of energy into maintaining the field, including management of gophers, and the over growth of weeds caused by spring moisture. In response to one remark on an inspection document about stray cats wandering on the taxi-ways, Propst expressed reluctance to begin trying to trap the cats.

In conclusion of his discussion on inspections, Propst asked that a member contact Airport Operations Lead Worker Leonard Jimenez to arrange a time to conduct the next inspection.

3.FAPA REPORT

Manager Propst spoke briefly about FAPA, in particular that their status as an organization continued to wane, but that he hoped it would be revived.

4.MANAGER’S AIRPORT UPDATE

Manager Propst announced that Airport Day was scheduled for September 16, 2006. He briefly spoke about the event, saying there would be no plane rides during the event—it would be a “static display.”

Manager Propst gave an update on the status of the Anaheim Police Department’s relocation of their helicopter operations unit to Fullerton Airport, saying they planned to move to Fullerton early June 2006, and they would be basing operations at General Aviation Co., Inc.; project completion was scheduled for January 2007.

Manager Propst updated the Committee on the status of City-owned hangar construction, that a contract was being reviewed by the City Attorney; once the contract was approved, construction was expected to begin within 21 days.

Manager Propst reported that the City’s budget hearings were scheduled for June 6, 2006; based on a review of the airport budget, fee increases for the airport would be proposed during those hearings. Propst spoke briefly about the fee increases; additionally, he stated he would be sending a notice to all airport tenants advising them to provide proof that their aircraft was flyable; all aircraft based at Fullerton would be required to be airworthy. He explained the basis for the decision was limited space on the airfield; the Airport could not afford to be a facility for storing non-airworthy aircraft, especially when there were aircraft owners waiting for a tiedown at Fullerton. A discussion ensued between Propst and Member Jeff Harris about the notification and enforcement processes for the new policy; Harris pointed out the difficulties Los Alamitos had trying to enforce the same policy. Propst and Member John Woosley entered into a discussion about the documentation required by the policy, specifically, airworthiness certificates. Propst and Harris continued in discussion about the potential difficulties of enforcing the policy; Propst said it would be handled case-by-case; he was not in the business of providing storage for aircraft. Propst agreed that it was a sensitive issue. Chair Hynes asked if it was “not out of the ordinary” for airports to establish such a policy. Propst said it was not, especially for airports with limited space. Member Woosley briefly added that non-airworthy aircraft did not increase operations that were much needed by the Airport. Propst agreed saying, “We need to utilize the airport for what it was intended, as a place to enter the national transportation system.”

Member John Woosley and Chair Robert Hynes asked for information about Airport Day. In response, Manager Propst answered their questions and discussed how the Committee could participate in the event. Propst also explained how transient parking and pedestrian traffic would be handled during the event.

Chair Robert Hynes inquired about the vehicle parking fee, to which Manager Propst explained the policy for charging for long-term vehicle parking on the Airport’s parking lots.

Chair Robert Hynes, Manager Propst, and Member Jeff Harris entered into a brief discussion about some specific operations at Los Alamitos Air Force Base.

NEW BUSINESS – None.

COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC – None.

ADJOURNMENT

Chair Robert Hynes adjourned the meeting at 5:45 p.m. until the next meeting on August 24, 2006 at 5:00 p.m.

Recorded by:_________________

Jackie Rossetti, Administrative Secretary