Moderators: richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
If the old El Toro MCAS actually became an airport
Would SNA have been demolished to appease all the Newport Beach residents and used for other purposes? Would it have become a legitimate international gateway to offset LAX, or a LCC alternative airport? As a native of OC in my aviation dreams I always wished they would've done something with it, but there is always the thrill of departing SNA...
Re: If the old El Toro MCAS actually became an airport
There was talk of it at the time but that area is fairly hemmed in by residential so it got shot down fast.
Re: If the old El Toro MCAS actually became an airport
It is a totally dead issue. It is a regional park now. However, I still see the runways. So I need to get up to speed on what is actually happening there. I do recall the idea was a move by the very rich in Newport Beach to move their problem to another area in OC. They failed. I still love to drive down to Balboa to walk and sight see. I enjoy the jets going over at 2500' at reduced power. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't like it I had lived there my entire life. There were no jets until about 1970. I've heard people say that the marine base was noisy. I don't recall that. As far as what SNA would have become, I would just look around. There would probably be office building and other light industrial stuff just like what's in the area now.
Re: If the old El Toro MCAS actually became an airport
It might be a dead issue, but this is an interesting thought experiment. Had it been developed into a full fledged commercial airport, we might have had a credible alternative to LAX that was not weight restricted, located close enough that it could have been a serious alternative. An ONT-like airport, but located 20 miles closer to the action. Just think about the possibilities. Just as the SFBay has 3 airports with Asian and European long haul service, the Los Angeles metro has only LAX to serve it - a huge oversight that nothing else was developed.
Re: If the old El Toro MCAS actually became an airport
In 1999 they did a series of tests with various sizes of commercial aircraft where they tinkered with arrival and departure patterns while collecting noise data from surrounding communities. Unfortunately politics and nimbys prevailed but there's some cool footage.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VHtiROl7DFQ
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VHtiROl7DFQ
Re: If the old El Toro MCAS actually became an airport
Here is a video that really outlines the aeronautic reasons why it wasn't built. The county voters were the ones who killed the airport and made the park.
https://youtu.be/3jFrxrHT5qI
https://youtu.be/3jFrxrHT5qI
Re: If the old El Toro MCAS actually became an airport
Siren wrote:It might be a dead issue, but this is an interesting thought experiment. Had it been developed into a full fledged commercial airport, we might have had a credible alternative to LAX that was not weight restricted, located close enough that it could have been a serious alternative. An ONT-like airport, but located 20 miles closer to the action. Just think about the possibilities. Just as the SFBay has 3 airports with Asian and European long haul service, the Los Angeles metro has only LAX to serve it - a huge oversight that nothing else was developed.
do you think it would hav been more similar to SJC? Maybe a focus city for AS with obvious domination by Southwest with some European and Asian flights? Maybe a legacy focus city? And connections to every major North American city? I don't know what their terminal/gate structure and quantity could've been in relation to the layout of the airfield
Re: If the old El Toro MCAS actually became an airport
The last chance for a major SoCal airport would be where Camp Pendleton is located. If you could get the USMC to give up that land, it is between LA and San Diego. And there is so much space there it might work. It’s past my bedtime and l must be dreaming.
Re: If the old El Toro MCAS actually became an airport
Can we take a moment to appreciate how awesome the 1997 Delta livery on a brand new airplane looked? Polished belly and all? It was one of those liveries that was classy, but only if well-kept.
Re: If the old El Toro MCAS actually became an airport
Those commercial jets had to be a lot quieter than the F4s that used to fly around there.
Re: If the old El Toro MCAS actually became an airport
ADent wrote:Those commercial jets had to be a lot quieter than the F4s that used to fly around there.
It's the same silly argument for Oceana. KORF is surrounded with nowhere to expand. KNTU could be converted into the int'l airport that region needs but no, the NIMBYs would rather have F/A-18s buzzing overhead for 18 hours per day rather than modern airliners. They stupidly equate larger with more noise. SAD!
Re: If the old El Toro MCAS actually became an airport
Agree Camp Pendleton is about the only option moving forward, but of course it will never happen. With solid fast rail links to OC and SD it could address a number of issues effectively, without San Onofre in the way. The terrain might be a bit of a challenge though...
Re: If the old El Toro MCAS actually became an airport
Jhwk, I was thinking on runways parallel to I5. There are no hills there. Those may always be crosswind landings but the winds are generally mild. I am still dreaming...
As far as someone pointing out the noise of F4s, you almost never noticed it. Maybe it was because there were 20 or so flights a day and the flights overland did not use afterburners. You did notice it when they had the yearly air show. But we’re talking 1 day of noise. I recall when they tested the airbase with commercial aircraft. The planes came directly over the house of a friend in Laguna Niguel. He was beside himself. Living on final approach would not have been fun.
As far as someone pointing out the noise of F4s, you almost never noticed it. Maybe it was because there were 20 or so flights a day and the flights overland did not use afterburners. You did notice it when they had the yearly air show. But we’re talking 1 day of noise. I recall when they tested the airbase with commercial aircraft. The planes came directly over the house of a friend in Laguna Niguel. He was beside himself. Living on final approach would not have been fun.
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: 717atOGG, A60Stock, Aisak, alecdplotkin, alto87, ANA787, BangersAndMash, BB78710, Bob1560, bpat777, BW985, cheerioboy26, CMH2578, CrimsonNL, dagKentWA, Dano1977, DeSpringbokke, Dominion301, DVCSAAB340, EduSTR, EI710, EISHN, EnJoyAviation62, enterusername, FARmd90, flight152, FLLMIA, Google Adsense [Bot], GPerm, gunnerman, icareflies, INFINITI329, jake112, JerseyFlyer, jetstream3399, jtt99, LatinPlane, mrbonfire, ObadiahPlainman, ratp101, rg828, Rifitto, rutankrd, ScroogeMcDuck, SFFAN, skymiler, SoEWR, SteelChair, StinkyPinky, Thule, WorldFlier, WPIAeroGuy, xwb777, zach170 and 282 guests