LAX's north runways are safe and should stay as they are, NASA panel says

A NASA panel says the north runways at Los Angeles International Airport are safe and should remain in their current configuration, according to a report released Friday.

The panel said that while other proposals -- including widening the distance between the two north runways -- might make the airport runways safer, "the risk is so low, reducing that risk by a substantial percentage is of limited practical importance.”

A committee of academics working with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration released a preliminary copy of the report Friday morning at the Flight Path Learning Center near LAX.

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.

LAX Modernization Status Update -October 19, 2009

The most important airport project approval, Bradley West Project at LAX which will rebuild Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) about 130 feet further west, had about $1 billion in bonds approved today. This project will add new flex gates on the back that are large enough to handle the giant newer, larger aircraft like the Airbus A380 by 2012 and will increase the core building size by 2015. Denny Schneider, President of ARSAC, told BOAC today, “We support the project because we need to stop apologizing for poor customer service to our tourists, but several additional things should have been done to make it even better. We should have improved the curbside frontage, added bomb glass for security, and added even more concessions to accommodate friends bringing travelers to LAX. We still disagree with the EIR approval process, but time is of the essence to meet the aggressive schedule promised to the City Council. ”

Also approved today was an amendment to the new Crossfield Taxiway project for about $26 million.

The Central Utilities Plan Project to increase power and heating/cooling capacity to meet current and anticipated needs is continuing. Many additional maintenance and refurbishment projects are needed all over LAX. We continue to wait for a full list of Capital projects is due to be released soon, but we understand that it will include the start of urgently needed repairs to the Central Terminal Area upper roadway.

Regionalization of airport transportation will be helped by a new plan to involve Disney with efforts to improve Orange County use of LA/Ontario Airport.

FAA Approves Westchester Golf Course Project

Sort of like the putt for birdie to win the tournament, FAA approval was the final element needed for a project to replace three holes of the Westchester Golf Course that were taken for road construction near Los Angeles International Airport.

When Westchester Parkway was built 20 years ago, three of the 18 holes of the golf course lost to the construction. The Argonaut of southern California reports that Los Angeles World Airports has gotten the Record of Decision from the FAA approving the restoration project, which makes good on a pledge by airport officials and City Councilman Bill Rosendahl to return the community golf course to a complete 18-hole course.

LAWA Executive Director Gina Marie Lindsey told the paper, “The restoration of the community’s golf course is another sign of our commitment that we will work collaboratively with our neighbors as we modernize LAX.”

According to a 10-year lease on the property, construction must be completed within 180 days of FAA approval. County officials hope for a ribbon cutting ceremony around New Year's Day.