Upcoming SMO Changes and Impact on Fractionals...

[johnsonrod]

Just copied this from a thread on the Charter forum from a Lear pilot:

"Received a letter from SMO stating that as of April 24th Category C & D aircraft will no longer be allowed to land at SMO. Its a City letter not an FAA notice."

So, how's this likely going to impact fractional operations out of Santa Monica? Which current airplanes won't be able to operate under these new restrictions? Citation Xs? Challenger 300s? G200s? GIVs? Won't the FAA get involved (sue SMO)?

 

[ProFracPilot]

The FAA has issued an "Order to Show Cause" to the city of Santa Monica. This should delay the airports implementation of the Cat C and D restriction.

http://www.calpilots.org/html/article.php?sid=2117

 

[say again]

That airport sucks anyways!!

 

[johnsonrod]

How would Arnie Schwartzenegger get back to his Bev Hills mansion if he can't take a Gulfstream IV/V? Will he take a smaller Netjets airplane or will he have to "commute" from VNY?

Hey Say Again,

What don't you like about the airport beyond the obvious noise sensitivity? I always thought it looked like a fun airport to fly into/out of - no?

 

[Voice Of Reason]

Who cares? SMO is only shooting themselves in the foot, not hurting the fracs. I'd be happy if we took our business elsewhere to an adjacent airport. I am sure our "owners" who want to fly in and out of there have their own people they can throw hissy fits to locally if this is forced.
"Customers???? We don't want you. Stay out."
Great strategy for them.

 

[jonjuan]

How would Arnie Schwartzenegger get back to his Bev Hills mansion if he can't take a Gulfstream IV/V? Will he take a smaller Netjets airplane or will he have to "commute" from VNY?

Hey Say Again,

What don't you like about the airport beyond the obvious noise sensitivity? I always thought it looked like a fun airport to fly into/out of - no?

No Netjets plane will be able to get in there if this stands.

 

[rsm]

ATC sucks there too. Some of them are a$$ holes.

 

[gutshotdraw]

Won't hurt my feelings to go to VNY or LAX instead. Wait til the city's tax revenue from the airport drops by 70% and 20 or 30 people lose their jobs. I am sick to death of noise whiners.

Johnsonrod, we dislike it for several reasons including, but not limited to: a so-so approach, 4996 feet of runway which limits us to dry conditions only, bug smashers everywhere including flight training, frequent delays for takeoff waiting for SoCal to coordinate with LAX for an airspace hole, and noise nazis that make you shut the APU down when you're waiting for pax and it's been running for 30 minutes and 3 seconds.

*Note of clarification: The G-V never has been able to go into SMO because of wingspan issues so the Governator usually gets a IV or 450.

 

[say again]

Hey Say Again,

What don't you like about the airport beyond the obvious noise sensitivity? I always thought it looked like a fun airport to fly into/out of - no?

-Noise abatement (flying and APU usage is ridiculous)
-controllers are rude a-holes, as RSM stated earlier
-NY based, short runway, always a fuel stop east bound.

Just not a fan and would much rather stop at other LA area airports.

 

[flagshipper]

upon departure fly heading 225 until reaching the lax 310 radial then turn without delay to 295 blah blah and if you don't read it back word for word they make you do it all over again..... now if we can just get rid of teb