- Noise there is not that much jet traffic and the new technology jets are quite. Most airplanes on the glide slope into Oxnard are at idle and therefore rarely make noise on the approach. If it's such a concern there would be more complaints from the approach course residents, and there is not.

- Safety there have been 0 accidents on the approach path to Oxnard airport. In addition, the old school is that an old school which was inappropriatly placed there by city planners and against state aviation mandates set before the school was placed there.

- We need the airport. The biggest complainers of the airport are the biggest users. Oxnard city council members (won't name names here) use the airport to conduct travel business out of the terminal.

The traffic at Camarillo is nearing capacity. Oxnard is that reliever airport and a reliever airport for LAX and BURBANK, because there is more traffic. Ground taxi time at Camarillo airport just for take-off can leave you on the ground up to 20 minutes at a time. Can you imagine waiting 20 minutes in a traffic jam? Same thing happens at airports. We have so few, but there is more demand by the public to use them.

-Oxnard has the best controllers. As a FAA training facility for LAX Oxnard has controllers that are very current on all facets of aircraft separation, emergency management, and are highly supervised. You don't have that at Camarillo airport.

-Point Mugu is not an option. It's a military installation. That's akin to a civilian housing development allowed to be on a military base. Never will happen under the current constitution. Secondly Point Mugu house not only the Navy but the California Air National Guard. So it's essentially two military installations in one. Third the "heavy iron", aka big planes, don't play well with typical general aviation aircraft(wake turbulence). It's the same as being a little Mazda Miata on the interstate and surrounded by nothing but big semi trucks. It can be done, but it's very dangerous for the little guy.

What a ludicrous statement about airport noise; Oxnard residents can’t have a wedding, a funeral, etc. a ridiculous exaggeration! I spent several days sitting in my car on F Street, windows down & sunroof open, documenting arriving aircraft noise. If I didn’t turn my radio off I couldn’t even hear most aircraft (in full idle & gliding to touch down). If a motorcycle, heavy truck, or a bumping car stereo came by at the same time, they would drown out the plane noise. In fact one day a neighbor mowed their yard, edged their walks, & blew off the trimmings all with gas powered equipment. This resulted in almost an hour of continuous ear splitting noise negating all other noise sources. Did anyone complain about this? And we know how much pollution this type of power equipment puts out.

Then there’s the safety of aviation that is always taken out of perspective. What point is trying to be made? Accidents happen and they involve cars, motorcycles, boats, bicycles, medical procedures, pedestrians, etc. ad nauseam. They even happen to tourist lying on our beach! But an aircraft accident make front page news, why? There has only been one Oxnard aviation accident in 40 years that involved anyone other than the pilot and / or passengers. Aviation is one of the safest forms of transportation that there is and pilots receive extensive and repetitive proficiency training. Unlike the crazy speeding, tailgating, red light running drivers who spread carnage across our streets. The real “pity� is that we injure and / or kill so many people each year with our automobiles. And yes, this is an allegorically relevant comparison.

And who is this “we� that doesn’t need the airport? Is this in reference to the minority few? In workshops conducted throughout 2002 / 03, represented by residence from every community in Oxnard, 86% said that the airport was an asset and 75% would like to see services expanded (report available from city planning). What about the people who earn their living from the airport and aviation related businesses, they don’t need the airport? What about the people who rely on the United Link, the business executives & employees who commute to Oxnard via our airport? What about the fire fighting units & police who use our airport or the medical evacuation and angle flights. Currently a national research team is using our airport for mapping the ocean floor. And people like me who use the airport and our planes as a means of transportation just like others use their cars. Our airport, just like our highways, is an important part of the state and interstate transportation system. It is not just our airport, it belongs to anyone from anywhere who wants to use it. It is not utilized by just a few of Oxnard’s residence.

On the Navy Base: It’s their base, they don’t want us there, get over it! And be thankful that they are here.
On the Camarillo airport: It’s technically not possible to have commercial passenger carrying aircraft make instrument approaches to Camarillo. So get over it! Plus there isn’t enough room to relocate all of the Oxnard aircraft to Camarillo.
On city history: Our airport has as much historical significance as does the group of old homes in our historical, and it would be a shame to lose either. Want to learn more about the airport’s history, feel free to contact me, I have a great power point presentation.

I’ve always said, “if you don’t know, what you don’t know, you don’t know it� and there is a prodigious amount of ignorance regarding general aviation and airports. I’m ready to debate (a formal structured argument) or educate anyone interested.

Steve Sarchett, Oxnard
AOPA ASN
OAAI

It seems often overlooked that the "Oxnard" Airport belongs to Ventura County and serves all of the County's citizens. Consequently it should not be a surpirse to the Oxnard's former mayor that representatives from communities other than Oxnard are on the Advisory Board and Airport Commission. The airport provides benefits and services to all just like the Administration Building on Victoria Avenue, Simi Valley complex, the various sanitation facitlities, etc. In each case the asset also has has some draw backs whether it is noise, traffic congestion, odors, etc.All of these facilities also require planning by theire local neighbors to accomodate their presence. Generally if one doesn't want to put up with the local negative of a broadly owned facitilty they avoid living next to it. (This would also hold for railroad tracks, freeways, shopping centers, high schools, etc.)
Not too long ago the airport was renamed for the City of Oxnard. If the city no longer appreciates the facility perhaps the name should revert to the original: Ventura County Airport.

Airports are the key to any community. With too many cars and too much congestion on the roads and highways across the state, airplane travel will only increase as an efficient means of travel.
I speculate that the airport was in place prior to the time the homeowner above moved in. If a homeowner or renter feels so much antipathy and negative emotion about a key asset in the community, perhaps that person should have never purchased that particular home or rented that apartment. Even if the realtor failed to disclosed the existence of the airport, common sense and looking around would have helped this situation. The airport is here to stay.
Any pilot familiar with both Oxnard and Camarillo airport will confirm that Camarillo is already at or near maximum for inbound and outbound traffic. Closing Oxnard would be a hazard to Camarillo by squeezing so many additional planes into a small airport.
Another vital consideration - public safety. Fire, police, ambulance, medivac, military, government and other public safety oganizations need and use Oxnard airport on a daily basis. It would a great travesty if this great local airport was restricted in any way.

I am discouraged when I become cognizant of the fact that people who are entrusted with the education of our children are in fact not very intelligent. My assertion that the airport is an asset has been challenged on the grounds that the airport “does not make a profit�.

Lesson 1) The definition of an asset is: Asset n. anything of value or quality. Therefore the airport is in fact an asset. Now let’s engage in some analytical comparisons. We all agree that schools are assets. And yet they don’t make a profit. Our libraries are assets and don’t make a profit. Our parks are assets and don’t make a profit. Our police force and fire departments are assets and don’t make profits. Our community centers are assets and don’t make profits. Our Boys and Girls Club is an asset and doesn’t make a profit. All public facilities, like the new downtown parking garage that cost millions, are assets and don’t make profits. Our streets and highways are assets and don’t make a profit. I’m not sure if our elected officials are assets but they definitely don’t make any profit. In fact all of these assets cost us millions each year to maintain. They are here for the benefit of the community in totality just like the Ventura County airports.

Lesson 2) In fact the airport located adjacent to the city of Oxnard operates in the red. The airport located adjacent to Camarillo operates in the black. They are both part of the Ventura County Department of Airports which, I believe is financially sound. Let us ascertain that there are four important issues that need to be considered.
One, the airport located adjacent to the city of Oxnard does not belong to Oxnard; it is a county facility on county land. It is part of the national transportation system and as such it is an asset utilized by pilots both nationally and internationally.
Two, under pressure from Oxnard’s minority, the Department of Airports wrote a self fulfilling prophetic mission statement that holds the airport to a “no growth� policy. I don’t know of many businesses that could survive with “no growth� as their mission statement. There was also 9/11 that had a major negative impact on commercial aviation business at the airport.
Three, I have observed many corporate, celebrity, and traveler’s planes using our airport. I have seen several planes parked on our ramp when the Dallas Cowboys were practicing in Oxnard. Can anyone calculate the tangible or intangible benefits that are produced? Not direct profit to the bottom line of the airport but true value to our community and to our local businesses. May I suggest Econ 101, how money is distributed throughout a micro or macro economic environment.
Four, there are several initiatives, that if implemented, that would increase revenue for the Oxnard airport and the County’s Department of Airports. The only thing stopping this increased profitability is the insidious ravings of the vocal minority.

De La Recherche De La Ve’rite’
Steve Sarchett
AOPA ASN
OAAI

Reference: The Sunday Star June 18th Section B Page 1 bottom of the page an inconsequential section called “In Brief�, Senior critically hurt in three-vehicle accident.

I feel compelled to belabor this issue one more time. An irresponsible 20 year old failed to stop at a red light. Serving to miss the stopped cars in front of her, she hit another car, bounced off of it and collided into the auto of a 76 year old woman. This elderly woman had to be extricated from her car and is in critical condition at St John’s hospital. In comparison to the recent accident at the airport this one is much more serious. So why didn’t this accident make the front page with pictures, and where is the public outcry? Where is the proclamation decrying traffic safety in Oxnard? Where are the demands to sue the city for not enforcing our traffic laws more diligently?

“It’s a pity that a 76 year old grandmother can’t drive on our streets without of being mowed down by a bad driver in a 3000 pound truck!�

This accident also begs questions. Was the driver of the truck on her cell phone, intoxicated, on drugs? Did she have a driver’s license, insurance, and why did her passengers jump out of the truck and run away? And why doesn’t this accident get as much attention as an airplane accident? Maybe because airport opponents have no real data for attacking the airport and need any superficial issue to rally around. Here’s a suggestion, follow Kant’s motto Sapere aude (Dare to know), the truth will set you free.

Steve Sarchett
AOPA ASN
OAAI