| Santa Monica Airport Santa Monica Municipal Airport |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: SMO – ICAO: KSMO – FAA LID: SMO | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Owner | City of Santa Monica | ||
| Location | Santa Monica and Mar Vista, Los Angeles, California | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 177 ft / 53.9 m | ||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 3/21 | 4,973 | 1,516 | Asphalt |
| Helipads | |||
| Number | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| H1 | 40 | 12 | Asphalt |
Santa Monica Airport (IATA: SMO, ICAO: KSMO, FAA LID: SMO), also known as Santa Monica Municipal Airport, is a general aviation airport located largely in Santa Monica, California, United States. The airport is located about 2 miles (3 km) from the Pacific Ocean (Santa Monica Bay) and 6 miles (10 km) north of LAX. According to the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2009–2013, it is categorized as a reliever airport.[1]
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Originally called Clover Field, after World War I aviator lieutenant Greayer "Grubby" Clover, the airport was the home of the Douglas Aircraft company. The first circumnavigation of the world by air, accomplished by the U.S. Army with Douglas World Cruisers, took off from Clover Field on St. Patrick's day, March 17, 1924, and returned there after some 28,000 miles (45,000 km). Cloverfield Boulevard—which confuses the field's naming for a crop of green rather than a fallen soldier—is a remnant of the airport's original name. Clover Field was once the site of the Army's 40th Division Aviation, 115th Observation Squadron and became a Distribution Center after World War II. Among other important aircraft built there, Douglas manufactured the entire Douglas Commercial "DC" series of reciprocating-engine-powered airliners, DC-1 (a prototype), DC-2, DC-3, DC-4, DC-5 (only 12 built), DC-6, and DC-7. During World War II, Bolo B-18 and B-18A bombers and thousands of C-47 (military version of the DC-3) and C-54 (later the civilian DC-4) military transports were built at Santa Monica, during which time the airport area was cleverly disguised from the air with the construction of a false "town" (built with the help of Hollywood craftsman) suspended atop it.
1950s aerial view looking west On May 19, 1938, at the request of Santa Monica Postmaster Philip T. Hill (father of race car driver Phil Hill), Joanne Reid (later Jackson) became the first woman to fly the U.S. Mail from Clover Field to Burbank Airport (LAX—then known as Mines Field—was not yet the area's main airport) as part of National Air Mail week. She was 22. She was born in Detroit, MI on November 8, 1915 and moved to Santa Monica with her family as a young girl. After accompanying a friend in his family's plane, she became hooked on flying and began taking flying lessons at Clover Field when she was 16.
The airport has a control tower and, on average, handles 296 operations a day (for the 12 months - ended July 2011, as per the FAA's Air Traffic Activity System website).
As the Santa Monica Airport is one of relatively few general aviation airports in the nation that is surrounded on all sides by dense residential development, the City of Santa Monica aggressively enforces one of the most stringent noise ordinances in the nation. In addition to responding to the community’s noise concerns and enforcing the City’s Aircraft Noise Ordinance, which includes a maximum allowable noise level, curfew hours and certain operational limitations, Airport staff is involved in a variety of supplementary activities intended to reduce the overall impact of aircraft operations on the residential areas surrounding the Airport. The following procedures and limitations are enforced in accordance with the City’s Aircraft Noise Ordinance. Violations may result in the imposition of fines and/or exclusion from Santa Monica Airport:
• Maximum Noise Level - A maximum noise level of 95.0 dBA Single Event Noise Exposure Level, measured at noise monitor sites 1,500 feet from each end of the runway, is enforced 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There are no additional noise monitoring stations along the flight pattern, which is routed entirely over residential neighborhoods.
• Night Departure Curfew - No takeoffs or engine starts are permitted between 11pm and 7am Monday through Friday, or until 8am on weekends. Exceptions are allowed for bona fide medical or public safety emergencies only.
• Operational Limitations - Touch-and-go, stop-and-go, and low approaches are prohibited on weekends, holidays, and weekdays from one-half hour after sunset until 7am the following day.
In addition, there are numerous recommended noise abatement procedures and limitations that have been incorporated into the Airport’s Fly Neighborly Program and included in the program’s outreach materials. For additional information visit the Airport’s web site at: http://www.smgov.net/departments/airport/
The aviation aspects of aircraft operations at the Santa Monica Airport and use of the nation’s airspace is regulated by the federal government through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The City is jurisdictionally preempted by federal law from establishing or enforcing new local laws that would affect aircraft operations or the use of airspace around the Santa Monica Airport. And as a federally obligated airport, any attempt to do so by the City will certainly result in legal action taken against it by the FAA.
Typhoon is the only restaurant on the airport property with a runway view and Spitfire Grill is across on Airport Avenue. The Museum of Flying at the airport houses a collection of historic aircraft. A new facility is built on the South side of the airport and is expected to re-open at some point in the future. One of the airport's oldest buildings, next to the restored Douglas DC-3, hosts the U.S. Civil Air Patrol's Clover Field Composite Squadron 51.
On August 1, 2005, the Santa Monica City Council implemented a revised landing fee program (Resolution No. 9855) for all transient aircraft (those not based at the Santa Monica Airport) based on a uniform rate of $2.07 per 1000 pounds of Maximum Certificated Gross Landing Weight. Since the Santa Monica Airport receives no federal, state or local funding to operate, the landing fees fill the gap between other Airport revenue and the cost of operations.[2]
The issue has gained increased attention since the increase of jet traffic in the past decade.
Environmental impact of aviation
Airport Park opened as an 8.3-acre (34,000 m2) public park on non-aviation lands at the southeast corner of the Airport. The new park, known as Airport Park,[3] features a synthetic turf soccer field, open green space and an off-leash dog area.
The City of Santa Monica has recently initiated a process regarding the future of the airport when its settlement agreement with the FAA expires in 2015. The Santa Monica City Council has approved a course of action that will lead to the development of an inclusive public process to facilitate the visioning of the Airport’s role within the community.
The City has embarked upon a comprehensive three-phased process[4] for the development of the essential data and public dialogue to accomplish this goal. The Phase I work plan included an analysis of best practices regarding general aviation facilities and sites in relationship to local communities and corresponding potential alternative designs or uses. It all so included a financial analysis of the Airport’s economic impact and stakeholder interviews and the development of the format and materials for a comprehensive public process of workshops that will constitute Phase II. In Phase III, the studies from Phase I and the results of the public dialogue from Phase II will be presented to the City Council for consideration of potential policies and actions regarding the future of the Airport.
The airport was also heavily featured in the apocalyptic drama "2012" starring John Cusack.
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
