By James Plowden
The FAA proposed two solutions to the safety issue for Santa Monica Airport: (a) EMAS which is a is a bed of lightweight, crushable concrete built at the end of a runway to stop an overrun aircraft and (b) RPZ, runway protection zone that would require the airport to acquire a significant number of homes and property at each end of the runway.
In his presentation on March 25, 2008, to the Santa Monica City Council, Dr. Kirk Shaffer, the Associate Administrator of Airports for the FAA, stated: “EMAS protects air crews and air frames. RPZ protects people on the ground. You gotta, you gotta, combine these, in our view, in order to address all of the safety concerns that you have voiced.”
Shaffer clearly stated that EMAS addresses only aircraft whose wheels are in contact with the runway and EMAS does not protect homeowners from an air craft under shooting the runway on landing or overshooting the runway on takeoff.
Therefore, unless Santa Monica and Los Angeles residents, in the RPZ areas are willing to sell their homes and relocate, the EMAS will not do a lot to protect “the people on the ground.” Hundreds of residents must be relocated, at an outrageous cost to the taxpayers, in order for a few wealthy celebrities, politicians, attorneys and corporate executives to have the convenience of flying into Santa Monica. A simpler, safer and cheaper solution would be to route the private jets to airports that are safer and better equipped to handle jet traffic.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 9, 2008. Read the original PDF.