> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Plan approved to restrict some jet traffic
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/plan-approved-to-restrict-some-jet-traffic/
- Published: 2002-07-24T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T00:33:49.000Z
- Author: Andrew Fixmer
- Tags: Government & Politics, Santa Monica Airport, #archive-import

*Airport users say city is trying to ban large jets*

City officials have approved a plan to restrict some jets from taking off and landing at the Santa Monica Airport for safety reasons but critics say the plan is nothing short of an all-out ban on jet aircraft.

The plan, which was voted on by the Airport Commission Monday, calls for the City Council to enact a law similar to the city’s airplane noise ordinance. Officials believe the council may consider the measure by September.

Jet operators and the Federal Aviation Administration strongly oppose any restriction. They have asked the City Council to not consider an ordinance until “all sides of the issue have been heard.”

“The FAA strongly recommends the airport refrain from taking any further action regarding airport design and performance standards until further comment and review by the FAA can be made,” wrote Herman C. Bliss, manager of the FAA’s Western Pacific region.

Local airport officials said the FAA does not have the power to enforce locally initiated regulations and discretion is up to the airport operator, which in this case is City Hall.

“The FAA is empowered to enforce federal air regulations and laws — not local laws and regulations,” said the city’s staff report. “The FAA works closely with local airport operators in the operation of an airport, however, the FAA will not enforce compliance with locally imposed ordinances such as the Airport Noise Code.”

The Airport Commission voted last May to create 300-foot safety buffer zones at each end of Santa Monica’s runway to comply with federal regulations.

While the FAA requires new airports to make the additional space available at the end of runways, older fields — like Santa Monica Airport — are often exempted.

However, by creating buffer zones the runway is shortened by 600 feet and cannot handle larger jet traffic flying into and out of the airport five to six times a day. and claim it’s no longer safe,” said Scott Wardle, general manager of Submarine, an aircraft leasing company at Santa Monica Airport. “But what they are really trying to do is ban jets all over again.”

> “They can’t outright ban the jets so they are trying to shorten the runway “They can’t outright ban the jets so they are trying to shorten the runway and claim it’s no longer safe. But what they are really trying to do is ban jets all over again.” — — SCOTT WARDLE Submarine General Manager

Wardle said banning jets would have a “tremendously negative effect” on businesses located at the airport because it would reduce the number of aircraft allowed to fly through the airport. He said that translates into less fuel being sold, less hangers being leased and fewer lunches being sold at airport restaurants.

“The bulk of the jets flying right now would not meet these standards,” he said.

An aviation consultant hired by the city to assess airport constraints testified before the Airport Commission in May that the runway would have to be expanded by 1,000 feet to comply with Federal Aviation Administration requirements for large jets.

Bringing the airport into compliance with federal regulations would require purchasing $100-$200 million worth of single-family homes that surround the runway, rerouting Bundy Drive and relocating a gas station across the street from where airplanes currently take off. Airport officials called the expansion project unrealistic.

Larger planes need long runways to get up enough speed to take off and more time to slow down once they land. As a result, they need a much larger runway and designated safety area.

Airport officials said preventing large planes from landing at the airport would not necessarily decrease the volume of daily traffic, just constrict the field to smaller jets which currently make up 5 percent of the total air traffic.

About 1,300 aircraft take off and land at Santa Monica airport in a month. About 90 percent of them are propeller-driven planes, which conform to the airport’s regulations.

Jets constitute the other 10 percent of total airport traffic, and half of them are non-conforming, large planes.

Though no current or pending federal legislation requires the city to make the restriction, airport officials are recommending it for safety reasons and to bring the airport into compliance with FAA regulations. The restriction also would protect the city from litigation stemming from a large plane having an accident at the airport, officials said.

Cause for concern increased when officials said they found that the large jets are becoming more common at the airport.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/072402-01_01.jpg)

like Merv Griffin’s, which call Santa Monica Airport home, could be restricted at the municipal field under a new plan approved by the airport commission this week. (Photo: File photo Jets)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 24, 2002.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/072402.pdf?ref=smdp.com)