Many residents have expressed concern about increased air traffic, noise, and potential pollution from aircraft. An Airport subcommittee has been formed to determine if and how FCA should address JWA impacts on North Tustin. If you would like to participate, contact Committee Chair Hal Marshall. Be sure to complete the form below and include your name on the form for validation.

Since the end of last year, residents in Cowan Heights, Lemon Heights, and other areas of North Tustin have noticed a significant increase in the number of commercial and private jets overflying their homes. On some days, this can number up to a third of all approach flights into the airport, over an area that experienced very few flights in the past. There has also been an increase of flights over North Tustin headed to Long Beach airport as well. This change in flight patterns is due, in part, to the FAA opening up the air space once reserved for the former El Toro and Tustin Marine bases. As a result, many aircraft that in the past approached the airport west of Easter Hill are now allowed to approach east of the hill, putting them right over Cowan and Lemon Heights. FAA regulations dictate how pilots are to approach JWA. During overcast conditions or periods of low visibility, pilots must intercept the Instrument Landing System (ILS), a radio guidance system, at a distance approximately seven to ten miles from the airport, which means they must fly west of Easter Hill, away from Cowan and Lemon Heights. However, in clear weather, pilots have the discretion to intercept the ILS at a point much closer to the airport, thus allowing them to cut across the foothills to line up with the guidance system. Also, there is no minimum altitude at which they must operate over the foothills, as long as they fly the aircraft in a safe manner. These changes in approach patterns do not bode well for the residents of the foothill communities. Some residents have expressed their feeling that the increase in flights already has had a serious impact on the environment and has altered the rural character of the region. There is a possibility that property values could begin to suffer as well.

If we do not respond in some way, JWA will inevitably continue to grow; even today, there are forces actively working to further increase the size of the airport. Those forces include: (1) an increasing OC population, which is inevitably causing increasing demand for John Wayne services; (2) groups which are actively campaigning to promote future growth at JWA.