Citizens for a Friendly Airport continues to keep us up to date on actions, non-actions, and proposals for operations at the airport. The following email copies are based on a report of the July 18, 2024, meeting of the Palomar Airport Advisory Council.

South Vista residents interested in maintaining our quality of life and assuring that airport operations adhere to the regulations may wish to attend the next PAAC meeting on Thursday, September 19, at 6pm at the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, 5934 Priestly Drive, Carlsbad.

AA is Coming to Town – Maybe

Dear C4FA Supporters,

So, American Airlines is coming to Palomar Airport – maybe.

First of all, for the record, Citizens for a Friendly Airport supports commercial service out of Palomar Airport, if that commercial service fits our airport as it is built today, not one that will ultimately require an expansion. Heck, many of us used to fly on AA, America West, and United Express when they were here. We support a resident friendly Airport, with local control by the City of Carlsbad as agreed to by the County, and as ordered by the courts. This deal doesn’t do any of that.

Second, this isn’t a done deal – contracts have not been signed. As a matter of fact, no contracts have been publicly seen, even when requested. And yet, American Airlines is selling tickets for service – go figure.

Third, the AA plane is too big for our airport. American Airlines and Palomar Airport are having to twist themselves into pretzels to make the E175 fit at Palomar, as well get special FAA approval to allow the jet to fly in and out of Palomar under a whole bunch of strict conditions. That FAA approval is not done for either AA or the County.

Fourth, there’s a question of safety. Last month, the County’s Counsel testified before a State Agency that the Airport needed to be expanded to accommodate jets of this size for safety reasons. But today, in all the advertising and promo pieces about American Airlines coming to Carlsbad, everything from the County’s side is peachy keen. So which one is it? Safe like the promo materials are saying or unsafe like the County Counsel told the State?

And then there’s noise, noise, noise ….. well, let’s just say that voluntary Quiet Hours won’t be honored – the first flight out daily is scheduled to take off at 6:15am. Voluntary flight paths to avoid our homes won’t be honored either. When asked, the County shrugs it’s shoulders and doesn’t give any direct answers…

All these issues and more – far, far too many for a single email. So we will be sending out a series of emails over the coming weeks to shed light on what’s really going on because the County won’t. Our researchers have been on it, and the community deserves to know all the facts. And don’t worry, we’re going to need your help as soon as we have dates for meetings, agendas, and who to contact. We’re working on that as we send this out.

Stay tuned. Tomorrow’s topic is “Size Matters”….this jet is simply too big for Palomar Airport. Thanks for the continued support.

Your Friends and Neighbors at C4FA 

AA at Palomar Airport – Size Matters

Dear C4FA Supporters,

Yesterday we talked about some of the issues with American Airlines starting service from Palomar Airport to Phoenix in February 2025. These issues are not insignificant. The truth of the matter is American Airlines’ fleet of Embraer 175 jets are simply too big for Palomar Airport.

Palomar Airport is designed to be used by smaller airplanes and jets. And sure, we all regularly hear the big private jets that fly in and out of the airport, but those jets do so at individual pilot discretion, against FAA recommendations. That’s really different than the County signing a contract for regularly scheduled commercial flights in violation of FAA recommendations and using the airport for something it’s not designed for.

AA and Palomar Airport have to get special FAA permission to fly the E175 in and out of Palomar following a strict set of conditions to ensure passenger safety. This “maneuvering” is so tight because when designing a runway to support the AA E175, the FAA recommends the same specifications as a 737. Palomar’s current runway is nowhere close to that and was never intended to be. The County owned all the land around the Airport and SOLD it years ago for non-airport uses.

This new use begs a very important question – does the County even have the authority to sign this contract without Carlsbad’s approval? You see, when the City of Carlsbad annexed Palomar Airport into the City, it came with a set of conditions. One of those conditions is that the City gets the final say on what kind of airport Palomar is going to be, how the airport will be used, and what type of expansions (if any) will occur. Right now, and since the 1979 Annexation, the Airport is designated for small airport uses.

As a matter of fact, in 2018, the County passed a plan to build a brand new runway only 4 feet shorter than the one at John Wayne, and one that would accommodate the E175 as well as 737’s, without Carlsbad’s permission. C4FA sued the County, and won.

The County was forced by the Court to rescind the plan because according to the Annexation Agreement, the City of Carlsbad retains the ultimate authority on whether Palomar Airport remains as it is or expanded, NOT the County.

The County was not happy, but the Board of Supervisors chose not to appeal the Court’s ruling. Carlsbad retains local control of the size and land use of Palomar Airport.

To us, this appears to be a “back door” effort to expand the Airport, usurp Carlsbad’s local authority, defy a court order, and force an airport expansion by crying that the commercial service is “no longer safe” because the airport is too small – a safety issue that will be of the County’s own making.

The City of Carlsbad and Carlsbad residents get to decide if we want “John Wayne South” in the middle of our City, not the County. And the County does not get to defy Court orders no matter how passive aggressively they try to do so.

So, yes – size does matter. We at C4FA are not opposed to resident friendly, commercial service that honors our quiet hours and voluntary flight paths, using Palomar Airport as it is today.

Stay tuned. Next Saturday’s topic will be Noise, Quiet Hours and Flight Paths. ….more shenanigans and doublespeak from the County. Thanks for the continued support.

Your Friends and Neighbors at C4FA

Got Noise? AA Does!

Dear C4FA Supporters,

Well Carlsbad, no need to set your alarm clocks starting Feb 13, 2025. American Airlines will be providing a complimentary wakeup call at 6:15 every morning, weekends included at no extra charge. So much for being a good neighbor and honoring the daily Jet Quiet Hours from 10pm – 7am….

San Marcos and Vista – your wakeup call will be even earlier if AA chooses to fly a plane into Palomar every morning to service that daily 6:15am flight. We’ve asked and cannot get an answer.

Oh, and the flight path that is supposed to take the AA departures out from Palomar, over the golf course and the Outlet mall to the ocean, bypassing our homes – no commitment on that one either. So, Oceanside, you might be joining the “Morning Wakeup Call Club” too.

Noise, noise, noise…. none of us will be sleeping in, and the County doesn’t appear to be doing anything to help us or ensure that American “Flies Friendly”.

First Call to Action – Show up at the Palomar Airport Advisory Committee Meeting on Thursday, September 19, 2024, at 6pm at the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce at 5934 Priestly Drive. Carlsbad.

The AA contract will be coming to the Board of Supervisors for approval in September as well. We’ll let you know the time and date as soon as the Agenda Item is confirmed.

Meanwhile, stay tuned. More to come.

Your Friends and Neighbors at C4FA

As always, if you have questions, please reach out to us at [email protected]