Final Hours At The Historic Santa Monica Airport (Before Runway Shortening)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.ย. 2024
- This is a sad video for me to publish, but here it is. For those who may not be aware, Runway 3/21 at SMO has now been shortened from 4,973ft (1,516m), to just 3,500ft (1,067m), in an effort to force larger jets to use other area airports, this move is expected to reduce jet traffic at SMO by nearly 50%. To add insult to injury, the airport is now scheduled to close December 2028. Keep in mind, this is essentially all happening due to a very small, but vocal group of NIMBY's, even though this historic jewel has been here since April 1923.
More details:
www.nbaa.org/op...
Here's a Facebook post on Harrison Ford's jet and the runway shortening on Santa Monica Airport's page:
www.facebook.co...
Music provided by my friend, Neil Losasso. Check out his channel here:
/ rexcars1
This is beyond ridiculous. It is amazing that more and more everyday in our country that a small group of unhappy people are given the power to ruin things for the majority. Like you mentioned, the airport has been there since 1923, if the airport bothered them that much they shouldn't have moved there in the first place. NIMBYs are not about improvement and happiness, but destruction and disruption. A sad state of our judicial system that they allow groups like this to overstep their bounds.
You nailed it perfectly! I've used this analogy with others...I would not like to live in a house directly across the street from a Fire Station, because the lights flashing in your windows at 3am, along with a siren blaring, would be an annoyance for me. However, if I made the decision to move into that house, I have ZERO right to fight the Fire Department, or the city to change things, to make my life better.
Well said folks good points indeed. It’s terrible how sad society worldwide has become due to the social media (a term that makes my skin crawl) wimps can influence because the majority feel they have to back down.
In early 1965, I was a LA public school teacher on Easter vacation; having finished some private tutoring down by LAX, I decided to stop by SMO to do some airplane watching. I saw a banner on the side of a hangar: "Learn to Fly- 1st lesson $5.00". !! Well I thought (wearing glasses), at least one ride might be fun. What a KICK!!!!!!!. I was hooked by the time we were 50' in the air!!!. And, the instructor informed me that I could get a 3rd class medical if my vision was correctable(it was). Lets see, the C150 went for $6/hr wet, the instructor was also $6/hr. So I saved my pennies instead of for a newer car or a hi-fi system, and my life changed. I soloed, got my PPL, then my IFR, then my Commercial and then CFI, and CFII. Two years later, I was teaching at SMO, then at VNY, then at BUR. I'd have stayed an instructor, except that after the draftee army period, the flight school at BUR was closed. So, on to bigger-not necessarily better- planes. Now about 35K or so hours later, I'm retired (read- laid off) and still love every minute I can get in REAL (small plane) flying . At that time SMO was the busiest single rwy airport in the US, and the old wooden green tower was finally abandoned in favor of a new one on the north side. I remember and love this airport with all my heart- just by its existence, it changed my career and my life. Even then those real estate thugs were after airports: Rancho Conejo in the Valley, Hughes airport to the south, etc. It saddens me beyond measure to realize the fate of SMO where I spent so many hours with such wonderful students and IFR (VOR approaches) and "climbs to on-top" and heading over to SNA for a burger at Coco's , or up to Agua Dulce for even better burgers!!! I hope and pray that, even at 3500', this airport can remain free of the clutches of the evil developers. Prayers of gratitude and thanks and hope, SMO.
What a wonderful, nostalgic story. Thanks for that!
Nice work with this video! Loved the intro music and the way you ended it! I’m glad I was able to spend some time spotting with you and Philip there. Great memories.
Thanks so much, man! Yep, good times.
I live right next to SMO and I’ve always enjoyed watching all the different aircraft taking off from there. I especially liked when the old warbirds would take off from there that belonged to the museum. I definitely was angered by these idiot “NIMBY’S” that had to have known they were living next to an airport that has been here before they were even born. Why do they move here and then complain about the noise and pollution. They should have picked another place to live. No instead those few people who all of a sudden realize there is an airport near there house are complaining and getting what they want and ruining it for the people that enjoy aviation. I myself have lived here all my life and because of the airport I was very interested in aviation and was able to fly out of SMO many times with a friend in a Cessna 182. Well it was nice knowing you SMO. I will definitely miss the sight and sounds that I so much enjoyed all these years. 😞
Thank you for being one of the good ones! I can't believe how much garbage Santa Monica residents talk about your beautiful airport, they make it sound as if it's one of the loudest airports on the planet (which is laughable). In my history of going to SMO, I'd say it's 80% general aviation & 20% quiet business jets. At my local airport (BUR), it's probably 80% commercial jet traffic and 20% everything else, and I love it. Thank you again for being awesome, Dj Ray!
Nice video, Ryan. This event is very sad to me. I grew up in Mar Vista, living on Cabrillo Bl, just 1/4 mile as the crow flies, from the runway. (Of course, I had go around on my bike, via Rose Ave and Centinela...). As a kid, I would watch the planes take off and land, from the old observation area next to the fuel pumps - saw everything you could imagine. I was there when the first Lear Jets landed at the airport. We LIKED living near it. I remember the old Military Air Transport Service (MATS) C-124 and C-133 cargo planes landing every few months or so to pick up parts from Douglas Aircraft. I remember meeting Governor Pat Brown when his Convair (440?) landed one day, around 1961.
thanks for sharing the sad news Ryan. i was lucky enough to see the Airport from the observation area last September, and had no idea they were gonna shorten the runway. it's one of my fondest memories visiting LA.
It's always been one of my favorite places to spot. The angle from the observation deck is perfect.
Wherever the traffic moves to I'm sure the complaints will follow. Thanks for documenting and informing.
Thanks for watching & for the comment! No doubt about it, residents will just have more to complain about at other area airports.
Nice work, RB. The final wave.
Thanks for stopping by, man! This beautiful airport won't ever be the same.
Took my flying lessons there in 1974. I hate Santa Monica politicians and crybaby residents.
There's been a ton of history on that little field, you're lucky to have experienced it in its true form.
1974, ahhh, the year I graduated high school. Wish I were in Santa Monica then!
The whole state of california is scheduled t o close by 2050.
Honestly, that doesn't seem incorrect.
Sad to see the reduction of aircraft types but still a great video!
Exactly! I used to love watching the G-IV land & depart here, the largest aircraft that was allowed. It'll be much different now, with Citations probably being the largest now. Thanks for watching!
This is very sad & I will keep my comments to myself because I might say something that will hurt someones feelings..... right? "GREAT" footage Ryan and super nice footage of Harrison Ford's jet :)
Thanks so much for this great footage! KSMO is also special to me as the airport where I learned to fly. I love everybody who works there and I'm sad for its future. It really is the ideal training airport. WTF are they going to build there? Apartments and a strip mall? I guess we have 8 more years.
Sorry for the sad news, Ryan.
Yeah, it sucks. But hey, I guess Santa Monica needs another park :)
I hope pilots make it a tradition to do low approaches over the area after the airport closes
Considering I know nothing about SMO, it’s pretty sad to hear this. All I can say is, at least there are other good GA airports in the L.A. metro
Agreed, there are other area airports that are great. This particular one just stings a bit more than others would, because of the 100 year history, and the vital role that it played in WWII, along with being the production site of all Douglas Aircraft until the DC-8.
Even though I don't live in Santa Monica, I feel sad😥😭😭
I'm sure that the terrible crash of that Citation jet a few years ago didn't help to steer critics away from wanting to close the airport.
This will bankrupt the City of Santa Monica, I can't believe this is really happening
I hate to wish bad on anyone...but in this case, I sorta hope so.
Sadly, eventually developers will build homes on the property that will bring property taxes to the city.
So sad. Where did Harrison Ford move plane too? Only VNY, LAX or TOA are closest and no JET A at TOA. Movie Huey was a nice catch.
Harrison has a hangar being built at Hawthorne, so he'll be moving his aircraft there soon. Since it wasn't quite ready yet, he relocated the jet to VNY.
Forgot about HHR...
Bro what is the name of the Music. Awesome video though.
I’m sad that the runway is closing in 2028
so sad
Top de mais meu sonho é de um dia eu pilotar uma máquina dessas.esses aviões são lindos top top.
There has never been a greater time to pursue flying for a living. With the lack of qualified pilots, and the increase in demand, get out there and learn to fly, build some hours, and you'll be hired on in no time.
Redonkulus, people in LA want all their conveniences but no hassles
This isn't that sad at all! People now will just use smaller and quieter aircraft. Harrison Ford can use a pilatus, phenom, or mustang. What is sad is when it will actually close in 2028.
Never could understand why people move to areas underneath airport landing patterns only to bitch about aircraft noise I mean really? It's true all across the country.....
PRCC - People's Republic of Coastal California 🇰🇵🇻🇳🇨🇺🇨🇳
I just hope that every business in Santa Monica that uses or relies on Aviation is preparing to move out of town and take their tax dollars with them.
I wish the town of Santa Monica to feel the consequences of "Be Careful What You Wish For . . . You Just Might Get It".
Absolute disgrace
Yep - super lame.