Santa Monica Airport Santa Monica Municipal Airport
IATA: SMO – ICAO: KSMO – FAA: SMO
Summary
Airport type		Public
Owner		City of Santa Monica
Location		Santa Monica, California
Elevation AMSL		177 ft / 53.9 m
Coordinates		34°00′57″N 118°27′05″W / 34.01583°N 118.45139°W / 34.01583; -118.45139
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	ft	m
3/21	4,973	1,516	Asphalt
Helipads
Number	Length		Surface
	ft	m
H1	40	12	Asphalt

Santa Monica Airport (IATA: SMO, ICAO: KSMO, FAA LID: SMO), also known as Santa Monica Municipal Airport, is a general aviation airport located in the heart of the residential community of Santa Monica, California, United States. The airport is located approximately six statute miles north of LAX and one mile (1.6 km) east of the Santa Monica Bay (Pacific Ocean). Van Nuys Airport is 12 miles (19 km) to the north.

[edit] History

Originally called Clover Field, after World War I aviator lieutenant Greayer "Grubby" Clover, the airport was the home of the Douglas Aircraft company. The first circumnavigation of the world by air, accomplished by the U.S. Army with Douglas World Cruisers, took off from Clover Field on St. Patrick's day, March 17, 1924, and returned there after some 28,000 miles (45,000 km). Cloverfield Boulevard—which confuses the field's naming for a crop of green rather than a fallen soldier—is a remnant of the airport's original name. Clover Field was once the site of the Army's 40th Division Aviation, 115th Observation Squadron and became a Distribution Center after World War II. Among other important aircraft built there, Douglas manufactured the Bolo B-18 and B-18A bombers there during the war, during which time the entire area was cleverly disguised from the air with the construction of a false "town" (built with the help of Hollywood craftsman) suspended atop it.

[edit] Operations

Facing east at the city and landing aircraft.

The airport has a control tower and, on average, handles 400-500 operations a day. Jet air traffic has increased substantially in recent years - 18,000 annually, from 1,000 in 1984.^[1] This is partly due to the ease of access from Hollywood, and partly due to increased fees associated with fewer access slots at LAX.

In an effort to peacefully coexist with the residents that live in the upscale western Los Angeles County the city of Santa Monica has strict noise ordinances[1] that prohibit takeoffs between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. on weekdays and between 11 p.m. and 8 a.m. on weekends as well as other procedures to minimize the noise impact on nearby residents.

Three restaurants are on the airport property; The Hump and Typhoon both have runway views and Spitfire Grill is across an airport street with no view of the runway. The Museum of Flying at the airport houses a collection of historic aircraft. It is currently closed while a new facility is built on the North side of the airport and is expected to re-open in mid-late 2009. One of the airport's oldest buildings, next to the restored Douglas DC-3, hosts the U.S. Civil Air Patrol's Clover Field Composite Squadron 51.

[edit] Landing fees

On August 1, 2005, the Santa Monica City Council implemented a revised landing fee program (Resolution No. 9855) for all transient aircraft (those not based at the Santa Monica Airport) based on a uniform rate of $2.07 per 1000 pounds of Maximum Certificated Gross Landing Weight. Since the Santa Monica Airport receives no federal, state or local funding to operate, the landing fees fill the gap between other Airport revenue and the cost of operations.^[2]

[edit] Safety concerns

Less than one mile west of Santa Monica Airport over the dense West Los Angeles, California area.

The City of Santa Monica Airport Commission voted a proposal to take away airport land to restore the safety perimeter around the runways that has been eroded by nearby residential development, to protect residences in the event of an aircraft accident. Part of the land opened as an 8.3-acre (34,000 m²) public park on non-aviation lands at the southeast corner of the Airport. The new park, known as Airport Park,^[3] features a synthetic turf soccer field, open green space and an off-leash dog area.

However, the long term effects of this proposal places the city at odds with the FAA, which is concerned that a shortening of the existing runway will result in heavier air traffic being diverted to LAX.^[4] City officials were reported to be surprised at the FAA's position on the matter. "I believe the City was blindsided by the fact that the FAA finds only half the safety (footage) acceptable," said Commission Chair Mark Young. "The only compromise has been on the City's part… yet we have been asked to compromise further." A response from the FAA regarding the passage of this proposal is expected on August 3, 2007.

[edit] Pollution

California Assembly Bill 700 (AB 700) would require the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to study the amount of time that turbine aircraft engines run pre-take-off to help determine the extent of this danger. This bill is supported by residents and environmentalists[2] but opposed by business interests who have a financial stake in the increased airport operations.[3]

[edit] Future

Approaching Santa Monica Airport from the east

The Santa Monica Airport land grant, which is owned by the City of Santa Monica, was dedicated to aviation uses for one hundred years beginning in 1915. In 2015, the City may close the airport and use the land for some other purpose.

[edit] Accidents

• In 1994, the pilot of a single-engine Piper Saratoga died when a fuel system misconfiguration led to an in-flight engine shutdown. The aircraft stalled in a subsequent 180 degree turn for a forced emergency landing and struck the ground, which resulted in a post-crash fire.^[5]
• On March 28, 2001, an inexperienced pilot rented a Cessna 172 from Justice Aviation at the airport and subsequently lost control of the aircraft over the Pacific Ocean upon encountering dark, instrument meteorological conditions. Three were killed.^[6]
• On November 13, 2001, the pilot of a twin-engine Cessna failed to remove the device that locks the control system for parking (to prevent wind damage) and two were killed when the aircraft overran the runway after an unsuccessful aborted takeoff.^[7]
• Game-show host Peter Tomarken and his wife Kathleen died when his Beechcraft Bonanza crashed during climb-out from the airport on the morning of March 13, 2006. The Federal Aviation Administration reported that the aircraft had engine trouble and attempted to turn back before crashing into Santa Monica Bay.^[8][9]
• On January 13, 2008, a home-built aircraft ran off the end of runway 21 after a brake failure, jumped over the hillside, landing on a service road. The three passengers on board were not hurt although the kit-built aircraft was damaged severely. The runway was closed for 20 minutes.
• On January 28, 2009, a single-engine SIAI-Marchetti SF-260C lost power following takeoff and attempted to return to the airport. The aircraft struck the ground on the north side of runway 21 and caught fire, killing two people on board. Paulo Emanuele, the general manager of Airliners.net, was the pilot-in-command, and his passenger was Martin Schaedel, a well-known internet entrepreneur and engineer in his twenties. The National Transportation Safety Board is currently investigating the incident.^[10][11]
• On August 2, 2009, a Rutan Long-EZ experienced engine failure after takeoff. The pilot attempted to turn back to the runway but crashed on the taxiway in the process of landing. The pilot, flying alone, was severely injured and the airplane was destroyed.^[12]

[edit] See also

• California World War II Army Airfields

[edit] References

• Santa Monica Airport
• Runway Safety
• FAA Airport Master Record for SMO (Form 5010 PDF)

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

• Museum of Flying
• FAA Airport Diagram(PDF), effective 19 Nov 2009
• Resources for this airport:
  • AirNav airport information for KSMO
  • ASN accident history for SMO
  • FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
  • NOAA/NWS latest weather observations
  • SkyVector aeronautical chart for KSMO