According to the FAA, Metroplex was “intended to improve the flow of air traffic into and out of Southern California by making the airspace safer and more efficient.” Metroplex focused on the transition from ground-based navigation aids to guide aircraft to new satellite-based procedures. The satellite-based procedures are a key component of the FAA’s Next Generation Air Transportation System, or “NextGen,” which is intended to improve safety and efficiency. (See http://www.metroplexenvironmental.com/socal_metroplex/socal_introduction.html for more information.) The FAA’s Metroplex Environmental Assessment (EA) evaluated operations at 21 airports in our region, including John Wayne Airport (JWA). The Southern California Metroplex was one of more than 20 similar programs in other urban areas across the nation that are either underway or planned.  

The procedures the FAA evaluated in Metroplex are like roadways in the air and are designed to keep aircraft separated from one another both vertically and horizontally. Upon takeoff, commercial air carrier and air cargo aircraft are required to travel along a route designated as the Standard Instrument Departure procedure, or “SID,” unless air traffic control has authorized the pilot to use a different route. When landing at an airport, those aircraft are required to fly along the Standard Instrument Arrival Route, or “STAR,” unless, just as in the case of a SID, air traffic control authorizes the pilot to use a different route. The transition to satellite-based navigation aids combined with improvements in onboard flight management systems enable aircraft to more closely conform to a SID or a STAR when required to do so.

Prior to Metroplex, commercial jets flying from JWA to most destinations east of Las Vegas were supposed to fly a SID that would take the aircraft south of Laguna Beach and cross the coast at altitudes in excess of 10,000 feet above sea level. However, air traffic control routinely authorized the pilots of commercial jets to “cut the corner” by turning east well before completing the full SID causing aircraft to fly directly over Laguna Beach at altitudes of approximately 7,500 feet.   

The City filed a lawsuit against the FAA to challenge the Metroplex decision because the EA and Record of Decision (ROD) appeared to give the FAA broad discretion to adopt a SID or a STAR very different from the procedures in place before Metroplex. While the FAA repeatedly stated that this was not its intention, the City was concerned a new SID or STAR could significantly increase the number of commercial jets overflying Laguna Beach. For example, a SID that replicated the practice of “cutting the corner” would have resulted in a dramatic increase in overflights and deprived our residents of the significant reduction in overflights achieved over the past 3 years.

After the City filed its lawsuit, the FAA did what they said they were going to do – they adopted a SID (called PIGGN) for aircraft traveling from JWA to most destinations east of Las Vegas that was very similar to the pre-Metroplex SID. Commercial jets flying the entire PIGGN cross the coast south of Laguna Beach at altitudes in excess of 10,000 feet.

After the FAA implemented the Metroplex decision, the City has experienced far fewer overflights than was the case just a few years ago. Click here to see the graphics. Once the City had an opportunity to study the Metroplex decision and confirm the related reduction in overflights, we decided that the best approach for Laguna Beach residents was to maximize the use of PIGGN. So, the City negotiated and entered into an agreement to settle the FAA lawsuit that has the following components:

• Commits the FAA to fly the full PIGGN SID unless a different route is necessary to protect aircraft safety;

• Prohibits use of the challenged EA and ROD for the Metroplex project to make any significant changes to any SID or STAR that could impact Laguna Beach;

• Requires FAA consideration of a City proposal to revise a procedure used by commercial jets on arrival to JWA during Santa Ana wind conditions; and

• Provides for the FAA to prepare and transmit flight information that will enable the City to determine if aircraft are in fact being required to fly the full SID.

Click here to see the complete Settlement Agreement.

Laguna Beach and Newport Beach both settled their Metroplex lawsuits. Each agreement focuses on issues of most importance to that community and each prevents the FAA from using the EA and ROD to make significant changes to any SID or STAR that might impact either City. In the case of Newport Beach – which is located so that overflights of commercial jet from JWA are largely unavoidable – the settlement agreement focuses on procedures that will minimize the aircraft noise impact on the residential communities around Upper Newport Bay. For example, the Newport Beach agreement requires the FAA to test a new two-turn departure procedure while aircraft are flying over Upper Newport Bay (to more closely conform to the natural contours of the shoreline) rather than the one-turn procedure currently in use. In the case of Laguna Beach, our settlement agreement minimizes aircraft noise impacts by requiring commercial jet aircraft to fly the full PIGGN and contains assurances the FAA will consider our proposal to modify the ROOBY STAR – the STAR that aircraft from the east coast use during Santa Ana winds.

 Newport Beach also obtained assurances that the Metroplex EA and ROD will not have any impact on the John Wayne Airport Settlement Agreement (JWA Settlement Agreement), which is a benefit to all of Orange County. In summary, the Newport Beach agreement does not adversely impact Laguna Beach and our agreement does not adversely impact Newport Beach.

Absolutely. The City will, in the next 60 days, retain the airspace consultant that helped negotiate the settlement agreement to begin the process of preparing an alternate procedure to ROOBY STAR for commercial jet arrivals during Santa Ana wind conditions. In the next few months, our expert airspace consultant will also analyze the flight track data provided by the FAA pursuant to the settlement agreement to ensure that aircraft are flying the full PIGGN SID. Finally, our airspace consultant will also review flight track data from the FAA and other sources to better understand how aircraft move in the Southern California and identify other opportunities to reduce aircraft noise.

In 1985, the County of Orange (as the owner of JWA), Newport Beach, and two Newport Beach community groups entered into the JWA Settlement Agreement. This agreement resolved a federal court lawsuit challenging the validity of a County of Orange environmental document for a major terminal expansion project. The JWA Settlement Agreement survived Congressional legislation – the Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990 (ANCA) - designed to make it practically impossible for airport owners to limit the number of aircraft using the facility on the basis of noise. In summary, the JWA Settlement Agreement and two major amendments approved since 1985 provide for the following:

• Authorized the County to proceed with a downsized terminal and related improvements;

• Gave the City and community groups a “veto” over any changes to a County curfew ordinance that prohibits, on the basis of noise, commercial air carrier departures and arrivals during certain hours of the day and night;

• Established average daily limits on the number of operations of commercial jet departures based on aircraft’s departure noise-generating characteristics; and

• Established limits on the number of annual passengers served.

The JWA Settlement Agreement was most recently amended in 2014, which extended the veto over changes to the curfew until 2035. The curfew prohibits noisy commercial jet aircraft from departing JWA before 7:00 a.m. (8 a.m. on Sunday), departing after 10:00 p.m. or arriving after 11:00 p.m. The recent amendments also authorized increases in average daily departures and passenger service levels. JWA is the most heavily noise regulated commercial airport in the nation, and Laguna Beach supports the efforts of Newport Beach and the community groups to maintain their protections far into the future. The JWA Settlement Agreement, ANCA, and the entire subject of aircraft noise restrictions is a very complex. For those interested in reading a good discussion of these topics, you can do so at http://www.ocair.com/aboutjwa/accessandnoise/faq-noise.

Absolutely not. The City Council and staff believe the FAA settlement is extremely important in terms of preserving the reductions in overflights achieved during the past few years. However, we also believe that more remains to be done to protect those gains and guard against the impacts of what appears to be an inevitable increase in air traffic in the future. The following is a short list of some of the work – in addition to implementing and monitoring compliance with the settlement agreement – we intend to do to protect Laguna Beach residents:

• The City will encourage commercial air carriers to purchase or lease more of the much quieter new generation aircraft such as the Boeing 737-MAX and Airbus 319/320/321neo. The departure noise levels of these aircraft – one of which is now operating at JWA – are approximately 5 dB lower than other commercial jets operating at JWA. These aircraft also are more fuel efficient and emit fewer pollutants than other aircraft in the fleet. The combination of reduced noise generating characteristics, fuel efficiency, and reduced emissions should prove attractive to air carriers. We will also encourage other Orange County communities – many of which are impacted by noise from JWA commercial operations – to do the same.

• Support Newport Beach efforts to preserve the JWA Settlement Agreement and, if and when appropriate, extend the term while preserving the “veto” over any modifications to the noise-based curfew.

• Oppose, and encourage other Orange County communities to oppose, any expansion of JWA facilities that would increase commercial air carrier operations that would, in turn, increase aircraft noise impacts on Laguna Beach residents.

• Work with the FAA to develop SIDs and STARs that reduce the number of Laguna Beach overflights from regional airports other than JWA.

• Support any plan or proposal that maintains or improves, and oppose any plan or project that proposes any adverse change to, the existing level of general aviation operations, the current level of general aviation support facilities or the General Aviation Noise Ordinance.

• Work with other Orange County cities and the Board of Supervisors to identify transportation improvements and alternatives that could reduce adverse airport impacts on Laguna Beach residents.

• Determine whether other communities impacted by JWA operations are willing to continue with the work initiated by the “Corridor City Coalition” to collectively pursue options to control or reduce JWA noise impacts.

The City will also become more informed so that we better understand the many factors that are relevant to airport operations and impacts such as pertinent provisions of Federal law, the policies and objectives of the FAA and the regional and sub-regional planning agencies relevant to JWA air transportation demand and capacity.

The County is in the process of updating their website to depict the departure procedures that the FAA recently approved as part of Metroplex. Please go to the JWA website to find that information.

The FAA is Federal agency that enforces laws and regulations related to aircraft in flight. The local FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) in Long Beach handles reports of low-flying aircraft that may have been operated in violation of the Federal Aviation Regulations, and that might endanger persons or property. Federal Aviation Regulations state the minimum altitude requirements for aircraft. Please remember that not all low-flying aircraft are in violation of a regulation.

To report low-flying aircraft contact­­­ the local FAA Flight Standards District Office in Long Beach at (562) 420-1755 and ask for the Operations Officer on Duty (FDSO). The FDSO would like as much information you can provide in order to conduct an investigation. The information should include a brief summary of what happened, where it happened, when it happened and any other specifics you can provide. The FSDO will use the information to determine if a regulatory violation occurred, and to help identify and locate the aircraft involved. Please refer to the following link on the FAA website: https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/field_offices/fsdo/atl/local_more/media/nlowfly.pdf

Laguna Beach is part of a larger urban area that has numerous airports and some aircraft noise is to be expected. However, if you experience noise that is disturbing and want to file a complaint, you can email the FAA’s Noise Ombudsman at 9-AWA-NoiseOmbudsman@faa.gov or call (202) 267-3521. You should provide specifics regarding your complaint including dates and times of the flight creating the noise. This information is found at www.ocair.com/communityrelations/flighttracking – a program known as the “flight track viewer.” The “flight track viewer” will provide you information regarding aircraft type, altitude, flight track and the airport of origin and destination. Aircraft flight tracks are displayed either in satellite or street map layers.

You can also contact the JWA Noise Office by calling (949) 252-5185 or by sending an email to NoiseInfor@ocair.com. Please remember that the County, even though they own JWA, has no control over aircraft in flight. The County does, however, strictly enforce the noise limits at John Wayne Airport (JWA), the General Aviation Noise Ordinance (GANO) and other regulatory documents that govern noise and capacity issues at JWA. The GANO details restrictions for general aviation (i.e., privately owned aircraft) operations. JWA also records, researches and responds to noise complaints and requests for information from the community. Before contacting JWA please check with the flight track viewer to be sure the flight involves aircraft operating from JWA (shown in pink or blue on the viewer) and to secure as much information as possible about the flight.

There are very few exceptions to the JWA aircraft noise curfew (which applies to commercial and general aviation operations) and many of the commercial aircraft that overfly Laguna Beach have an origin and destination other than JWA and. Commercial aircraft flying over Laguna Beach after 10:00 p.m. and before 7:00 a.m. are probably flights arriving at the Los Angeles International Airport. The origin and destination of these flights can be confirmed by checking with the flight track viewer.

The short answer, at least for the near future, is “yes.” However, that will not keep us from doing everything possible to reduce those impacts. As we all know, Laguna Beach is very close to John Wayne Airport (JWA). JWA is one of five commercial airports in the area and the second busiest airport in terms of commercial jet operations and passengers served. Metroplex identified more than 20 commercial and general aviation airports in the Southern California region, all of which contribute to a very large number of aircraft using a very limited amount of airspace. The bottom line is that every community in the Southern California region experiences overflights and related noise from commercial jets and/or general aviation aircraft. The FAA is the only entity with the authority to control and direct an aircraft in flight – the State, counties, cities, and even the airport proprietor have no ability to control or regulate aircraft in flight.  

The good news is that even though Laguna Beach is very close to a very busy commercial airport, we experience far fewer commercial jet overflights now than just 3 years ago and we hope to see even fewer overflights in the future. While it may not seem so, the aircraft in the air carrier fleet today are significantly quieter than those flying even 15 or 20 years ago. Importantly, newer generation aircraft such as the B737MAX and the Airbus A319/320/321neo (one of which is currently in operation at JWA) are significantly quieter than their predecessors, emit less pollutants, and are more fuel efficient.

If you want to get information on a specific flight or flights that occurred at a specific time you can get that information on “flight track viewer” which is on the JWA website at www.ocair.com/communityrelations/flighttracking/. Aircraft flight tracks are displayed either in satellite or street map layers and includes airline, aircraft type, and altitude. Aircraft without an origin or destination at JWA are shown in yellow, departures from JWA are shown in blue and arrivals at JWA are shown in pink.

JWA has an outstanding discussion of many aircraft noise issues on their website and you can access that at: http://www.ocair.com/aboutjwa/accessandnoise/

If you have additional questions, please contact Jeremy Frimond, Senior Administrative Analyst at jfrimond@lagunabeachcity.net.