Saturday, January 31, 2009
Staurday 1-31-09
JetBlue Airways has scheduled an E-190 on the LGB-IAD red-eye route every Saturday for the month of February. It will be interesting to see if this route can be done non-stop or if the plane has to make a tech stop for fuel.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Tuesday 1-27-09
Swift Air 737-4B7 N801TJ arrived as SWQ801 from Chicago O'Hare Intl (KORD) at 4:21pm carrying the Chicago Blackhawks hockey team. The ferried to Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl (KPHX) as SWQ801 at 5:10pm.
Tail numbers noted at Gulfstream: N17ND
Tail numbers noted at Gulfstream: N17ND
Monday, January 26, 2009
Monday 1-26-09
NetJets Gulfstream G450 N425QS (c/n 4010) arrived at 12:26pm from San Jose Int'l (KSJC) and parked at Gulfstream.
G550 N828GA (c/n 5228) (green) arrived at 4:22pm from George M Bryan (KSTF) and parked at Gulfstream.
G550 N828GA (c/n 5228) (green) arrived at 4:22pm from George M Bryan (KSTF) and parked at Gulfstream.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Sunday 1-25-09
2 F/A-18 Hornets departed at 3:45pm.
Allegiant Air MD-87 N945MA ferried in from San Diego Intl (KSAN) as AAY5255 at 6:32pm. The plane departed to Laughlin/Bullhead Intl (KIFP) as AAY5255 at 7:22pm.
Allegiant Air MD-87 N945MA ferried in from San Diego Intl (KSAN) as AAY5255 at 6:32pm. The plane departed to Laughlin/Bullhead Intl (KIFP) as AAY5255 at 7:22pm.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Friday 1-23-09
Gulfstream G550 M-VRNY was towed from the Gulfstream paint shop to the Gulfstream ramp at 4:10pm.
2 F/A-18 Hornets arrived at 6:48pm and parked at Signature.
2 F/A-18 Hornets arrived at 6:48pm and parked at Signature.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Sunday 1-18-09
Gulfstream G-V N70AG (c/n 522) arrived at 3:01pm from Stockton Metropolitan (KSCK) and parked at Gulfstream.
Tail numbers noted at Gulfstream: VP-CVI (c/n 5092), N725MM (c/n 5161)
Tail numbers noted at Gulfstream: VP-CVI (c/n 5092), N725MM (c/n 5161)
Saturday 1-17-09
Gulfstream G550 N801TM (c/n 5222) was towed from the Gulfstream paint shop to the Gulfstream ramp at 5pm.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Privatizing LB Airport `unlikely'
By Paul Eakins, Staff Writer
Posted: 01/15/2009 10:18:43 PM PST
Privatizing the Long Beach Airport is unrealistic and unlikely to happen, acting Airport Director Chris Kunze told the Airport Advisory Commission on Thursday evening. The concept first came up last week when the City Council was to discuss "leasing opportunities" at the airport in closed session. However, pressured by community members, the council voted to reschedule the discussion for an open session that has yet to be placed on a meeting agenda. While no new details about the proposal emerged from Thursday's commission meeting, Kunze said Long Beach's airport noise ordinance would make the airport unattractive to both private investors and the Federal Aviation Administration.
The FAA's Airport Privatization Pilot Program allows for private companies to lease or outright purchase airport facilities. Five airports across the country are allowed to participate in the program, though so far only Chicago Midway International Airport is close to privatization. "This whole privatization program that the FAA has launched was for the purpose of enticing private capital into infrastructure expansion, more terminal building, more runways," Kunze said. "It just seems highly unlikely to me ... that they would want to take up one of those five slots for an airport where that privatization would not create any additional capacity because of our noise ordinance."
Long Beach's noise ordinance limits the number of commercial flights to 41 per day and creates restrictions meant to reduce noise. With little opportunity for expansion, and little unused, developable land at the airport, Long Beach's airfield would be unattractive to most investors, Kunze said. Road to privatization Perhaps the only way a private entity could make money from the airport would be by raising rates and charges on airlines, Kunze said. However, those rates are set by the airlines' leases and can only be raised beyond cost of living percentages if 65 percent of the airlines vote to increase them, he said.
On the other hand, Kunze said, the city of Long Beach would benefit from privatization by getting access to new revenue sources. The airport is an enterprise fund, which means its revenue is used to sustain its functions without giving any money to the city's general fund for police, libraries and other services. If the airport were to be leased or sold, then the city's general fund would receive that revenue. Long Beach's general fund has been staggered by the economy as oil, sales tax, vehicle license fees and other revenues have dropped. City officials had to balance a $16.9 million budget deficit to start the fiscal year in October, and they're now expecting another $15.7 million revenue shortfall.
At the same time, a private operator would likely want to increase the number of flights, or at least might not be vigilant in enforcing the noise ordinance, Kunze said. An unpopular option Commission Chairman Bob Luskin said privatization wouldn't go over well with Long Beach residents. Community advocate groups fought for years against a planned terminal expansion at the airport that they believe may lead to more flights and noise. "I can't imagine the community uprising if the city contemplates selling this to a private, for-profit industry, so my personal feeling is that this is an issue that is not going to go very far," Luskin said.
Most of the other five commission members didn't vocalize a strong opinion on privatization during the meeting, but afterward they all said they didn't like the idea.
Posted: 01/15/2009 10:18:43 PM PST
Privatizing the Long Beach Airport is unrealistic and unlikely to happen, acting Airport Director Chris Kunze told the Airport Advisory Commission on Thursday evening. The concept first came up last week when the City Council was to discuss "leasing opportunities" at the airport in closed session. However, pressured by community members, the council voted to reschedule the discussion for an open session that has yet to be placed on a meeting agenda. While no new details about the proposal emerged from Thursday's commission meeting, Kunze said Long Beach's airport noise ordinance would make the airport unattractive to both private investors and the Federal Aviation Administration.
The FAA's Airport Privatization Pilot Program allows for private companies to lease or outright purchase airport facilities. Five airports across the country are allowed to participate in the program, though so far only Chicago Midway International Airport is close to privatization. "This whole privatization program that the FAA has launched was for the purpose of enticing private capital into infrastructure expansion, more terminal building, more runways," Kunze said. "It just seems highly unlikely to me ... that they would want to take up one of those five slots for an airport where that privatization would not create any additional capacity because of our noise ordinance."
Long Beach's noise ordinance limits the number of commercial flights to 41 per day and creates restrictions meant to reduce noise. With little opportunity for expansion, and little unused, developable land at the airport, Long Beach's airfield would be unattractive to most investors, Kunze said. Road to privatization Perhaps the only way a private entity could make money from the airport would be by raising rates and charges on airlines, Kunze said. However, those rates are set by the airlines' leases and can only be raised beyond cost of living percentages if 65 percent of the airlines vote to increase them, he said.
On the other hand, Kunze said, the city of Long Beach would benefit from privatization by getting access to new revenue sources. The airport is an enterprise fund, which means its revenue is used to sustain its functions without giving any money to the city's general fund for police, libraries and other services. If the airport were to be leased or sold, then the city's general fund would receive that revenue. Long Beach's general fund has been staggered by the economy as oil, sales tax, vehicle license fees and other revenues have dropped. City officials had to balance a $16.9 million budget deficit to start the fiscal year in October, and they're now expecting another $15.7 million revenue shortfall.
At the same time, a private operator would likely want to increase the number of flights, or at least might not be vigilant in enforcing the noise ordinance, Kunze said. An unpopular option Commission Chairman Bob Luskin said privatization wouldn't go over well with Long Beach residents. Community advocate groups fought for years against a planned terminal expansion at the airport that they believe may lead to more flights and noise. "I can't imagine the community uprising if the city contemplates selling this to a private, for-profit industry, so my personal feeling is that this is an issue that is not going to go very far," Luskin said.
Most of the other five commission members didn't vocalize a strong opinion on privatization during the meeting, but afterward they all said they didn't like the idea.
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