Close Proximity of LAX’s Runways increases the likelihood of an Aircraft Collision.
US Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) members have told the Airport Commission that they want even wider separation of Los Angeles (LAX) International Airport's two parallel northern runways than is currently being debated. Pilots argue that the outer runway should be moved between 370 and 443 feet further north, away from the inner runway, to make the airport safer and to allow for the new breed of super jumbo jetliners, in particular the Airbus A380 due to enter service at LAX in 2008. Earlier reports proposing moving the inner runway closer to the airport centre are currently deemed unfeasible because of the high cost and the need for major demolition of terminals 1, 2 and 3.
However, suggestion of moving the parallel northern runways further apart has, in the past, vigorously exercised the minds and voices of local residents who have complained about airport traffic and noise for years. They fear the move northwards may mean that a third of Westchester's business area, as well as nearby homes, could be lost to the wrecker's ball.
Residents have stated that they do not see a case for safety as an argument for reworking LAX's northern airfield. "These studies are biased and skewed, and the recommendations are ludicrous", said Councillor Bill Rosendahl in a statement. He wants to see a study of alternative options that do not involve moving the outer runway. But Airport Commission President, Alan Rothenberg, says "There's no question that it's a safety issue". "Therefore we have to do something", he added.
The studies were ordered by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to look at possible safety concerns at the airport.
Los Angeles' north airfield was built over 50 years ago and designed for smaller, slower aircraft. Reports have concluded that it cannot safely handle the high number of daily flights it currently despatches and receives and that there is too little space for jumbo aircraft to manoeuvre. Over and above this, today's large aircraft are so long that their tails jut into runway safety zones when planes are sitting on taxiways between the runways, precipitating runway closure by ground controllers.
Furthermore, aircraft land on the outer runways at LAX and have to cross the inner runways, where planes take off, to reach the terminals and, because of this, LAX has had some of America's highest rates of what are termed 'runway incursions' - close calls between aircraft on the ground. This was the scenario when a departing aircraft carrying Senator and Mrs Dole was forced to raise its nose and initiate an early take-off to avoid certain collision on the runway.
Source: Airport International's US Correspondent
Photograph courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey
