Problem with possible decommissioning of lda approach at smo.

Narrative:

Reference: FAA case. The decommissioning of the lda at santa monica airport (ca) is a threat to aviation safety. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states the lda offers an almost straight-in arrival. The only other approach is a non precision VOR approach with circle to land only authority/authorized and at a lower altitude than the lda approach and in close proximity to high buildings. The problem stems from the lda equipment damage in the earthquake. It has been OTS since that time. The airport neighbors took this as an opportunity to get the approach removed as they fear it will bring more corporate jets to the airport, flying over their homes. After much debate at a city council meeting it was decided to have an environmental impact study to determine whether to repair or to decommission the lda. A very active pilot group pointed out the safety aspect of not having the lda. The city then decided to wait for an FAA decision rather than take on the decision themselves. The city had made the original request to have the lda approach installed. It was activated a few months prior to the earthquake. Reporter believes that 80-90 percent of the aircraft based at smo have the capability and certification to use the lda. Misinfo that only 10 percent of based pilots could use the lda approach was given at the city council meeting. The lda is not aligned as an exact straight in approach because of reflections from the tall buildings.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PROB WITH POSSIBLE DECOMMISSIONING OF LDA APCH AT SMO.

Narrative: REF: FAA CASE. THE DECOMMISSIONING OF THE LDA AT SANTA MONICA ARPT (CA) IS A THREAT TO AVIATION SAFETY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THE LDA OFFERS AN ALMOST STRAIGHT-IN ARR. THE ONLY OTHER APCH IS A NON PRECISION VOR APCH WITH CIRCLE TO LAND ONLY AUTH AND AT A LOWER ALT THAN THE LDA APCH AND IN CLOSE PROX TO HIGH BUILDINGS. THE PROB STEMS FROM THE LDA EQUIP DAMAGE IN THE EARTHQUAKE. IT HAS BEEN OTS SINCE THAT TIME. THE ARPT NEIGHBORS TOOK THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THE APCH REMOVED AS THEY FEAR IT WILL BRING MORE CORPORATE JETS TO THE ARPT, FLYING OVER THEIR HOMES. AFTER MUCH DEBATE AT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING IT WAS DECIDED TO HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY TO DETERMINE WHETHER TO REPAIR OR TO DECOMMISSION THE LDA. A VERY ACTIVE PLT GROUP POINTED OUT THE SAFETY ASPECT OF NOT HAVING THE LDA. THE CITY THEN DECIDED TO WAIT FOR AN FAA DECISION RATHER THAN TAKE ON THE DECISION THEMSELVES. THE CITY HAD MADE THE ORIGINAL REQUEST TO HAVE THE LDA APCH INSTALLED. IT WAS ACTIVATED A FEW MONTHS PRIOR TO THE EARTHQUAKE. RPTR BELIEVES THAT 80-90 PERCENT OF THE ACFT BASED AT SMO HAVE THE CAPABILITY AND CERTIFICATION TO USE THE LDA. MISINFO THAT ONLY 10 PERCENT OF BASED PLTS COULD USE THE LDA APCH WAS GIVEN AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING. THE LDA IS NOT ALIGNED AS AN EXACT STRAIGHT IN APCH BECAUSE OF REFLECTIONS FROM THE TALL BUILDINGS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Attributes
ACN	323432
Time
Date	199512
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : smo
State Reference	CA
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	323432
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified