A joint-use Miramar airport would take off

By: DONALD E. MILLER - Commentary | Monday, July 11, 2005 8:58 PM PDT ∞

Before we can "Fly into the Future," we must first "Dig Ourselves Out of the Past."

The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority was established in January 2003 to operate San Diego International Airport and to address the region's long-term air transportation needs. The recognition of this need is gratefully accepted but at least 20 years too late. Until January 2003 we were shackled with the "San Diego Port Authority," which controlled and promoted ocean-going vessels. Even though this group also had jurisdiction over the airport, they did nothing for air commerce.

The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority has been in control for two years and still no action of any kind is apparent.

The airport authority's "Fly into the Future" campaign projects that the present airport may "max out" by 2015. The truth of the matter is that the airport actually maxed out 8 to 10 years ago. That fact is masked by airline passengers going to other airports to catch airplanes that are flying where they need to go. Ground shuttle vans, taxis, buses and limousines carry enough San Diego County residents to other airports on a daily basis to fill several wide-body Boeings.

Only our imagination limits what can be done.

Imagine: Miramar Marine Corps Air Station and San Diego International Airport become a joint-use airport. There is plenty of room for both: One side of the airport would be primarily military, the other side commercial and private. Each side would have several runways. One air traffic control tower run by the Federal Aviation Administration would operate the system. For those who have doubts, yes, this has been done in several locations.

Would the Department of Defense approve of such a plan? Of course.

Ten years ago, I was on a committee to locate a giant radar air traffic control facility that would control all these airports: Los Angeles, Burbank, San Bernardino, Ontario, Long Beach, Santa Monica, Orange County, March Air Force Base, San Diego, Miramar, North Island Naval Air Station, Montgomery, Gillespie, Brown and several smaller general aviation airports that have instrument approaches. Our first choice was a location on Miramar. With hats in hand we approached the Navy with our request.

Their answer, condensed: "Sure, why not, we have plenty of room. We would probably approve the relocation of the International Airport here if they asked. Nobody has ever asked." You can see the FAA radar facility inside the Miramar boundary at I-15 and Miramar Way. It's been in operation about six years now.

Our local congressman refuse to make any effort to work out this arrangement with the Department of Defense. Their stance is based on greed for the military tax dollars that accompany local bases. They need to open their eyes to the fact that this solution would not reduce military tax dollars arriving in San Diego. Additionally a major international civil airport would generate enough additional income that it would make the military tax dollars look like chicken feed.

Oceanside resident Donald E. Miller worked for the FAA for 40 years.