QUESTIONS ASKED AT 4/9/2026 AIRPORT COMMISSION
The Community Development Department's Noise Abatement Report for the 4th Quarter of 2025 was presented
at the Airport Commission on 4/9/2026. The report stated that the City had logged a total of 1,901 "prohibited operations"
which it identified as
- touch (and stop and go) landings (prohibited at all times)
- taxi backs (prohibited during evenings, weekends and holidays)
- low approaches (prohibited during evenings, weekends and holidays).
Jim Gates asked a number of questions about these "prohibited" operations:
- What is the source of the "prohibited operations" reports? ANSWER: The Casper monitoring system (per Greg Lodan)
- Does the City pay someone to sit at the airport and count these "prohibited" operations? ANSWER: No (per Greg Lodan)
- What does that cost?
- How many pilots made these "prohibited" operations?
- Does the City plan to prosecute these pilots as stated in the report? ANSWER: Yes, beginning next month (per Greg Lodan)
- What will that cost?
- How many operations of each kind were executed?
- How many of these "prohibited" operations were approved by the FAA's ATC?
- What basis does the City to believe that the FAA's exclusive authority (to regulate the navigible airspace, aviation safety and aircraft noise at its source) does not apply at the Torrance Municipal Airport? ANSWER: Referred to City Attorney
- Has the City ever contacted the FAA's Aviation Litigation Division to see if the City has this authority? ANSWER: Referred to City Attorney
Mr Zev e-mailed answers to these questions following the meeting. The answer to question #9 stated "We follow Torrance municipal Code."
This was concerning, so I wrote to Patrick Sullivan, the City Attorney.