To: Congresswoman Susan A. Davis
Student Pilots at Gillespie Field Threaten Our Safety, Health and Quality of Life
Stop flight training student pilots over our densely populated communities. It is dangerous to the pilots, their trainers, and the people on the ground. There have already been two mid-air collisions resulting in loss of lives and damage to homes.
Gillespie is surrounded by densely populated hills. It operates with no enforceable noise code or curfew. Planes fly overhead seven days a week, anytime of day.
Flight training practice patterns are conducted at low altitudes; in many areas, less than 500 feet above our homes. One plane can fly the training loop six to eight times an hour. Often multiple planes are in the pattern producing a steady stream of low-flying planes fueled with unhealthy leaded avgas. Residents have logged fly-overs every two to five minutes.
Many of these flight schools are signing contracts with foreign countries to train large numbers of foreign students. According to a 2012 GAO report, many of these students are not properly vetted and pose a security risk.
Please join the members of ASAP (Advocates for Safe Airport Policies) in supporting our cause and telling our local officials that Gillespie Field is NOT a safe environment for inexperienced pilots flying old, noisy leaded gas planes to hone their skills.
Gillespie is surrounded by densely populated hills. It operates with no enforceable noise code or curfew. Planes fly overhead seven days a week, anytime of day.
Flight training practice patterns are conducted at low altitudes; in many areas, less than 500 feet above our homes. One plane can fly the training loop six to eight times an hour. Often multiple planes are in the pattern producing a steady stream of low-flying planes fueled with unhealthy leaded avgas. Residents have logged fly-overs every two to five minutes.
Many of these flight schools are signing contracts with foreign countries to train large numbers of foreign students. According to a 2012 GAO report, many of these students are not properly vetted and pose a security risk.
Please join the members of ASAP (Advocates for Safe Airport Policies) in supporting our cause and telling our local officials that Gillespie Field is NOT a safe environment for inexperienced pilots flying old, noisy leaded gas planes to hone their skills.
Why is this important?
Many residents around Gillespie Field bought their homes when it was a small general aviation field for small private aircraft. But recently, it has experienced a rapid increase in flight schools, been designated a “reliever airport” for San Diego International Airport, and acquired more land for expansion. Each year, over 200,000 operations (take-offs and landings) are conducted, most of which are circular training patterns over homes, schools, and businesses. If forecasts are correct, current growth plans predict operations will nearly double—up to 400,000 annually.