Public workshop: FAA study of San Carlos Airport noise

So interesting how they were able to get a grant from the FAA on this. How does that happen so quickly, when getting the FAA to respond to the relentless noise from SFO has been a 16 year process for the rest of us? And still no resolution?

"How does that happen so quickly, when getting the FAA to respond to the relentless noise from SFO has been a 16 year process for the rest of us? "

Political theater.

The FAA's official mission is two-fold: 1. promote the aviation industry 2. safety. Since safety is a pretty good way to promote the aviation industry, they kind-of really only have one mission.

As a government bureaucracy the FAA works to published government standards and procedures. The FAA even has a manual that instructs its employees in how to deal with public opposition. This kind of maneuver of mollifying the public with bureaucratic studies that create the appearance of change while the FAA wages a war of attrition and plays out the clock is right out of the FAA's playbook.

For a perspective, Look at the large white plane in the bottom left corner of the photo. That's a Surf or Rom or whatever they call themselves now plane. It's called a PC-12, That's what is causing all this controversy.

You can see the size compared to the other planes on the same taxi way and at other parts of the airport. It's massive by comparison. It's approx. 50' long and 50' wide. To be safe it should have another 50' on each side as it passes or is passed by another plane while on the ground. It doesn't look like much room at all much less much room for error.
There are many parts of the taxi ways that don't have enough room and the pilots or ground control have to dictate or judge when or where to stop, hold, go, pass, to get by each other. I'm telling you from experience it's too tight.

I'm also telling you after 4 years of naval aviation experience accidents happen. The less room for error, the more likely an accident.

^ I've seen B200s regularly at SQL, larger than a PC-12. Looks like one in the photo midway between the PC-12 and the terminal building.

They were operating PC-12's out of SQL for several years before SA arrived. Never heard of any accidents during that time. As musical notes B200's have regularly used SQL for many years without incident and it is larger than a PC-12.

Regardless, this is just more political theater. Nothing will change.

You have to admit, it's a tight fit, runway is 75', wide. Wing, tip to tip on the PC-12 is 53',

PC-12 specs require 2600' of runway for take off, The runway at San Carlos is exactly 2600' Just one more not much room for error issue.

Not sure width of taxi ways. Does anyone know? Some are wider than others.

But being a general aviation airport, pilots and sometimes inexperienced passengers are constantly walking around unsuspectantly carrying boxes and luggage with no direction or control from ground control or tower, day and night, they may not know what clear means, and typically announcing clear to turn of the prop. is only several seconds,

Add a large plane like a PC-12 w/ 17,000 ground operations a year as a distraction by noise and visual and just one more not much room for error issue.

More operations of a large plane in narrower areas and less room for error.

Whose in charge of insurance at the airport, I know the operator carries a policy, Not sure what it covers, it may be worth a review by the airport management of policies. It may need some upgrades to cover scheduled airlines if even allowed under their policy at a GA airport. Wouldn't hurt to check. The county should not be on the hook for policy increases or general increased liability.

Safety margins are built into the specifications. The SQL runway is actually 3050 feet of pavement, plus 200 feet of grass on each end. The PC-12's 2600-foot takeoff distance is at maximum gross weight and includes the distance required to climb an additional 50 feet. And prevailing winds reduce takeoff distance.

Likewise the 75-foot runway width is just the paved part. There's another 80 feet of grass on each side where the only thing you'd hit are the runway lights, specified to be on frangible posts.

There's a technical differentiation between taxiways and taxilanes. The former are like frontage road along the runway, and the latter are like in a parking lot. Widths vary according to purpose, and nobody should be parking an SUV in a compact spot.

"Musical"

According to AirNav.com the runway at SQL is 2600' long. What is your source for 3050'.

According to manufacture specs the PC-12 requires 2602' for takeoff, putting in qualifiers such as prevailing winds, areas of grass to overshoot, would have to be gross weight, most of the time, doesn't work. They throw in the extra 2 ' for a reason, Aviation specs are exact.

That's why Pilatus says 2602' for take off distance not 2600. They don't round up and down.

Close enough doesn't work in aviation.

You can see in this link SQL has displaced thresholds. Meaning it has more room for take off than 2600'. Web Link

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