Runway extension project getting off the ground

Impact studies are underway for the extension of the Sonoma
County Airport runway, and local officials are launching an
aggressive outreach campaign to residents beginning this month.
“We’re in the middle of our environmental review process. We’re
doing all the ethical studies for the EIR (Environmental Impact
Report), and we have stakeholder meetings scheduled for later this
month. We’re hoping to have the environmental documents ready to
release in late April, early May,” said John Stout, manager of the
Sonoma County Airport.
“From the day it gets released, for the 45 day public comment
period, we will have all the documents on our website. It probably
won’t get to the board until August or September,” Stout said.
The proposed runway extension would enable regional jets to use
the airport. The current runway can serve turboprop planes as well
jets as large as a 737, but is not long enough to serve smaller jet
aircraft.
“We currently have jets now. What the longer runway will allow
are the regional jets that have 50 to 80 seats. The airport has had
jet service in the past with MD80 and 737 service. We can
accommodate 737s today, but the 737 is too large for our market.
They don’t want to put an aircraft that large into our market not
knowing if they’d be able to fill the seats. But they’d like to use
smaller regional jets,” Stout said.
Stout noted that the smaller jets require a longer runway than
larger jets because of their smaller engines.
“It started out as a corporate jet and they made it bigger, but
they didn’t upgrade the wing or the engine so then they needed that
longer takeoff,” Stout said.
The noise impact of a longer takeoff with a jet engine has yet
to be determined.
“I’m not able to comment on that because that’s still being
studied. That’s in the technical analysis,” Stout said.
This month, airport and county officials will meet with three
stakeholder groups: neighbors, environmental groups, and the
business community. These meetings are invitation-only.
Plans for runway extension have been defeated in past decades.
The recent proposal dates to a feasibility study completed in 2004
and a master plan approved by the Board of Supervisors in 2007,
both of which are available at sonomacountyairport.org.
According to Supervisor Mike McGuire, public meetings will begin
in May with presentations to the Windsor Town Council and Santa
Rosa City Council, and likely continue through August.
“The community’s participation is an essential part of the
process. The county has established a proactive plan for community
discussion and feedback regarding the project and this engagement
process will take part over the next several months and ensure the
most complete and transparent discussions to one of our region’s
most critical economic development tools, which is the airport,”
McGuire said.
McGuire noted that the questions of “how, if, and when” will be
up for public debate.
“In June or July, we’re going to be hosting an airport project
open house, this will be a public forum and opportunity for
additional presentations. Folks will be encouraged to ask questions
and provide comments. There’s going to be several different
stations erected addressing the various components of the runway
safety and extension project. FAA staff will also be present at the
open house,” McGuire said.
In August, the Planning Commission will take to the road and
host additional meetings in towns and cities.
Currently, Horizon Air operates a fleet of Bombardier Q400
planes, a turboprop aircraft with 76 seats. The engine noise from
the Q400 is rated at 62.5 decibels, and the plane has a steeper
take-off ascent than regional jets. The noise rating for the lower
flying regional jets ranges from 65 to 68 decibels.
“As with all airport projects, we hope that cost is justified in
light of current and forecasted demand. Bombardier Q400 aircraft at
Sonoma County do not require a longer runway,” wrote Dan Russo,
Horizon Air Vice President of Marketing and Communications, in an
email.
Russo noted that, even if the runway extension moves forward,
Horizon has no plans to switch over to regional jets, which have a
smaller carrying capacity than the Bombardier Q400.
“The Q400 is quieter than any other commercially operated jet of
similar seating capacity or more. It also burns less fuel, which
results in less emissions. With no plans to change the current
aircraft we would not expect the current landing and takeoff
patterns to change and can’t comment on any possible change to
patterns for jets,” Russo wrote.
John Stout noted that the idea of an extended runway had piqued
the interest of other airlines.
“The runway project is subject to board approval. I do have my
own opinion, and I’m not putting my opinion on the board. But in my
discussions with airlines, we have interest from Delta for service
to Salt Lake City, Frontier for service to Denver, and we have
limited interest from US Air to Phoenix,” Stout said.
Staff writer Lynda Hopkins can be reached at Ly***@hb*****.com.