VAN NUYS AIR SHOW GROUNDED.Byline: Dana Bartholomew Staff Writer The 41-year-old Van Nuys air show, the San Fernando San Fernando, city, Argentina San Fernando (săn fərnăn`dō), city (1991 pop. 144,761), Buenos Aires prov., E Argentina. It is a district administrative center in the Greater Buenos Aires area. Valley's biggest event - drawing crowds of up to 300,000 people - is being grounded to make way for firefighting helicopters, airport officials announced Thursday. Construction this month of a 13-acre Los Angeles Fire Department The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), also known as the Los Angeles City Fire Department to distinguish it from the Los Angeles County Fire Department. It is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of Los Angeles. air operations facility at Van Nuys Airport Van Nuys Airport (IATA: VNY, ICAO: KVNY, FAA LID: VNY) is a public airport located in Van Nuys, California in the San Fernando Valley, within the Los Angeles city limits. will scale back the popular air show that featured large-scale military aircraft demonstrations, Van Nuys Airport spokeswoman Stacey Geere said. The decision to shut down the show was made quietly by airport officials last fall. The Van Nuys Airport Citizens Advisory Council was told last month and the decision only became public Thursday when the Daily News inquired about plans for the event. Mayor James Hahn For the Iowa politician, see . James Kenneth "Jim" Hahn (born July 3, 1950) is an American politician from the Democratic Party. He was the Deputy City Attorney (1975-1979), City Controller (1981-1985), City Attorney (1985-2001) and Mayor of Los Angeles, California , who has long supported the air show, known officially as the Aviation Expo, said there was a greater need for public safety in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. . ``This new helicopter center will enhance the Fire Department's capability to conduct life-saving water drop, search and rescue, brush patrol and air ambulance air ambulance Emergency medicine A helicopter or, less commonly, a fixed wing aircraft, used to evacuate a person who requires immediate medical attention that cannot be provided at his/her current location missions that will keep Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. safer for all residents,'' said Hahn in a statement. City Councilman Tony Cardenas Tony Cardenas served in the California State Assembly. In the Assembly, he had the powerful position of chair of the Budget Committee. He is now a Los Angeles City Councilman, representing the 6th district, which includes parts of the San Fernando Valley. , who represents Van Nuys, said he was disappointed in the cancellation of this year's air show. ``This air show at Van Nuys Airport is a long-standing tradition. It's unfortunate that they're doing a very-scaled-back version this year, for whatever reason. Hopefully this is just a hiccup hiccup or hiccough, involuntary spasmodic contraction of the diaphragm followed by a sharp intake of air, which is abruptly stopped by a sudden, involuntary closing of the glottis (opening between the vocal cords); the consequent blocking of air in the process.'' Aviation enthusiasts took the news grudgingly. ``Time marches on,'' said Coby King, chairman of the Van Nuys Airport Citizens Advisory Council. ``This is the consequence of further urbanization. I'll definitely miss the air show, but that's the price of progress.'' Instead of the two-day aeronautical aer·o·nau·tic also aer·o·nau·ti·cal adj. Of or relating to aeronautics. aer  o·nau spectacular that has drawn as
many as 300,000 residents since 1963, there will be a one-day static Van
Nuys Airport Community Open House on June 26, with an air demonstration
by Los Angeles fire choppers.
``It's a tough decision,'' said Geere. ``The construction of the air operations facility has permanently altered our ability to host the full-scale air show. It's definitely a benefit to the residents of the San Fernando Valley and the city of Los Angeles
Homeowners near the airport said that, given the noise, and number of people in the Valley and around Van Nuys Airport, the air show's time has come and gone. During the airport open house, Los Angeles Fire Chief William Bamattre and city officials will break ground on the $33 million Van Nuys Air Operations and Maintenance Facility. Fire officials have called their current home at Van Nuys Airport ``outdated and overcrowded o·ver·crowd v. o·ver·crowd·ed, o·ver·crowd·ing, o·ver·crowds v.tr. To cause to be excessively crowded: a system of consolidation that only overcrowded the classrooms. .'' The new facility, paid for by a Proposition F safety bond measure, would triple Los Angeles Fire Department operations, now handled out of trailers on five acres at the airport. The new facility would house and repair Los Angeles Fire, Police and Water department helicopters and police fixed-wing aircraft at the abandoned California National Guard The California National Guard is the component of the United States National Guard in the U.S. state of California. It comprises both Army and Air National Guard components. site - a strip of tarmac customarily used to line up military jets during the air show - on the airport's west side. It would also provide a fire station and living quarters for pilots, in addition to the administration of crash rescue and paramedic par·a·med·ic n. A person who is trained to give emergency medical treatment or assist medical professionals. paramedic air ambulances under one roof. The facility was born from an order from the Federal Aviation Administration Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), component of the U.S. Department of Transportation that sets standards for the air-worthiness of all civilian aircraft, inspects and licenses them, and regulates civilian and military air traffic through its air traffic control to improve air operations facilities after a Fire Department helicopter crash. ``This will allow us to take care of the people that are already providing enhanced public safety,'' said Los Angeles fire Battalion Chief John Duca, commander of the Los Angeles Fire Department fire bond program. ``We'll also provide a hangar for airships, so their longevity will be (enhanced).'' Don Schultz, president of the Van Nuys Homeowners Association and a member of the Van Nuys Airport Citizens Advisory Council, said he also hadn't heard that the full-scale air show was dead. ``I question that people can just write off the air show,'' he said. ``To say that the air show is gone forever, I don't think that's true. I would imagine if they (airport officials) wanted to, they could still create an air show.'' Not according to airport officials. Geere said the new helicopter facility would hamper the ability of fire officials to respond to a military air show accident, a contention that fire officials dispute. Instead of a free air show filled with two days of aerobatics aerobatics Sport of performing maneuvers such as rolls, loops, stalls, spins, and dives with an airplane. As an organized sport, rather than as an air show attraction (“stunt flying”), aerobatics began international competition in 1960 under the auspices of the , airport administrators will host a public open house from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., June 26. The event's theme, ``A Salute to Air Support and Rescue,'' will honor Los Angeles Fire Department helicopter pilots for saving lives and property during the California firestorms last fall. Like its air show predecessor, the open house will feature World War II-era aircraft, including a B-17, B-25, P-51 Mustang and dozens of other vintage warbirds. Pilots will be on hand to answer questions. The Professional Helicopter Pilots Association will assist in displays on public safety and electronic news-gathering. Airport bus tours will also be available. What it will not feature is the large-scale display of military aircraft that has entertained residents for most of 41 years - the only such air show in Los Angeles. The $1 million air extravaganza, paid for by the city, featured military flyboys and stealth fighter flyovers, plus stunts from other aircraft and sky divers. Airport officials said last year's Van Nuys Aviation Expo, which commemorated the 75th anniversary of the airport and the 100th anniversary of flight, ``was the best ever.'' Gerry Silver, president of Homeowners of Encino and a member of the Van Nuys Airport Citizens Advisory Council, said the airport should have canceled the show years ago. He added that 28 Valley homeowners groups have complained about its noise. ``Given the choice between a frivolous air show and a new facility for police and fire, the residents, hands down, support the police and fire facility,'' he said. ``The only question is whether the decision should have been open to more public debate.'' Staff Writer James Nash contributed to this report. Dana Bartholomew, (818) 713-3730 dana.bartholomew(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): map Map: PROPOSED VAN NUYS AIR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FACILITY SOURCES: Los Angeles World Airports Los Angeles World Airports or LAWA is the airport oversight and operations department for the city of Los Angeles, California. This department owns and operates Los Angeles International Airport, LA/Ontario International Airport, Palmdale Regional Airport, and Van , Van Nuys Airport Warren Huskey/Staff Artist |
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