Board Will Consider June Dates for El Toro Flights

Orange County supervisors will consider June 4 and 5 as dates for demonstration flights of commercial airliners at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station and whether to appropriate $1.3 million to cover the cost.

A variety of leased jets, including a Boeing 747 and a 757, are to begin taking off at 6 a.m. on Friday, June 4, and continue flying in and out of the base until 8 p.m. the next day.

Each aircraft would make three to five takeoffs and landings, according to the proposal, which is scheduled for a vote at the supervisors’ May 18 meeting.

The purpose of the tests is to give South County residents an idea what it would be like living near an international airport operating 24 hours a day at the base. The county is proposing to build such an airport after the base closes in July.

Although 10 jets were to have been included in the demonstration, only eight have been found so far. Neither a Boeing 777 nor an A-340 have been lined up yet.

The flights are to depart on El Toro’s northern and eastern runways. Noise monitoring would be done at 10 locations, including Anaheim Hills, Aliso Viejo, Foothill Ranch and Mission Viejo.