Aircraft Departures Drop For The Fifth Straight Month

Aircraft departures at KSMO have been steadily declining in the five months since the city shortened the airport's runway, according to data released by the city.

The Santa Monica Lookout reports that the most recent data shows departures fell from 3,057 in May, 2017 to 2,417 in May 2018 ... a 14 percent drop when compared to the two-year average.

The fall in the number of jet departures was even more dramatic. There were only 136 jet departures from KSMO last month, an 83 percent drop against the two-year average. Jet noise was the primary reason that the city wanted the shorter runway.

But the airport is still being used by an increasing number of piston aircraft, according to the city's data. Piston departures rose in May from a two-year monthly average of 1,627 to 1,848 last month, a 14 percent increase.

Piston aircraft operations have increased 9 percent from January through May of this year, totaling 8,557 departures, compared to 7,817 during the same period last year.

But for the first time, turboprop aircraft departures fell last month to 283, compared to a 330 average for May over the past two years. Suja Lowenthal, senior advisor on airport matters to the City Manager, said it was "the first decrease in this category since we shortened the runway, except for the year-over-year comparison for March, which we believe may have been a result of inclement weather."

Helicopter departures also fell slightly in May.

(Image from file)

FMI: Original report