Schwarzenegger's Brother-in-Law Voted In Favor

A family squabble may be yet another result of the controversial ban on large aircraft operations at California's Santa Monica Airport (SMO) -- it includes the Gulfstream G-IV Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger uses to commute from the state capitol to his Los Angeles mansion.

Ironically, Santa Monica City Council member Bobby Shriver -- brother of California's first lady Maria Shriver -- was part of the unanimous vote on March 25 banning Category C and D aircraft, like the G-IV, from SMO.

Bloomberg News reports a federal judge will decide on May 15 whether the governor can land at the airport -- a mere 15-minute drive to his home in the wealthy Los Angeles enclave of Brentwood. If rejected, the "Governator" may be forced to seek a less convenient airport with a significantly longer commute.

The governor's commute from Sacramento is a 355-mile flight aboard a Gulfstream provided by NetJets Inc., the fractional-jet company owned by billionaire Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Such operators account for about 9,000 operations at SMO, or about 7% of traffic at the airport.

Though Schwarzenegger has yet to comment, Shriver says he knows what to expect if the restriction holds. "Now I have to drive an hour and a half because of Bobby and the communists," he told Bloomberg, mimicking his brother-in-law's Austrian accent.

Though Schwarzenegger has been quiet on the issue, others haven't been so mum on the ban. The FAA took legal action in April to overturn the Category C and D ban, that includes popular business aircraft -- including the Gulfstream IV, Challenger and Citation X -- with approach speeds of 121 knots or more.

A temporary restraining order obtained by the FAA currently blocks enforcement of the ordinance. A US District Court judge in Los Angeles will decide whether to allow the ban, or delay it while the matter is resolved by a trial, Santa Monica Deputy City Attorney Martin Tachiki said.

The FAA uses Santa Monica to relieve the region's congested air traffic and advocates implementing new safety measures instead of restricting jets. The city contends a ban will protect passengers and residents from jets skidding into homes as close as 300 feet to the runway.

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.smgov.net