NBAA Pursues Court Challenge To SMO Closure

NBAA filed a motion in a federal appeals court on Monday seeking a stop to any actions that would affect aviation operations at Santa Monica Airport, while the matter is under judicial review. The FAA and the city have announced plans to close the airport in 2028 and to immediately reduce the length of the sole runway from 4,973 feet to 3,500 feet. NBAA and others asked the appeals court last month to review the legality of that settlement. The new motion responds to a request by the FAA to dismiss that petition. "In reaching its agreement with the city, FAA disregarded well-established statutory and regulatory prerequisites to the release of an airport sponsor from federal obligations," NBAA's latest filing reads.

"Even a cursory review of the actions taken - and not taken - by FAA finds that the agency did not comply with requirements both basic and mandatory, and thus the settlement agreement is invalid - as would be any actions taken in reliance upon it," according to the NBAA motion. Stacy Howard, the local representative for NBAA, said restricting turbine aircraft operations at the airport would jeopardize many existing airport businesses and drive operators from SMO. "Multiple businesses that are based at SMO and those headquartered in its vicinity provide employment for thousands from the surrounding area," she said. "Curtailing aviation access to this vital airport would terribly impact them and hurt Santa Monica's economy."

Other parties to the petition include the Santa Monica Airport Association; two airport-based businesses, Bill's Air Center and Kim Davidson Aviation; and two operators that frequently utilize SMO, Redgate Partners and Wonderful Citrus.