By Philip Newman
Jack Olcott, president of the National Business Aviation Association, which looks out for companies using corporate jets, had just heard repeated assertions that nothing could be done to expand LaGuardia Airport.
“Mr. Chairman,” he emphatically addressed the Florida congressman heading a congressional hearing into congestion at New York airports, “I believe that we must never say never. In the past, they extended a runway into Flushing Bay.”
But for U.S. Rep. John Mica (R-Winter Park, Fla.), it was perhaps a matter of “been there, seen that.”
“I can tell you I don’t believe you are going to see LaGuardia expanded,” said Mica, who along with the entire House Subcommittee on Aviation, had been escorted by Port Authority Aviation Director William DeCota on an extensive close-up tour of LaGuardia, which would fit inside John F. Kennedy airport’s central terminal area. Several of the lawmakers’ comments suggested that they had been impressed by what they saw of LaGuardia’s problems.
“Even if you tried (a LaGuardia expansion), it would be tied up in court for no telling how many years,” Mica told Olcott, who had also been rankled by suggestions that accommodation at LaGuardia for general aviation planes, such as corporate jets and private planes, might be eliminated and moved to Teterboro airport in New Jersey.
Mica headed a four-hour hearing Monday at the World Trade Center to discuss what could be done to relieve the crowding at LaGuardia, Kennedy and Newark International airports.
However, Mica said no new runways were in prospect at any of New York’s airports and even if they were, it could be 2015 before such improvements would provide any relief from congestion.
Mica predicted more delays in the next few years at New York airports along with predicted increases in passengers.
“Whatever solution we arrive at for LaGuardia should be applied to the other congested airports,” Mica said. “What’s good enough for New York is good enough for the rest of the country.”
Several members of the Queens congressional delegation testified, including U.S. Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-Astoria), Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn), Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) and Gregory Meeks (D-St. Albans), who was in Vieques, Puerto Rico on a fact-finding mission but whose comments were included in testimony.
Testimony of Queens Borough President Claire Shulman was read by Deputy Borough President Peter Magnani.
Most of the Queens congressional members described how 150,000 Queens residents close to LaGuardia must endure jetliner noise even during a voluntary curfew between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.
Weiner suggested that efforts should be made to keep the supersonic Concorde jetliner from resuming service. It was taken out of service a year ago after a crash in Paris.
Weiner has proposed legislation to ban the Concorde unless its engines can be brought under requirements of Stage III, which would make it much less noisy. All commercial planes over 100,000 pounds except the Concorde must meet such State III standards.
Federal Aviation Administrator Jane Garvey told the committee the airspace redesign project to relieve congestion both over and on approach to populated areas was progressing to the point that some results would be seen soon and that it would be completed between 2005 and 2006.
Garvey said the FAA’s relationship with air traffic controllers was “probably the best ever” and reported 1,000 controllers were to be hired over the next year.
Reach contributing writer Philip Newman by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 136.
