It was a packed house Wednesday evening at Los Angeles Mission College, where more than 200 people gathered to hear the findings of Los Angeles County’s long-awaited Whiteman Airport Land Use Study.
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The crowd was largely supportive of keeping Whiteman Airport open, with attendees eager to hear what the County’s consultants had found after months of research.
Consultant Lisa Trifiletti and her team presented an executive summary of the $2.1 million study, which examined three possible scenarios for Whiteman’s future.
The findings reinforced several important points: both scenarios that preserve airport operations project positive financial returns, while closing and redeveloping the airport would involve billions of dollars in costs, substantial financial challenges and federal approval requirements.
The consultants did not recommend closing Whiteman Airport or endorse any of the three scenarios.
Following the presentation, attendees participated in breakout sessions to ask questions, share concerns and provide additional feedback, which will be included in an appendix to the study.
WHAT THE STUDY FOUND
As we reported earlier this week, the County examined three possible futures for Whiteman Airport.
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Closing and redeveloping the airport for other uses cost $3.5 billion, per the county’s own estimates. Closure would also require FAA approval, creating additional regulatory hurdles and uncertainty. The study describes a potentially decades-long process before redevelopment could occur.
The Whiteman Airport Coalition supports keeping the airport open, with modernization, infrastructure improvements and new opportunities for aviation businesses at the forefront.
IS THE STUDY UNDERESTIMATING WHITEMAN’S POTENTIAL?
One of the questions emerging from the meeting is whether the study fully captures what Whiteman Airport could generate economically.
While Scenario 2 projects higher financial returns than Scenario 1, there are important factors that may be limiting the airport’s current economic performance.
As we’ve previously reported, Whiteman Airport Isn’t Failing. It’s Being Set Up to Fail, we’ve examined how restrictions on long term leases have discouraged businesses from investing at Whiteman. Years of uncertainty about the airport’s future have also contributed to the loss of tenants and business opportunities.
If those restrictions were lifted and businesses had confidence in Whiteman’s future, could Scenario 1 generate substantially more revenue than the study projects?
It’s an important question, particularly when both scenarios that keep the airport operating already show positive financial returns.
WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE OF AVIATION?
Another interesting exchange came when attendees questioned why the study didn’t consider electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, known as eVTOLs, and the growing field of advanced air mobility.
The consultants explained that when the study began, eVTOLs weren’t part of the discussion.
But if Los Angeles County is evaluating decisions that could shape Whiteman Airport for decades, what about the next generation of aviation?
Whiteman’s location in the San Fernando Valley and opportunities for future development could make it a candidate for emerging aviation technologies, new businesses, workforce training and jobs.
We raised the importance of planning for aviation’s future in our earlier newsletter, Federal Funding Is a Start. Whiteman Needs Real Modernization.
The question now is whether those opportunities will receive further consideration as the County evaluates Whiteman’s future.
County Exploring Permanent Memorial for Fallen NBC4 News Crew
There was also meaningful news earlier Wednesday during a separate meeting of Los Angeles County aviation commissioners.
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LA County Aviation Division Chief Jason Morgan announced that the County is exploring the possibility of creating a permanent memorial at Whiteman Airport honoring NBC4 and Telemundo 52 aerial reporter Eliana Moreno and NewsChopper4 pilot George Marciniw.
Moreno and Marciniw worked together for years out of Whiteman Airport before they were killed September 15 when their helicopter crashed while covering a news story.
A permanent memorial would recognize their lives, their work and their longstanding connection to the airport.
What Happens Next?
Wednesday’s meeting gave the public an opportunity to review the study’s findings, ask questions and share their perspectives on Whiteman Airport’s future.
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The feedback collected during the breakout sessions will be included in an appendix to the study.
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No final decision has been made about when the Board of Supervisors will vote on the issue.
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We will continue following the County’s review process and sharing developments as they become available.
Thank you to everyone who attended Wednesday’s meeting, participated in the discussions and made their voices heard.
