Reid-Hillview airport in the Crosshairs—Again. Pilots Need to Act Now.

The Reid-Hillview Airport in San Jose, CA is the target again of a potential closure action by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. In March, the board voted for studies of the potential net financial benefits of developing the airport and the potential legal issues with closing the airport. At their June 3, 2008 meeting, they will vote on whether to continue toward closure, and if so, will familiarize themselves with a closure process at their August meeting. Now is the time for pilots and aviation supporters everywhere to begin mobilizing to preserve this valuable regional resource. As you know, once an airport is gone, it can never be replaced.

Here’s a list of ways that you can help. First and foremost, if you know one of the five Santa Clara County supervisors, make an appointment with them to explain face-to-face why Reid-Hillview is important to you. Explain what it would mean to you personally if the airport were taken away. Point out that if RHV were closed, there will be fewer places to practice landings, leading to more planes flying around Palo Alto and San Jose International airports. Suggest that rather than closing RHV, the county work on ways to increase the revenue generated from developing commercial ventures on the property. For example, county policy currently only permits month-to-month leases, which have inhibited anyone from investing in reopening the restaurant in the airport’s terminal building.

Join one or both of the groups that is actively fighting the airport closure. The Reid-Hillview Airport Association, RHVAA, represents airport tenants and pilots, and actively works on relationships with the surrounding neighborhoods. Membership dues are $25 per year, and you can find more details about them at their www.rhvaa.org website and download a membership application at http://www.rhvaa.org/about_rhvaa/MissionAndSignup_031708.pdf.

CRAMP, the Coalition for Responsible Airport Management and Policy, works with elected officials and the separate CRAMP PAC (Political Action Committee), donates to the election campaign funds of local candidates who support general aviation. CRAMP was highly involved in the 1996 RHV closure fight and has been dormant during the relative calm of the last few years. They’ve just been reactivated and sent out a message last week to past members asking for donations for CRAMP and the CRAMP PAC. Please consider donating your cost of at least one or two hours of flight time to the CRAMP PAC. Send your checks for CRAMP and CRAMP PAC to 2010 Majestic Way, San Jose, CA 95132. For PAC donations include your name, address, employer, and job title and remember that these political contributions are not tax deductible.

Join the Silicon Valley GA Yahoo group, so that you receive updates on the fight. Go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SiliconValleyGA/join? and enter information about yourself to join. Alternatively, you can send an email message to siliconvalleyga-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. If the Board of Supervisors votes to continue the closure process at their June meeting, RHVAA or CRAMP may call upon you for further action.

Learn the Facts

The county studies of RHV airport closure in the 1990’s was motivated by safety concerns, since a residential neighborhood had grown up around the airport in the years since it was founded. A 1992 county funded study found that the airport was the safest possible use of the land for the well-being of airport neighbors. No one living around the airport has ever been injured by an aircraft accident.

In contrast, the latest RHV closure study is motivated by budget concerns. The county is facing a $215 million dollar budget deficit this year and is considering whether selling the 180 acre airport might help to balance their spreadsheet for a year.

Here are some facts regarding Reid-Hillview.

• The RHV airport is self-funding and it generates a budget surplus used at the other two airports the county operates. Closing RHV would cause the remaining county operated airports to operate at a loss.
• A County funded study showed that the RHV airport generates $40 million of economic benefit to the community every year.
• In 1996, the County Budget Director concluded that the county’s attempt to close the airport had led to direct costs to the county budget of over $3 million.
• A county funded environmental impact statement concluded that replacing RHV with mixed residential or commercial/light industrial uses would create three times the pollution created by the airport.
• From 1997-2002, RHV had 1.2 million operations, making it the 76^th busiest airport in the country (including commercial airports like O’Hare and Atlanta). If the airport is closed, many of the landings now at RHV will be transferred to San Jose International and Palo Alto airports.

RHV is a valuable asset, both to pilots and to the surrounding neighborhoods. Closing it is not a solution to the county’s budget problems. Pilots and airport supporters need to take action now to help save this valuable resource.