News Release

January 8, 1997

Board Of Supervisors Approves
1997- 98 Capacity Allocations, Replacement Monitoring System And
Remodel Of Administration Building For John Wayne Airport

Santa Ana, CA -- The Board of Supervisors, at their regularly scheduled meeting last night, approved the 1997-98 Capacity Allocations for Commercial, All-Cargo and Commuter Carriers operating at John Wayne Airport; approved an agreement with Tracor Applied Sciences, Inc. to provide a replacement system to monitor aircraft operations and noise; and selected an architecture-engineering firm to provide plans for a remodel and renovation of an Airport Administration building.

1997-98 Capacity Allocations

Capacity for Commercial Passenger, All-Cargo and Commuter Carrier aircraft operations for the 1997-98 Plan Year (April 1, 1997 - March 31, 1998) was authorized by the Board in accordance with the Phase 2 Commercial Airline Access Plan and Regulation for John Wayne Airport.

A total of approximately 13.6 million seats were allocated in response to Air Carrier capacity requests and a total of 235,865 Authorized Passengers have been allocated to Commuter Air Carriers for use during the 1997-98 Plan Year. The approved allocations will serve an estimated 8.1 million passengers with an average of approximately 130 daily departures by Air Carriers and over 25 daily departures by Commuter Carriers. (The County is expected to serve approximately 7.5 million annual passengers during the current 1996-97 Plan Year, which ends March 31, 1997).

The Board action also allows for the continued operation of one daily flight each (five days per week) by UPS and FedEx and allows for American Airlines/Reno Air, Continental Airlines/America West Airlines and Alaska Airlines/Northwest Airlines to operate as members of Associated Operating Groups during the 1997-98 Plan Year.

Replacement Monitoring System

Board approval of the agreement with Tracor Applied Sciences, Inc. provides for the replacement of the John Wayne Airport monitoring system hardware and software for aircraft operations and noise monitoring. The existing monitoring system has been in continuous operation since 1979, and is being replaced to ensure the County’s continued ability to meet the requirements of the 1985 Settlement Agreement through management and enforcement of the Phase 2 Access Plan and Orange County General Aviation Noise Ordinance. The contract amount is a fixed price of $1,446,390 and will be funded by the Airport Operating Fund.

Airport Administration Building

Kishimoto Architects/KA was selected by the Board for the remodel and renovation of a 37,000-square foot building located at 3160 Airway Avenue in Costa Mesa to be used as the Airport Administration Offices. The Airport currently leases four buildings for its Administration staff. The leases for these buildings expire on September 22, 1997. The remodel of the building will satisfy the Airport’s need for office space, provide operational efficiencies due to consolidation of function and is cost-effective. The remodel will cost approximately $1.5 - 2 million and result in a cost-savings of nearly $1 million in lease payments over the first five years. The project will be funded by the Airport Operating Fund. It is estimated that the project will be completed in September 1997.

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