Two weeks ago, Mukilteo Mayor Joe Marine claimed in a guest commentary that commercial service at Paine Field would harm the aerospace industry by crowding out Boeing’s operations. The mayor chose a fairy tale, “The Goose That Laid the Golden Egg,” to illustrate his point.
A better choice might have been “Chicken Little” claiming the sky is falling.
Unfortunately, on the subject of commercial service at Paine Field, facts have been drowned out by misinformation and emotion, and the mayor’s article did nothing to improve the discussion. While the mayor is entitled to his opinion, he is not entitled to his own facts. The State Aviation Planning Council, on which I serve, has examined the questions raised by the mayor as a part of its planning for the next 30 years. The needs of the aviation industry have been very much a part of our work and the facts are worthy of review.
Paine Field’s operating capacity is approximately 360,000 flight operations (landings and takeoffs) per year. It is currently operating at less than half of that capacity, about 140,000 operations per year.
Boeing Everett produces widebody aircraft: the 747, 767, 777 and 787. According to Boeing’s own site master plan, and the Paine Field 2002 master plan, the theoretical output for all of Boeing’s airplane lines operating at full capacity is 30 planes per month.
Based on historical data, Boeing’s maximum flight operations at Paine Field are estimated to be less than 3,200 annually, or less than 1 percent of Paine Field’s operation capacity. This estimate includes large cargo freighter operations necessary for 787 assemblies.
Boeing is the largest manufacturer in the United States in terms of a positive contribution to the nation’s outbound trade balance. The Everett facility is the largest manufacturing facility in the world. The city of Everett enjoys a good working relationship and ongoing communications with Boeing. The city would not take actions that would jeopardize Boeing or the aerospace industry.
The city of Everett has taken a number of actions to assure appropriate land use and zoning controls are in place to protect Paine Field, the aerospace industry and the industrial center around Paine Filed. In fact, Everett has won awards for its land use plans and expedited permit process, resulting in millions of square feet of development and thousands of jobs for Southwest Everett.
The aerospace cluster in Snohomish County includes more than 40 businesses associated with building and maintaining airplanes. In June of this year former Boeing Vice President and Everett Plant Manager John Quinlivan co-authored an article supporting commercial service at Paine Filed, calling it a “key economic engine” for the aerospace industry. (The Herald June 7, 2008.) While the Boeing Co. has chosen not to take a position on commercial service at Paine Filed, many of the aerospace businesses located at or near Paine Field will benefit from commercial air service.
Boeing representatives have expressed concerns regarding protecting FAA funding and improvements essential to building airplanes. The FAA-funded improvements for Paine Field are also essential to businesses that repair commercial aircraft and for other aviation businesses at Paine Field. The FAA has clearly indicated that under federal law, terms and conditions of federal grants, and deed restrictions on Paine Field, access to the nation’s airspace cannot be denied. Failure to provide such access jeopardizes FAA funding which, in turn, threatens the aerospace industry in Snohomish County and Washington. By the way, this is where the goose dies!
Opponents of commercial air service are spending hundreds of thousands of tax dollars to hire lobbyists to change FAA policies that assure access to the nation’s airspace. Neither the FAA nor Congress is inclined to change these policies. Asking our congressional delegation to do so places them in an awkward position and so far they appear to have wisely chosen not to take the bait.
Extensive research has been conducted on airplane noise at Paine Field. The simple facts are that commercial carriers are required to operate airplanes with a noise profile that is quieter than many general aviation aircraft.
As elected officials, we owe it to our community and our constituents to seek facts and make fact-based decisions. Commercial service at Paine Field will complement and support the aerospace industry. Denying commercial service will jeopardize FAA funding essential to the aerospace industry.
Paul Roberts is a member of the Everett City Council and vice chair of the Washington State Aviation Planning Council. The views expressed here are solely his.
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