Some airport safety rules yet to be enacted

The black plume of smoke had barely cleared from the skies over North Las Vegas when the county's airports director called a news conference.

A home-built plane had just plunged into a house, killing an older couple and the pilot, and Randall Walker wanted a change.

"I do not believe ... that experimental aircraft and high-risk aircraft operations such as training and solo flights belong in an urban airport," Walker said that morning in August 2008.

He suggested that federal aviation rules be changed to give local airports more authority over what types of aircraft take off and land at their facilities.

More than a year has passed since the fiery crash, and Walker hasn't gotten his wish. But in that time both state and federal officials have acted to make the skies over North Las Vegas safer for pilots and residents.

The first change came from the Federal Aviation Administration in December when it revised its rules for experimental and home-built aircraft using North Las Vegas Airport.

At the time of the Aug. 22, 2008, crash, the Velocity 173 RG plane was allowed to use the airport. It had an initial five hours of flight time and could take off and land from the airport to complete the remaining flight hours over unpopulated areas needed for FAA certification.

The new FAA rules ban homemade planes from North Las Vegas Airport until they've completed that second phase of flight time, which is either 25 or 40 hours depending on the plane's engine.

The same restriction applies to McCarran International Airport but not other county airports. Such flights to and from Henderson Executive Airport must fly over open areas.

FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said the agency made the change after reviewing the Velocity crash, and Walker's statements had no influence on the FAA's decision.

Walker, who considers experimental aircraft among the "highest risk operations" at airports, declined through a spokesman to comment for this story. The National Transportation Safety Board blamed the Velocity crash on an improperly installed supercharger on the engine.

The plane's owner, Mike Killgore of Show Low, Ariz., could not be reached, and the family of the couple killed in the crash, Jack and Lucy Costa, declined to comment.

Neighbors who have warily watched traffic at the North Las Vegas Airport increase over the years applauded the FAA's policy change, but said it doesn't go far enough.

The airport should be moved, they said.

"They shouldn't be flying over areas with a lot of people," said Robert Krenn, who has lived three blocks from the airport for nearly three decades. "They fly right over the top of my house, and they seem like they're lower than they should be."

Linda E. Young, who has lived in a home close to the airport since 1979, said officials still need to address "how low the planes fly, and the frequency" of flights over heavily populated areas.

"Will one of those (planes) just drop down on our homes?" she said. "It's an accident waiting to happen. We're always nervous. We want to feel safe in our own homes."

Young said when she first moved to the area flights were much less frequent and planes didn't seem to fly so close to the tops of homes.

"I can literally see the numbers on the bottom of the plane."

During the legislative session earlier this year, state lawmakers looked to address such concerns among North Las Vegas residents.

Led by state Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, D-Las Vegas, and Assemblywoman Marilyn Kirkpatrick, D-North Las Vegas, lawmakers passed a resolution that created a stakeholders group to develop recommendations to improve air safety at the airport with a focus on experimental and home-built aircraft.

The group, which includes pilots groups, residents, the FAA, and the county Department of Aviation, has been meeting through the summer and will complete its final report by the end of the month.

"Anytime you can put people in a room, it's beneficial," Kirkpatrick said.

David Lerner, president of the Clark County Aviation Association, which represents local pilots on the stakeholders group, said the members have worked "extraordinarily" well together to come up with recommendations.

"I think people will be pleased with it," Lerner said of the final report, which is due Nov. 1.

He said he understands people being upset after the crash, even if that anger is misdirected at an airport that has gradually been swallowed up by development since its creation in 1941.

But he welcomed the chance to make changes in the wake of the deadly crash. "Anything that's tragic that can turn into a positive is good," he said.

Contact reporter Brian Haynes at bhaynes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0281.