John Wayne Airport
John Wayne Airport is one of the greatest threats to the quality of life for Newport Beach residents.
SPON has advocated for over 40 years to defend and support the 1985 Settlement Agreement in order to protect residents from the negative impacts of living adjacent to an airport.
In 1985, three groups - SPON, the Airport Working Group (AWG), and the City of Newport Beach - united to sue the County of Orange over the airport’s negative impacts on residents. The County subsequently entered into a settlement agreement with the three parties. This agreement provides for a nighttime curfew for commercial airlines, limits average daily departures (ADDs), enforces noise limits, and places a cap on the number of annual passengers allowed for commercial airlines.
The 1985 Settlement Agreement term ends in 2030, and negotiation conversations have already begun among the signatories. Ensuring that the agreement’s safeguards remain in place is SPON’s top priority, but we cannot do this alone - we need your help! We urge you to donate to SPON to help fund this upcoming challenge.
Settlement Agreement Terms from 1985 to the current term
Commercial Airline Curfew Hours
Monday-Saturday 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
Sunday 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.
1985 Settlement Agreement Terms
20 year term: 1985 to 2005
Limited Average Daily Departures (ADD)
Limited service to 8.4 million annual passengers (MAP)
Limited terminal size, parking spaces and loading bridges
2003 Amendment Terms
Extended term until 12/31/2015 - 10 years
Extended curfew to 12/31/2020 - 15 years
Increased Average Daily Departures (ADD to 85)
Increased service limits to 10.8 million annual passengers
Increased loading bridges and removed limits on terminal size and parking
2014 Amendment Terms
Maintained 85 average Daily Departures till 12/31/2020
Increased to 95 Average Daily Departures from 1/1/2021 to 12/31/2030
Extended curfew through 2035
Increased Million annual Passengers in 3 phases:
10.8 Map through 12/31/20
11.8 MAP through 12/31/25
12/5 MAP through 12/31/30
Initiatives/Achievements
2024
Top Priorities - SPON remains vigilant about JWA operations, noise, and expansion attempts. We continually monitor the growing number of general aviation jet operations, and the effects on our community. We are concerned about the rapid pace for small aircraft and flight schools being permanently squeezed out of JWA as result of the General Aviation Improvement Program (GAIP). Protecting the safeguards in the 1985 Settlement Agreement, and preparing for the renegotiation of this agreement, continues to be one of our top priorities.
2021
Fly Friendly Program - SPON members worked with the City’s Aviation Committee, the County of Orange, and JWA to develop the voluntary Fly Friendly Program to help mitigate noise and pollution impacts from the expanding general aviation operations. The award program was designed to encourage general aviation operators to fly a preferred noise abatement departure procedure, cease nighttime departures for non-emergency flights, and upgrade aircraft to less polluting technology. The program annually recognizes and awards the operators that earn the highest scores in the Fly Friendly Program.
2020 to Present
Aviation Committee - SPON maintains a seat on the City’s Aviation Committee to track airport operations, and to ensure that all terms of the 1985 Settlement Agreement are being met. SPON encouraged the City to expand its communication to residents and provide increased education on aviation topics.
2017-2019
General Aviation Improvement Program (GAIP) - SPON advocated for limits to JWA’s general aviation operations in the GAIP. Unfortunately, the 1985 Settlement Agreement does not include any limits on GA operations.
2014
JWA l985 Settlement Agreement Re-Negotiation - The results of the 2014 settlement agreement negotiations maintained the curfew but permitted a significant operational expansion. The passenger cap increased from 10.8 to 12.5 million annual passengers through 2026. The number of Average daily Departures increase from 85 to 95. The agreement is in place until 2030, and the curfew until 2035.
2003
The 2003 Amendment - resulted in significant losses for residents impacted by JWA. While the four signatories to the agreement approved extending the terms through 2015 that maintained the environmental and noise protections, it also resulted in the addition of Terminal C which increased operational and facility capacity. The limits on terminal size and parking structure levels were eliminated. The passenger annual cap increased from 8.4 to 10.8 million.
2002
AirFair - Members of SPON formed the independently operated AirFair PAC in large part because SPON, and another signatory (AWG), were being allowed only a limited role in the negotiations that led to the 2003 amendments. AirFair supported political candidates who wanted to limit growth of JWA. AirFair was a grassroots organization that raised awareness of JWA issues, educated citizens about the importance of maintaining the Settlement Agreement protections, and “holding the line” in future negotiations.
1990
ANCA- In 1990, Congress passed the Airport Noise and Capacity Act (ANCA) which prevented local jurisdictions from adopting laws to limit or restrict airport operations. The JWA limits stipulated by the 1985 Settlement Agreement were grandfathered under the new act, and remained in place. ANCA has prevented the creation of agreements like ours, and has prohibited our ability to impose further limitations on airport operations.
1987
GANO - GANO is the General Aviation Noise Ordinance. A strict noise limit was placed on general aviation aircraft. There are severe penalties for high noise events, but the ordinance does not address unrelenting noise from increased operations. JWA has seven noise monitors along the Back Bay Estuary that are monitored 24/7 by the Airport Noise Office. Unfortunately, in 1985 when the JWA Settlement Agreement was crafted, no one could force the dramatic increase in private jet operations. General aviation (piston engine planes and private jets) are now averaging between 60-70% of JWA’s total volume. For this reason, the voluntary Fly Friendly Program was implemented in 2023.
1981
Airport Working Group - SPON formed the Airport Working Group which is an independent organization actively working to refine flight paths and procedures, and to mitigate the growth and negative impacts of JWA.
1980
OC Master Plan Lawsuit - The City of Newport Beach sued the County of Orange to prevent them from implementing their Master Plan to expand John Wayne Airport. SPON joined with the City and worked to try and convince the County that airport expansion impacts would be detrimental to our residents. This set the stage for the 1985 Settlement Agreement.
Your donation will support SPON’s efforts to protect the things we value the most – our quality of life, beaches, schools, and home values – from the noise and pollution impacts and never-ending expansion threats from John Wayne Airport.
Please spread the word to your neighbors to ensure we don’t lose this fight.