City of Del Mar, CA
04/29/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/29/2024 08:13
Del Mar and military leaders meet on aircraft flyovers
In a meeting this week at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, military officers told City representatives they are developing a guidebook to reinforce rules for rotary aircraft flights between the base at Miramar, Naval Air Station North Island and Camp Pendleton.
The "combined course rules guidebook" would be issued to every pilot, including those from transient squads that visit the local installations to train. The three bases also are considering the creation of "virtual navigation points" one mile offshore to guide pilots unfamiliar with the approved routes. The military is targeting July to finalize and roll out the rules.
A Navy commander told City officials he would follow up with pilots who violate the course guidebook.
The meeting with Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Dennis K. Campbell, Navy Cmdr. Don McNeil and Del Mar Councilmembers Tracy Martinez and Dwight Worden follows an earlier meeting in July 2023.
At that meeting, officers from Miramar told Martinez and Worden that the "beach route" sends rotary aircraft west-northwest over Los Peñasquitos Lagoon before turning them north about one mile out to sea.
Some pilots, however, cut the corner and fly close to homes in Del Mar.
The Miramar base is located about 12 miles southeast of the City and, on average, runs 67,000 flight operations per year. It is home to 116 rotary wing or tilt-rotor aircraft and 105 fixed-wing planes.
Residents can file noise complaints to Miramar online or by calling 858-307-4277.
Related story: Del Mar officials and Miramar base commander discuss helicopter noise (Aug. 1, 2023)