More than 90% of the roughly 220,000 civil aircraft registered in the United States are general aviation aircraft. More than 80% of the 609,000 pilots certificated in the U.S. fly GA aircraft. General Aviation generates more than $150 billion in economic activity annually and creates 7.6M jobs.
Many businesses use general aviation today as a valuable productivity tool. It allows them to send key people to visit customers, suppliers, teammates and their facilities in other cities. It allows them to avoid the expense, hassle and schedule constraints of commercial airlines. And it enables businesses located elsewhere to come to the Torrance area for just such activities with their suppliers and customers located in Torrance and the 14 surrounding South Bay cities.
We need city leaders with a vision. We need city leaders who won't repeat the mistakes of Santa Monica. The real estate industry encouraged the submission of anonymous complaints about Santa Monica's historic airport and their City Council decided to ask the FAA for permission to close the airport. Now, the citizens of Santa Monica belatedly realize they will be facing unlimited high-rise development and traffic gridlock in their city as a result.
Torrance is unique among the South Bay cities because it has an airport. Our City Council should be protecting it as an irreplaceable regional asset--not treating it as a nuisance. Our City Council members have an appalling record with respect to their treatment of this asset.
It may be too late for the residents of Santa Monica, but not for the residents of Torrance (and customers of the airport) if we recognize, before it's too late, that the same strategy is being used against the Torrance Airport. We all need to act before the airport is destroyed and developers demand high-rise, dense development in our city. If they win and we lose the airport, it's gone forever!
Torrance flight schools have made many voluntary changes to reduce their effects on residents beneath the traffic patterns. Their reward: Landing fees and a vendetta to kick some of them off the airport. They contribute millions of dollars annually to our local economy and employ over 100 people. Their students also live in the area and contribute to our economy as well.
Recently a group of concerned local pilots has formed this Political Action Committee. The Committee is committed to finding those new visionary leaders in Torrance and supporting them for office. In 2026, another election will be for 3 City Council seats and for mayor. Protecting Torrance Airport will be on ongoing project to keep the enemies of Torrance Airport from chipping away our unique airport and possibly closing it down.
You can help continue our success by electing City Council members who have the interests of all Torrance residents (and airport customers) at heart. You don't have to live in Torrance to donate. Please help us financially in our efforts to prevent destruction of this amazing and irreplaceable regional asset that we all cherish so much.