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I intended to write about TVNPA’s incredible program on Housing and Homelessness, but that will have to wait. I realized that there is a more immediate topic: the survey on LVK, our Livermore Airport, which closes on Friday. Here’s the link.
The airport is often taken for granted or misunderstood, but meets some very real needs in the community and region. LVK is a General Aviation (GA) airport. These airports fill in the gaps that commercial and military airports leave, including training pilots, acting as bases during emergencies, and more.
Here’s what LVK does:
1. Flight instructors at LVK train pilots to fly the commercial planes we rely on for business and pleasure travel. Many of the people doing the essential maintenance crews that keep commercial planes flying were trained at LVK.
2. LVK is one of the regional centers for emergency operations. It hosts the civil air patrol, our civilian air volunteers. During major fires, such as those in 2017 or 2020, it acts as a base for helicopters, enabling a quicker response for water drops. It will be an essential base in the case of other emergencies — earthquakes, for example.
3. LVK also hosts the Alameda County Sheriff’s air squadron. This squadron provides aerial support for local agencies and collaborates with other emergency bodies across the region.
4. While LVK serves the community in important ways, it also meets local needs for small planes that are housed in LVK’s hangars or that stop to refuel. These private planes are small, single or twin engine planes, although a small percentage are business jets.
Want more information on the airport? Go to the City website, click on the Departments Drop down menu, then, under Public Works, click on Airport. There you can find the details on “Transitioning to an Unleaded Future,” the relationship among the FAA, LVK, FBO* companies, pilots, and the greater community, or how to book an airport tour.
* For example, from the FAQs:
Q: What is an “FBO”?
A: An “FBO” stands for “fixed base operator,” and is a privately owned aviation supporting business located at an Airport, such as a fuel provider, an aircraft maintenance facility, a flight school, or any other aviation related business.
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