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Economy

SD County's Smaller Airports May Take Up Some Slack

SD County's Smaller Airports May Take Up Some Slack
The San Diego Airport Authority is looking at how local airports around the county could help Lindbergh Field meet the aviation needs of the future.

The San Diego Airport Authority is looking at how local airports around the county could help San Diego International Airport/Lindbergh Field meet the aviation needs of the future.

From Oceanside to Brown Field, the Airport Authority is exploring opportunities to meet demand for air service in the San Diego County region.

Steve Schultz of the Airport Authority said state law requires San Diego to develop a Regional Aviation Strategy. He said public meetings about the plan began this week.

"This is actually the first time in the history of the county that all of the civilian airports in the county are undergoing this kind of analysis," he said.

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Schultz said once the recommendations in the plan are finalized, those will be the airports that operators will be considering for further use.

An open house will be held Thursday night near Palomar Airport in Carlsbad. Two more meetings are planned near Gillespie Field in El Cajon and in the South Bay, near Brown Field. All three airports are recommended for additional uses.

The plan also lists airports that may be considered for further use and those that should not be considered.

Schultz said it would be up to the owners of the individual airports to decide whether to follow the recommendations and expand their uses. In most cases that is the city or county.

San Diego Association of Governments will use the plan as part of its countywide transportation plan, due out in 2011.