A Beloved Airport Could Be the Next Site of a Deadly Mid-Air Collision – NTSB

A year after the tragic mid-air collision between an Army helicopter and a PSA Airlines jet at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), the National Transportation Safety Board apparently is darkly confident where the next major incident will take place.

The Hollywood-Burbank Airport (BUR), also known as Bob Hope Airport or simply just “Burbank” to many of us who regularly use the quaint little airport could see a catastrophic in-air collision.

“I keep hearing about other areas in the air space where they’re concerned. Burbank is one where commercial airlines have called me to say the next midair [collision] is going to be at Burbank and nobody at FAA is paying attention to that,” said NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy.

The problem is that busy commercial airport BUR is about 15 miles away from Van Nuys Airport (VNY), one of the world’s busiest general aviation airports. It sees around a quarter million operations every year. Most Burbank-bound traffic crosses perpendicularly over VNY — almost always at 3,000 feet or above, before quickly descending for an abrupt landing on the short Runway 8.

Here’s a report from Los Angeles news legend Ed Laskos at Fox 11 LA:

We see a lot of helicopter traffic from both airports — mainly law enforcement choppers and media-related birds (who follow the cops!). That doesn’t help matters.

The area between Los Angeles International (LAX), Santa Monica (SMO), VNY, and BUR was the busiest airspace in the world several years ago (and probably still is now) when I developed a television show about aviation and pilots in the area. (Spoiler alert: it never came to fruition, despite getting interest from some decent names!)

Burbank is beloved by many of us because it’s much simpler to use than LAX. It’s only 14 gates and TSA waits are generally not very long. People are way more laid-back at BUR than the living hell known as LAX.

Will I Still Fly Out of Burbank?

Great news for my life insurance beneficiaries (and people who rag on this blog): yep!

I’ve used Burbank for 25 years and know people who basically live there. We’re still around to tell the tales of amazing landings on Runway 8 (if you know, you know), crazy turbulence over the mountains, and rowdy, 45-minute parties-in-sky during Friday afternoon flights to Vegas.

Although, my wife and daughter may overrule me when we travel together.

Will YOU Still Fly Out of Burbank?

Given the NTSB’s warning about Burbank, will you live dangerously like me? Or stay away from BUR?