Pilots (l-r) Jerry Bennett, Pat Belanger, Jim Petersen, Frank Giancola, Gene Kindred, and Mike Brogley at San Martin Airport
The Fate of E16
I
San Martin Airport Faces an Uncertain Future
Written By Robin Shepherd
SMA at a Glance
The San Martin Airport (SMA) is a General Aviation Airport
owned by the County of Santa Clara. The airport was built
with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funds and
activated in 1972. It has a single 3095-foot runway and
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GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
currently houses approximately 150 single-engine, multi-
engine, and helicopter aircraft in hangars or on tiedowns.
SMA and Reid-Hillview are both designated by the FAA as
reliever airports to San Jose International—an important role in
terms of providing additional airport capacity and community
airport access—and therefore have higher priority for funding
than many other airports.
There are no county staff employed at the airport. Instead,
Magnum Aviation acts as the airport’s fixed-based operator
(FBO), providing services including: aircraft hangar storage,
fueling, aircraft push back/taxi, a rental fleet, maintenance, and
a flight school with ground and flight training to earn various
Private Pilot Certificates and ratings.
South County Pilots Speak Out
After the county meeting, a group of pilots based at San Martin
Airport offered to meet and talk about their concerns.
According to Pat Belanger, “We’ve all been in aviation for a
long time. We’re tired of seeing airports being mismanaged and
priorities misdirected. The county has decided to make some
sacrifices at our expense. They want to run this airport in a
way that’s fiscally responsible in their minds, but they are not
willing to accept FAA grants and guidance on how to do it. For
the past several years the county has walked away from signifi-
cant FAA grant money available to the county airports.”
Belanger is a 50-year career pilot who has flown everything
from F16 fighter jets to commercial jets to private planes for
his current aerial photography business, 111th Photography,
which he owns and operates at San Martin Airport with his
wife Julie. He’s also a former board member of the South
County Airplane Pilots Association (SCAPA).
SCAPA Board President Mike Brogley explained that there
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n May, the Santa Clara County Roads & Airports
Department (RAD) held a public meeting in a hangar at
the San Martin Airport to review an updated draft Airport
Business Plan. The hangar was filled with county residents—
mostly pilots who keep their planes at the airport and fly
frequently for business, pleasure, and nonprofit work. Their
somber mood reflected concerns about the airport’s future.
Presiding over the meeting were Eric Peterson and Harry
Freitas, who hold director-level posts within RAD. Peterson
outlined the County’s updated draft plan, including proposed
steps to manage and fund the San Martin Airport (along with
the County’s Reed-Hillview Airport) in the future. He said the
plan would be presented to the County Board of Supervisors
for approval within four to six months.
Peterson discussed needs for airfield and facility improve-
ments at San Martin and Reid-Hillview and said the airports
aren’t generating enough income. A significant portion of
improvement projects identified at both airports are eligible
for FAA grant funding. Receipt of such funding would require
the County to accept a 25-year grant assurance and conform
to associated FAA requirements.
During public comment, attendees were respectful but more
than a little surprised and frustrated by what they had heard.
Questions arose regarding the county’s immediate and long-
term priorities and intentions for the airports as well as its
capital improvement and operational cost estimates.