Torrance Municipal Code Art. 2 Operation

(Amended by O-1004; O-1264)

The Airport shall be open for public use at all hours of the day, subject to such restrictions due to inclement weather, the conditions of the landing area, and like causes, as may be reasonably determined by the Airport Manager to be in the interest of safety. The Airport shall be open for public use at night as determined by the City Council; provided, however, that night lighting systems will be operated in such a manner as to assure their availability to all users of the Airport.

(Amended by O-3097)

a) Except as otherwise herein provided, all aircraft, both fixed wing and rotary wing, arriving at or leaving the airport, before landing and after takeoff, shall be flown in accordance with the traffic patterns shown on those certain diagrams on file with the City Clerk and in the office of the Airport Manager, and which are made a part hereof. All rotary wing aircraft being flown for testing, training or certification shall be flown within the north training pattern shown in those certain diagrams on file in the office of the City Clerk and in the office of the Airport Manager, and which are made a part hereof.

b) The traffic pattern flight altitude for fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft arriving and departing is eight hundred feet (800') and the training pattern flight altitude for rotary wing aircraft is five hundred feet (500').

c) All rotary wing testing, training or certification flights shall be conducted within the north training pattern, as provided in paragraph (a) above, but nothing contained in this Section shall prohibit use of the south training pattern, as shown on those certain diagrams on file in the office of the City Clerk and the office of the Airport Manager, for arriving at or departing from the Airport, or in the event of an emergency, or when otherwise directed by the air traffic controller.

(Amended by O-1004)

a) All cockpit and engine checks shall be made on the run-up ramp prior to taxiing into position for take off.

b) Before taxiing an aircraft into position on the runway for take off, the runway base legs and final approach legs shall be clear and, if the control tower is being operated, the pilot shall have received clearance from the control tower.

c) All take offs and landings of aircraft shall be made on the runway only.

d) All initial take offs of aircraft shall be made from the end of the runway.

e) Aircraft taking off to the west shall not turn left until they have either reached the ocean or attained an altitude of fifteen hundred (1,500) feet.

f) Touch and go landings shall be permitted only after the pilot of the aircraft has received approval from the air traffic controller in the control tower.

g) Aircraft landing at the Airport shall make the landing runway available to others by leaving the line of traffic as promptly as possible.

a) Privately owned aircraft shall be parked only in the tie down area or in a hangar.

b) Flying school and rental aircraft shall be parked only in the flight lines assigned them by the Airport Manager.

c) Transient aircraft shall be parked in the tie down area in positions assigned them by the Airport Manager.

d) At the direction of the Airport Manager, the operator, owner or pilot of any aircraft on the airport shall move the aircraft from the place where it is parked or stored to any other place designated on the Airport. If the operator refuses to comply with the directions, the Airport Manager may tow the aircraft to such place at the operator’s expense and without liability for damage that may result from such moving.

a) No person shall attempt to crank or start an airplane unless a licensed pilot or mechanic is at the controls of said airplane.

b) Aircraft shall be started and warmed up only at such places as the Airport Manager shall designate for such purpose.

c) No aircraft shall be started or run unless the aircraft is in such a position that the propeller blast will clear all buildings, and all aircraft maneuvering areas, and all groups of people in observation areas.

a) Pilots shall taxi their aircraft slowly on the taxi strips and display extreme caution at all times.

b) Pilots shall not taxi their aircraft at a higher engine speed than necessary for the movement of the aircraft.

c) Aircraft shall not be taxied closer than one hundred (100) feet to the runway for warm up.

d) Aircraft shall not be taxied into our out of a hangar.

(Amended by O-1264)

a) No person shall do business on the Airport unless he has:

1. Permission therefor from the City Council;

2. A fixed place of business therefor on the Airport; and

3. A business license therefor issued by the City.

b) Commercial activity consisting of an isolated act shall not constitute doing business within the meaning of this Section.

a) Smoking or lighting of open flames shall be prohibited in the following locations:

1. Places with posted signs;

2. On ramps or aprons;

3. Within fifty (50) feet of hangars, fuel trucks or fuel loading stations.

b) No person shall start an open fire on the Airport without permission of the Airport Manager.

c) No person shall stock or store any material or equipment in such a manner as to constitute a fire hazard.

d) Except for oil in sealed containers, no inflammable liquids or gases, including but not limited to, gasoline, dope, solvent and thinner, shall be stored in any facility housing aircraft in quantities greater than one (1) gallon. A separate building for such use may be required by the Airport Manager.

e) Except for oil in sealed containers or in drums equipped with hand operated dispensing pumps, no inflammable liquids or gases, as aforesaid, shall be stored in any maintenance hangar in quantities aggregating more than thirty-five (35) gallons and said storage shall be in metal cabinets. Quantities in excess of thirty-five (35) gallons shall be stored in a separate building or within a four (4) hour fire-resistive room, especially constructed for such storage.

f) No person shall use a volatile inflammable for cleaning purposes inside any hangar or building.

g) Oily waste rags and other similar inflammable material shall be stored in self-closing metal containers.

h) Hangar floors, gasoline pits and trucks shall be kept clean and free of excess gasoline, grease and other inflammable liquids, solids or gases.

i) Paint, varnish, paper, boxes and other litter or rubbish shall not be accumulated in any hangar or building.

j) Aircraft engines shall not be run, nor shall aircraft electrical or radio equipment be operated in any hangar.

k) Aircraft or aircraft engines shall not be cleaned or degreased unless such operations are done in a maintenance station properly equipped to handle such work, or in a space designated for such purpose by the Airport Manager.

The Airport Manager, with the approval of the Chief of Police, may confer upon any employee of the City, the powers and authority of a police officer for the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this Chapter.

(Added by O-1264)

No person shall post, distribute or display signs, advertisements, circulars, printed or written matter at the Airport without permission of the Airport Manager.

(Added by O-1264)

a) When the Airport Manager determines that public safety or convenience so requires, he may designate any area on the Airport as a restricted area and post appropriate signs and notices indicating such area.

b) No person shall enter any restricted area so posted except those who may be authorized so to do by the Airport Manager.

(Added by O-1264)

The Airport Manager is hereby authorized to erect and install any signs or notices which he may deem necessary or advisable in connection with the operation and enforcement of the provisions of this Chapter.

(Added by O-1264)

No aircraft shall be operated on the surface of a landing area, ramp and apron area, or aircraft parking or storage area at a speed or in a manner which unreasonably endangers persons or property.

(Added by O-1264)

No aircraft shall be operated on the surface of a landing area, ramp or apron area, or aircraft parking or storage area while the pilot or any persons aboard controlling any part of the operation thereof, is under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any narcotic or habit forming drug.

(Added by O-1264)

No aircraft shall be operated while on the ground in such a manner as to cause unnecessary or objectionable noise.

(Added by O-1264)

a) Except in case of emergency, no aircraft equipped with a tail skid in place of a tail wheel shall land or take off from the Airport.

b) No person shall operate any aircraft on the ground unless the same is equipped with effective and functioning wheel brakes.

c) No motorless aircraft may land or take off at the Airport without permission from the Airport Manager.

(Added by O-1264)

No experimental ground demonstrations shall be conducted on the Airport without the express approval of the Airport Manager.

(Added by O-1264)

Except in emergency or by prior arrangement with the Airport Control Tower, all aircraft using the Airport shall be equipped with functioning two-way radio equipment tuned to the Torrance tower frequency and capable of transmitting and receiving intelligible traffic control instructions from the control tower for a distance of at least four (4) miles from the Airport. When the control tower is in operation, aircraft shall establish communication with the control tower prior to departing any parking or tie down area. Radio contact shall be maintained at all times while taxiing and during engine warm up prior to departure. Aircraft approaching the Airport shall establish radio communication with the control tower at least three (3) miles from the Airport.

During take offs and until outside of the three (3) mile control zone or until cleared to leave tower frequency, the pilots of all aircraft shall guard the control tower radio frequency.

(Added by O-1264)

No pedestrian shall be upon any landing area of the Airport without first having obtained a signed permit from the Airport Manager, except persons engaged as mechanics or who by necessity are required to be thereon.

(Added by O-1264)

No aircraft shall be parked, stored or repaired at the Airport except in the areas designated for such use by the Airport Manager.

(Added by O-1264)

Every aircraft owner, his pilot and agents, severally, shall be responsible for the prompt removal, under the direction of the Airport Manager or his representatives, of wrecked or damaged aircraft.

(Added by O-1264)

Rubbish or trash shall not be thrown, deposited, or allowed to be scattered on the Airport. Rubbish and trash shall be deposited in waste receptacles provided for that purpose.

(Added by O-1264)

No aircraft shall be left unattended unless properly secured or within a hangar.

(Added by O-1264)

No person under the influence of intoxicating liquor shall approach closer than fifty (50) feet to any aircraft, aircraft parking or storage area, landing area, or ramp and apron area.

(Added by O-1264)

The owners of all aircraft based on the Airport, all tenants and all operators storing aircraft on their premises shall be required to register said aircraft with the Airport Manager and shall change the registration at any time a change in ownership or operators shall occur.

(Added by O-1264; Amended by O-1291)

No aircraft shall be based on the Airport until and unless the owner of such aircraft places and maintains on file in the Office of the Airport Manager a current certificate of insurance showing the owner insured against liability or financial loss resulting from bodily injury, sickness or disease, including death, and damage to property caused by the ownership, operation and use of his aircraft in amounts not less than $100,000 for bodily injury to each person, $300,000 for each occurrence and $100,000 for property damage.

(Added by O-1264)

In the event any owner, tenant or operator of any aircraft shall fail to comply with the provisions of the foregoing section, the Airport Manager shall have the authority to determine and change the status of aircraft from "based on the Airport" to "itinerant" and said owner, tenant or operator shall thereafter pay the itinerant rate for such aircraft.

(Added by O-1264)

a) No person may enter the Airport at night between the hours of sunset and sunrise without properly identifying himself and stating his business when so requested by any Airport attendant or police officer.

b) If any person shall fail or refuse to properly identify himself and satisfactorily explain his business to the Airport attendant or police officer, he shall be denied access to the Airport or be rejected therefrom.

c) No person who has been denied access to or who has been ejected from the Airport under the provisions of subsection b) shall enter or go upon said Airport until permission therefor has been granted by an Airport attendant or police officer.

(Amended by O-1264; O-3927)

a) A landing fee shall be charged to any individual or entity landing an aircraft at Torrance Airport. Military, public safety, and medical operations shall be exempt from landing fees. Landings on private helipads (as used in this section, a private helipad is a helipad that has been authorized by the City of Torrance and is operated and maintained by a leaseholder on their leasehold. A private helipad is not operated or maintained by the City of Torrance nor supported by funds from the City of Torrance) that are operated and maintained by a leaseholder pursuant to a lease with the City of Torrance shall be exempt from landing fees.

b) Aircraft shall include both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft for purposes of assessing landing fees.

c) The Airport Manager shall determine in each case whether or not a landing has taken place that qualifies for being charged a landing fee within the meaning of this Section.

(Added by O-1264; Amended by O-3927)

Any landing at the Airport, as defined in Section 51.2.30, shall pay to the City for each such landing a fee. This fee amount shall be established by resolution of the City Council.