We have retained an attorney and now need to raise funds on a monthly basis to sustain our efforts. The required amount to continue our case is $5000 per month, though this amount will likely change in the upcoming months. If each of us can set up a recurring payment of $20-$100 on our PayPal site, we should be able to meet this goal. Those who can contribute more will greatly support our cause and help those who are unable to contribute as much. To date, we have raised a significant amount, which will be used for retainer and attorney fees. Please reach out to us personally if you would like more details.
If we want change, this is our only path forward at this point. While there are no guarantees, having one of the most qualified and highly recognized attorneys, with a vast amount of experience, gives us confidence in a positive outcome for the impacted communities.
We are a strong, tight-knit community that has united us in this fight, and we have confidence we can do this! Let’s all come together and start making the needed contributions today. We are extremely grateful for each of you and will continue to keep you updated on our progress.
A monthly contribution in whatever amount you can afford is gratefully accepted.
Many of us attended the FAA/LGB Airport webinar, and as we suspected, it was very disappointing. There were many repetitive questions with no solutions or clear answers, and many responses were defensive. Most of the questions submitted by SANER members were not chosen to be answered. Over 200 people participated. You can watch the recorded session at the link provided here. As was mentioned on the FB page, there were no panel participants from the community. The Long Beach Watchdog published this article after the webinar.
ScreenshotScreenshotMany of us shared our submitted questions with each other during and after the webinar and for the most part, the important questions we wanted to have answered were not selected. The public was not allowed to see the questions submitted. For weeks leading up to the webinar, the city had gone overboard, sending the same copy and paste emails to anyone who had any questions or comments regarding the airport directing us to attend the webinar to have our questions answered there.
Our fundraiser was a success! A huge thank you to everyone who braved the extreme heat to attend and to all the members who helped set up, donated, and contributed in various ways. We are incredibly grateful for all of your support. We enjoyed delicious food, desserts, and music, and it was wonderful to finally meet many of you from our Facebook community in person. We raised approximately $4,000.💥💥💥
ATTORNEY UPDATE
We have finally selected a phenomenal and highly qualified attorney. We are currently awaiting a conflict of interest clearance and a cost sheet to move forward. Out of all the attorneys we consulted, this one stood out due to his strategic approach and extensive knowledge of Long Beach Airport, having worked with the FAA in his career. We cannot provide more details until we file the lawsuit. However, we need to start collecting donations, seeking grants, and increasing our fundraising efforts. To sustain the lawsuit, we will need to raise money on a monthly basis. We have also set up a recurring PayPal page for those who prefer not to receive weekly reminders. You can sign up for recurring payments here.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Volunteers Needed for Flyer Distribution! We’re looking for volunteers to help distribute flyers in various different Long Beach neighborhoods. If you’re interested, please email us at lbsanergroup@gmail.com to sign up. If you are associated or a member of a Long Beach neighborhood group whose members are concerned about aviation noise and pollution and would like to have a speaker from SANER address your group, please contact us. It takes a village to create change, and your efforts will help raise awareness for our group, increasing our influence on elected officials. Join us in making a difference!
(Post date 5/26/24) Last week news broke over several media sites that reported the firing and subsequent lawsuit against Curt Castagna who was a CEO and managing member of the AeroLease Companies. It’s a convoluted web that Castagna seems to have woven using the name Aeroplex Managing Partners as his own separate company while employed by AeroPlex/AeroLease. This will all play out in court.
Citizens calling for Curt Castagna to be REMOVED from the federal program EAGLE which is to “Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions”. Castagna (two lease tenant at VNY with the 3rd ambition thwarted by community) was accused of spreading misinformation to stall “getting the lead out”.Both protests (LBG and Van Nuys airport)from 5/16 sported signs calling out Castagna regarding stalling the new unleaded Gami fuel
Here are some of the article links to read if you haven’t yet seen them. LB4D News reports : “The lawsuit alleges that Castagna used Aeroplex/Aerolease resources and personnel to form a competing airport hanger management and consulting company called Aeroplex Group Partners and took various steps to interfere with Aeroplex/Aerolease after that Board terminated Castagna’s employment. more…
The Press Telegram reported: “A 50-year-old company that leases hangers and office space to more than 100 tenants at the Long Beach and Van Nuys airports has fired its longtime, nationally known chief executive officer, accusing him in a blistering lawsuit of using its employees and resources to enrich his competing consulting firm.” more…
LB Post reports it this way: “A major hangar-leasing business at Long Beach Airport fired its longstanding CEO this month and then swiftly sued him, alleging he tried to walk away with company property to prop up his own competing business. The former CEO has denied the accusations, saying the situation is an unwinding of a complicated business relationship “that unfortunately went public.”” more…
Aviation International News wrote: “The company owns the leaseholds of extensive hangar space at Van Nuys and Long Beach airports, and according to a press release issued yesterday, its majority-in-interest owners voted to remove Castagna, after filing a lawsuit against him in the Superior Court of Los Angeles under allegations of conversion, breach of fiduciary duty, unfair competition, and violation of the Computer Data and Access Fraud Act.” more…
Curt Castagna put out his own announcement reported here: “Curt Castagna, former president and CEO of the Aerolease Group entities, announced that he has stepped away from managing the company’s leaseholds at the Van Nuys and Long Beach Airports to focus entirely on serving as principal of the consulting firm Aeroplex Group Partners.” more…
It is important to note that at the April 18th Planning Commission meeting, officials approved plans for a large new hangar complex for private chartered flights out of Long Beach Airport. This project was submitted to the city planning commission by Aeroplex Group Partners (Curt Castagna) who is the named defendant in the above court filing.
Last Thursday SANER staged a protest on Spring Street in front of the Aeroplex complex to bring attention to the increased high volume of flight school aviation operations that create noise and lead emissions over neighborhoods surrounding the airport. Over 100 neighbors came together in this weekday afternoon protest with homemade signs. For many, this was their first time meeting in person but all were drawn to make their voices and concerns heard and seen. This was a great turnout considering many Saners work, have young children, and other obligations on a weekday. Signs were pointed, funny, and creative. Several news media were there to cover the protest and interview participants.
Or is it? The much anticipated distribution of the first unleaded aviation fuel to be approved by the FAA was ready to roll out and be offered at many general aviation airports this past week. Until it was blocked by NATA.
Eleven Year Process Of Engineering, Testing And Validation Culminates Successfully
Please read the various linked articles and the comment sections. It appears there may be a conflict of interest brewing regarding who gets to bring this important lead free fuel to market. We haven’t heard anything from Long Beach officials who promised GAMI unleaded fuel would become available at LGB soon. Curt Castagna, the main leaseholder at LGB and CEO of Aeroplex, is also President of NATA (National Air Transport Association) as well as Eagle.
NATA Challenges GAMI’s Assertion Of ‘Commercial Availability’ of G100UL The National Air Transport Association (NATA) says General Aviation Modifications Inc.’s (GAMI) FAA-approved G100UL is not yet “commercially available” even though the licensed manufacturer of the unleaded avgas, Vitol Aviation, has more than a million gallons of it for sale.more…
Airports, communities continue to battle over leaded avgas use as G100UL sale nears FBOs in California are feeling the push from a nine-year-old court ruling to stop selling leaded aviation fuel. A ruling from December 2014 ordered that the many airports operating in the region pay fines, issue warnings over the dangers of leaded avgas, sell avgas with the lowest lead content and once unleaded alternative is commercially available, complete the transition away from leaded fuels.more…
G100UL Maker Refutes NATA Claim That It’s Not Ready To Sell Vitol Aviation, which has more than a million gallons of General Aviation Modifications Inc. (GAMI) G100UL unleaded avgas for sale, is disputing claims by the National Air Transportation that the fuel is not ready to be sold. more…
Back in August of 2023, LGB received it’s first unleaded aviation fuel. To date, the airport is still not reporting any sales of this aviation fuel. See the latest report here. The above screenshot shows no sales reported Oct.-Jan. more…
Of course leaded aviation is not our main issue, it’s the frequency of the training flights that cause constant noise in the neighborhoods day and night! But more frequency means more lead (and other emissions)…over our heads.
Save the Date!
The Saner Summer Fun Fundraiser will be on Saturday, June 22 from Noon to 4 PM! Bring your family, your friends and your neighbors to this event where fun (a bounce house and craft table), food, music, and an opportunity to meet the SANER founders and other community members. SANER leaders will be on hand to speak and update everyone on the issues. Location is 3911 Marshall Way Long Beach. Evites will be sent out in May for RSVPs. Cost will be $25 for adults and $10 for kids under 12.
Come out and join us in our big PROTEST DATE: Thursday May 16th TIME: 4pm-6pm WHERE: Near LGB Contact us for location.
For those who are interested in hearing the Air Control Tower (ATC) live (or even past recordings), you can access it here.
We appreciate ALL the recent donations and thank each and every one of you! The goal this week is more fundraising participation! Not a dollar amount but a new donator goal- 50 new fundraising participants is what we are aiming for. We love our “frequent flyers” who donate regularly but we don’t want them “flying solo”. Many of us in the neighborhoods often see geese flying in formation overhead, those leading the V formation making it easier for those behind to fly. When the lead geese fall back, other geese fall in forward to lead. The geese honk loudly getting our attention and we look up in appreciation. Let’s honk loudly and increase our flock! Here’s where to do it in any amount.
And the Award Goes To:
So many late night and loud planes it was an easy choice, unfortunately. Seems like Candace Larned (Robinson) and Long Beach Flying Club just don’t want to “Fly Friendly”. Pretty sure they’ve gotten “the memo” as they are the oldest flight school operating out of LGB. We could also give awards to many of the SANeR volunteers who walked flyers, organized walkers, provided free printing, and kept us going all month. 🌟💥💫 Thank you- even though we won’t name names here.
Fun Upcoming Fundraiser Event!
The first SANeR in person fundraising event is in the planning stages. Likely a Saturday in June but as of yet we don’t have the date set in stone. We will have food, live music, a bounce house and other family style fun. We are still looking for a location so if you want to host- let us know. A private home, office space with outdoor area, a warehouse… we are considering all private space low cost options.
In the News and Links to Explore
–A proposed 200-foot tower could obstruct Long Beach Airport operations, FAA says. To what extent? “Outside of the safety concerns, Castanga noted that the project would not have to go before the Planning Commission or City Council for approval, meaning no there will be no public comment outside of the FAA study.”more…
–Florida Airport explores landing fees as a way to raise revenue and decrease it’s dependence on FAA grants and their obligations... “Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport Director Sam Carver supports airplane landings fees as an additional revenue stream for facility maintenance like next year’s $4 million runway refurbishing project.” more…
–Aviation insurance...is it a requirement? Where is it required and who monitors whether a flight school, a pilot, or a plane owner is insured? Turns out you might be surprised at the answers. Here are a few links to get you started… Mandatory Aviation Insurance- A Domestic and International Perspective
–Update on GAMI UL100 Fuel General Aviation Modifications Inc.’s (GAMI) announced in a seminar Wednesday at the Sun ’n Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, Florida, that Vitol, a commodities trading company, has brewed 1 million gallons of GAMI’s GL100UL, 100-octane unleaded aviation fuel, stored in a tank at its Baton Rouge plant. more…
That’s it for the weekend reading list. Have a wonderful weekend and may the skies be Peaceful!
The new signs are in! And they are going like hotcakes- almost 30 signs planted just yesterday alone. Thank you neighbors! These signs raise awareness to the issue and awareness is key to understanding a problem and finding a solution! Solutions don’t come from ignoring a problem or letting the city gaslight us about it. This IS a real problem and we are not alone in our quest to find a solution. Get your sign by contacting us.
IT’S FUNDRAISING FRIDAY….
We are less than $500 away from $15,000! Can we make it over that amount today?
It’s been a tough week in the neighborhood! Planes constantly overhead with residents complaining that planes are flight training as late as 11:45 pm. 😢
Fly Friendly is not working.
Here are some links to interesting articles posted by members this past week on Facebook. Take a look.
–Debunking the Pilot Shortage Myth -More Than Enough Pilots to Meet U.S. Airline Demand “Over the past decade, the United States has produced more than enough certificated pilots to meet airline hiring demands and compensate for retirements, even as new and more rigorous pilot training standards were enacted to enhance safety. In fact, there are currently about 1.5 certificated pilots relative to demand, according to Federal Aviation Administration and Bureau of Labor Statistics data. So, although we don’t have a pilot shortage, we do have a shortage of airline executives willing to stand by their business decisions to cut air service and be upfront about their intentions to skirt safety rules and hire inexperienced workers for less pay…more
Long Beach SANeR Group 