Las Vegas NowAviation Director Hopes to Clean Up Airport's Reputation

Aviation Director Hopes to Clean Up Airport's Reputation

Forbes Magazine says it's one of the most dangerous airports in the country. Who could forget those horrific images near the North Las Vegas Airport when two planes crashed into two different homes in the span of a week last August?

Now some community leaders are trying to change federal law in the name of safety and it could be a huge fight.

It started as a safety issue, but now it's turning into a political issue.

One accident was bad enough. An experimental plane crashed into a home killing a pilot and two people inside blocks from the North Las Vegas Airport. Then less than week later it happened again. A Piper Navajo plummeted from the sky into a home in another fiery and deadly crash.

"Anytime lives are affected, and anytime you're sitting in the confinements of your home minding your own business, and a plane, an experimental plane, crashes into your home, that's of grave concerns," said Clark County Commissioner Lawrence Weekly.

Commissioner Weekly and Aviation Director Randy Walker stopped by the North Las Vegas City Hall to convince the council to join their cause. After the horrific crashes, they want some of the federal government's power to be taken away in favor of more local control.

For one, Clark County would like the power to ban experimental aircrafts from the North Las Vegas Airport.

"We have no control. Once we build an airport, and it's part of the federal system, which all of our airports are, then you must follow all the airport rules and regulations promulgated by the Federal Aviation Administration," said Walker.

Walker would like to see the experimental planes take off and land at the Jean Airport.

"It's unfortunate that our director doesn't have the type of enforcement power here in southern Nevada, that we do have to answer to the FAA," said Commissioner Weekly.

Weekly and Walker realize the risk of air travel will never be eliminated, but they are confident, with some changes in the law, the North Las Vegas Airport can get rid of its reputation.

Commissioner Weekly has sent this letter to Nevada's congressional delegation hoping the U.S. Representatives and Senators will get on board. Not everyone thinks this is a good idea, starting with the agency in question.

In a statement, the FAA says, "The United States Congress has determined that the Federal Aviation Administration should have sole authority over civilian air traffic operations in this country. We believe congress has acted wisely and that current laws should remain in place."