About the Airport

Annual Aircraft Operations

The Airport's History

About Noise Complaints

The Airport's Noise Abatement Program

Hayward City Council Airport Committee

Issues

Development of the Airport ... and the Neighbors Be Damned! — The City of Hayward is radically altering the nature of its airport. No longer a rural airstrip serving the recreational "needs" of a small number of small-plane owners, the Hayward airport is surrounded by congested urban development, and is home to constant buzzing activity. The City's ambition to turn its airport into a thriving corporate center ignores the safety and quality of life of thousands of neighboring residents.

Radical Decline in Small-plane Pilots Drives City to Court Jets — The number of licensed private pilots in the United States has plummeted 36 percent since 1980. (Dec. 22, 2008)

Small Airport Expansion Subsidized by Federal Dollars — City of Hayward doesn't spend one cent of its own money on airport operations or expansion. (April 16, 2007)

Up to 14,000 New Regional Aircraft Forecast Over Next 20 Years (June 1, 2000)

Regional Passenger Service Gaining at Small Airports (May 21, 2000)

Study Says Public Support Needed for Expansion of General Aviation Airports — An example (from the National Air Transportation Association) of how aviation fanatics proceed with their own vision of reality. (May 9, 2000)

Corporate Jets Are Moving to Suburban Airports — Because of changes at San Jose, Oakland, and San Francisco International Airports, noncommercial aircraft are increasingly using outlying airports like Hayward. In fact, Hayward's plan to expand its airport is based on the expectation that business jets will shift from the Big Three to the Hayward Airport. (The official name of the airport was changed to Hayward Executive Airport in early 1999. According to the airport's director at the time, the change was made to "portray a more business-friendly image of Hayward as the premier Executive Airport in the Bay Area.")

Between 1998 and 2006 the number of business jets based at Hayward Airport increased from five to 32! Among the 8 airports in the nine-county Bay Area that support business-jet operations, Hayward Airport had about 6 percent of all business jets in 1998-1999, but by 2006 it had 24 percent!

Business Jet Owners Subsidized by Airline Passengers (June 24, 2008)

Firm Hopes to Bring "Very Light Jet" Service to Hayward Airport (March 18, 2008)

On-Demand Passenger Service at Hayward Airport? (Sept. 9, 2007)

New cheap "personal jet" could dramatically increase jet traffic at suburban airports (Jan. 20, 2007)

Business Jet Crashes Next to Homes in Van Nuys (Jan. 13, 2007) — A small business jet leaving Van Nuys Airport crashed within 100 feet of nearby homes.

A Toy Box for Big Boys (April 30, 2006) — Ascend's hangars at Hayward airport cater to corporate fat cats.

Smaller Jets May Transform Airport Traffic (Jan. 18, 2006) — Cheap, small, speedy jets are in hot demand and are expected to increase air traffic at small, underused airports around the country.

Hayward Airport Jet Hangars Expanding (Dec. 15, 2005) — The number of hangars for personal jets is expanding at a steady pace. Fat cats like to fly to Montana for vacation, said one hangar builder.

Model for Hayward? Growth in Jet Traffic at Santa Monica Airport (June 20, 2005) — Santa Monica Airport is hemmed in by residential neighborhoods, just like Hayward. Yet jet traffic at Santa Monica has increased explosively since 2000

Private Jet Business Keeps Growing at Hayward Airport (April 29, 2004)

Diverting Small Passenger Jets to Hayward? (Oct. 21, 2004) — A proposal for reducing delays at SFO would divert small passenger jets to Hayward, Moffett, and Half Moon Bay airports.

Private Jets a Growing Airport Trend (March 13, 2004) — Corporate jet traffic was up 25 percent nationwide in 2003 and locally accounted for nearly one in every three flights taking off or landing in San Jose.

Hayward Airport to Get More Corporate Jet Hangars (Jan. 20, 2004) — City Council signs land lease.

Corporate Planes: Perks or Necessities? (Sept. 23, 2001) — Corporate jets are often regarded as perks of top executives, but 86 percent of the users are senior and middle managers.

Business Jets Present Easier Hijack Opportunities (Sept. 21, 2001) — With security concerns in the wake of terrorist hijackings focused exclusively on scheduled passenger service, corporate jets at small airports become a more attractive target for hijacking.

Market for Corporate Jets Continues to Look Up (July 18, 2001) — Through 2010 the production of corporate jets will increase 80 percent over the previous 10 years.

Hey, You're Worth It (June 2001) — Time-sharing of private jets ("fractional ownership") is making corporate jets affordable -- and more prevalent.

United Airlines to Launch Business Jet Division (April 26, 2001)

Regional Jet Planes Are in Hot Demand (Nov. 20, 2000)

Business Jet Charters Increasing 20 Percent a Year (Oct. 6, 2000)

Corporate Jets Swarm to Sacramento Airport (July 28, 2000)

Commuter Jet Service at Hayward Airport? (Feb. 18, 2000)

Production of Business Jets Soars to Record Level (Jan. 25, 2000)

Corporate Jets Want More Space at Concord Airport (Jan. 14, 2000)

Corporate Jet Charters Increasing — Use of private jets by company executives is increasing 10 percent each year, exemplified by Kaiser Air at Oakland International Airport. (Nov. 30, 1999)

Scottsdale Airport — This small-town suburban airport became Arizona's busiest corporate jet facility in just a few years. (Jan. 4, 1999)

Centennial Airport — This suburban airport outside Denver was inundated with corporate jets after construction of the new international airport at Denver. (Feb. 23, 1997)

Safety ... The Risk of Aircraft Crashes — The overwhelming majority of take offs from the Hayward Airport are "touch and go" training flights, where the pilot (often a student) takes off, returns to the runway without stopping, and then takes off again. These departures occur primarily over San Lorenzo homes. The purpose of such flying is to "earn hours" to meet licensing requirements.

Twin-engine Aircraft Hits Building, Crashes at Airport (Sept. 17, 2009)

Pilot Crashes Because He Forgets to Set Landing Gear (May 16, 2008)

Chabot College Instructor Lands at Airport without Landing Gear (March 4, 2008)

Departing Plane Crashes Near San Lorenzo Homes (June 27, 2006)

Hayward Plane Crashes Near Winton Avenue (April 13, 2005)

Hayward Plane Lands on Castro Valley Freeway (May 25, 2004)

Just How Dangerous Are Helicopters, Anyway?" (posted March 25, 2004)

Pilot of Experimental Aircraft Loses Control While Landing at Hayward (May 19, 2003)

Plane Crashes in Hayward Hills, Kills Pilot (Nov. 27, 2002)

Helicopter Crashes at Hayward Airport (Oct. 18, 2002)

Student Helicopter Pilot Crashes at Hayward Airport (July 3, 2001)

Plane Crashes on Hayward Airport Runway (May 7, 2001)

Helicopter Forced to Land in San Lorenzo Resident's Front Yard (March 20, 2001)

How Safe Will Private Business Jets Be in the Future? (Jan. 31, 2001)

Airplane Forced to Land on Avenue in Livermore (Nov. 7, 2000)

Opinion: Time to Stop Telling the Big Lie About "Risk-Free" General Aviation (Oct. 27, 2000)

Plane Crashes into Car after Failed Takeoff in Concord (Oct. 20, 2000)

Equipment Failure Forces Pilot to Crash-land at Hayward Airport (Dec. 12, 1999)

Plane Crash-lands at Southland Mall (July 27, 1999)

Small Plane Lands on Freeway (July 25, 1999)

Plane Crashes into Hayward Apartment Complex -- Two Dead (April 24, 1999)

Documents

Hayward Aircraft Noise Ordinance — The City of Hayward enacted its first airport noise ordinance in 1975. It has been revised twice. The present version was enacted in 1991.

Annual Noise Evaluations

1997 Report (summary). See Critique of 1997 Report.

1998 Report (summary).

1999 Report (summary). See Critique of 1999 Report.

2000 Report (summary).

2001 Report (summary).

2002 Report (summary).

2003 Report (summary).

2004 Report (summary).

2005 Report (summary).

2006 Report (summary).

2007 Report (summary).

2008 Report (summary).

Court Cases

National Aviation v. City of Hayward — In this case in federal court a tenant of the Hayward Air Terminal challenged the city's 1975 aircraft noise ordinance. The court ruled that a city that owned an airport could regulate aircraft noise through an ordinance. The court's opinion stated an important rule of law that is cited even today by other courts.

Wood v. City of Hayward — Certain pilot-activists have long contended that the City of Hayward did not own the fee simple title to the airport property. In this case the city's title was challenged. The trial court's dismissal of the case was appealed.

San Jose v. Superior Court — The airport is not required by the state's Public Records Act to disclose the identity of persons who complain about airport noise.

Maps

Area Surrounding Hayward Airport

Hayward Airport — Air Traffic Map

Hayward Airport — Facilities (1997)