Because of ongoing military restrictions, airplanes arriving at Los Angeles International Airport between midnight and 6:30 a.m. through this weekend will continue approaching from the east, the FAA announced today.
“Military airspace west of LAX will be active through Sunday … resulting in continued deviations from standard nighttime operations during that time,” said Ian Gregor of the Federal Aviation Administration.
“LAX normally uses ‘over-ocean operations’ from midnight to 6:30 a.m.,” Gregor said. “Aircraft depart to the west and arrive from the west to minimize noise in communities directly east of the airport.
“When the military airspace is active, aircraft are unable to arrive from the west,” Gregor said. “As a result, aircraft will arrive at night from the east, as they do during the day, through Nov. 15.”
The restrictions, which began on Friday, had been expected to end today. The military activity included two missile launches — one each on Saturday and on Monday.
Military officials said earlier the Monday launch was the “second and final” expected missile test.
The U.S. Navy on Monday launched a missile from a submarine off the coast, two days after an unannounced launch that caused alarm and speculation along the West Coast among those who witnessed the missile streaking across the night sky.
The launch prompted social-media posts from people up and down the Pacific Coast, and as far east as Utah.
The tests were conducted by the Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs.
According to the Navy, Monday’s launch of an unarmed Trident II D5 ballistic missile was the second and final part of what it called demonstration and shakedown operations.
Both missiles landed in the Eastern Missile Range near Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.
An average of about 50-55 airplanes land at LAX between midnight and 6:30 a.m. at this time of year, Gregor said.
