By Miriam Raftery

February 1, 2014 (San Diego) – A proposal to require background checks on foreign pilots training at local airports, including Gillespie Field in El Cajon, will be heard by San Diego Supervisors at their Wednesday meeting at 9 a.m. The meeting will be held in the County administration building, 1600 Pacific Coast Highway.

Two of the Al Qaeda terrorists who flew planes into buildings in the 9/11 attacks in 2001 had flight training at Montgomery Field in San Diego.

January 5, 2013 (El Cajon) – The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual dinner on Saturday, January 25 at the Allen Airways Flying Museum at Gillespie Field, 2020 North Johnson in El Cajon.  The museum is a private facility open by invitation only, housing an impressive collection of vintage airplanes and memorabilia including an aviation poster collection displayed at the Smithsonian. 

Cost is $125 per ticket.   For more information or reservations, visit www.eastcountychamber.org.

October 9, 2013 (Julian ) –Amid cold, stormy conditions, a ground search is being conducted by Sheriff’s Search and Rescue in the Julian area for a Piper Mooney plane.   The small plane took off from Palm Springs for El Cajon’s Gillespie Field, but never arrived.

“They’re starting a ground search up in the Julian command area,” Lieutenant Dave Schaller with the Sheriff’s office told ECM tonight.  “We’re unable to get ASTREA up in the air due to the weather.” Lighting has knocked the webcam atop Volcan Mountain offline and snow is forecast to dip down to around 5,500 feet tonight.  Volcan Mountain is 5,350 feet.

By Sue Strohm, Advocates for Safe Airport Policies (ASAP) Steering Committee

October 24, 2012 (El Cajon)--Over the next year or so (over the objection of large numbers of County residents) the County Airports system will initially be digging up the former El Cajon Speedway and turning 21.5 acres (of the approved 70 acre parcel) of County airport land into the Cajon Flight Center. 

By Ariele Johannson

July 16, 2012 (El Cajon)—San Diego County’s Board of Supervisors voted on June 20 to approve the  Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) allowing redevelopment of 70 acres at Gillespie Field Airport from light industrial to aviation-only usage. 

By Miriam Raftery

16th annual air show commemorates historic Battle of Midway

June 3, 2011 (El Cajon) — The 16th Annual Wings Over Gillespie air show will feature the howl of airplane engines such as the B-17 Flying Fortress and B-25 Mitchell bombers, Northrop N9M Flying Wing, F4F Wildcat, the TBF Avenger, the A6M Zero, the SBD Dauntless, and many more “flying museums.” Also on hand will be USN/USMC helicopters and other displays, Navy SEALs,  military and law enforcement vehicles and equipment, and much more.

The air show performance days will be June 4–5,  with gates open from to 9 am to 4 pm, at Gillespie Field ,1960 Joe Crosson Road in El Cajon.

December 7, 2010 (El Cajon) – The landing gear collapsed on a Piper PA18 fixed-wing plane at Gillespie Field in El Cajon today, causing minor damage to the underside shortly after 3 p.m. There was no injury to the pilot and no passengers were on board.

June 2, 2010 (Santee) -- All service has been halted to the Gillespie Field and Santee Town Center trolley stations due to a downed plane in Santee. The plane came down on Cuyamaca Street at Prospect Avenue, where the trolley operates in the median, and took with it an estimated 150 feet of catenary wire which powers the trolley. The stations are expected to be closed through Thursday.

The plane had taken off from Gillespie Field when the pilot experience mechanical problems and turned back. The plane clipped trolley lines, crashing upside down onto a roadway.  Rescue workers had to wait for trolley lines to be deenergized before rescuing the pilot and sole occupant, who complained of numbness in his arm and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.