Stop The Noise (Anti-Aviation Zealots at Work)

AvWeb ^ | Nov. 19, 2003 | By the AvWeb Editorial Staff

[CarryaBigStick]

My first post, and on a subject near and dear to my heart.

Boy howdy, do you folks ever have problems in the north east - and I don't just mean these pilots. People seem to think that if you're an aviator you've got deep pockets. That's not the case. Many aviation businesses operrate on a shoe string, especially after 9/11. Most in this business do it primarily because they love aviation, there's really not much money to be made in it. Many of us push our finances to the limit in order to enjoy the freedom of flight.

That freedom is being assaulted, just like so many other freedoms we enjoy. And it's mostly being done in the courts, what a shame.

Aviation - the surest way to make a small fortune ... out of a large one.

[friendly]

Good post. My favorite con-artist ploy is when people buy real estate cheap in the landing pattern then sue for noise pollution.

[mewzilla]

I've stayed near Hanscomb. I sympathise with the residents actually. And considering how densely populated the area is, I'd think it's a safety as much as a noise issue. And friendly, the homes were there first. Some of them for a couple of centuries :)

[CarryaBigStick]

I'm not very familiar with the area around Hanscomb, but I can tell you that aerobatic practice doesn't take place over the airport or even close to it. A practice aerobatic box has to be located away from housing to a certain extent for reasons of safety. Did you notice a noise problem when you were there?

[Paleo Conservative]

Where's Curtis LeMay when we need him?

[mewzilla]

It's in the Concord/Lexington area. Do those place names ring a bell? :) Just another reason why I'm sympathising with the locals.

[JMK]

What BS! I live about 10 miles from KASH, and obviously quite near an aerobatic box. These planes operate only during daylight hours, in good weather, and make less noise than a neighbor running a lawnmower.

It's nice to see a free airshow every once in a while, from the comfort of home!

[babyface00]

I own a home near enough to Cleveland Hopkins airport that I can sympathize with the homeowners. I'm enough of a gear head that I can sympathize with the flyers.

Are prop planes loud because of engine noise, or is it the sound of the props themselves? If the former, why aren't the engines muffled like a car?

[JimVT]

I sympathise with the residents actually. And considering how densely populated the area is, I'd think it's a safety as much as a noise issue. And friendly, the homes were there first. Some of them for a couple of centuries :)

It's all relative, isn't it.

I live 5 miles off the end of the ILS runway at Burlington, VT Int. A/P (BTV) and a/c noise doesn't bother me in the least.

In fact, when Jet Blue's big A320 Airbus comes over the house, I got out and put the binoculars on it.

Hanscom was built in 1941 when the Bedford area population was a heck of a lot smaller than today becuase most people favored the growth of aviation.

There may be many old houses in the area going back hundreds of years but most of the occupants who are bitching today certainly knew the neighborhood when they moved in.

Keep 'em flying

[CarryaBigStick]

Most of the noise an airplane makes is caused by the prop (if it has one), but the engine does contribute to it some. I've always considered airplane noise to be the definitive sound of freedom - but then I'm biased.

[snopercod]

People seem to think that if you're an aviator you've got deep pockets.

In Titusville, FL, a member of the city council called pilots "just a bunch of rich playboys". That was when they voted to cut off all funding for the three local airports in the area.

The burden of operating the airports was shifted to those who rented hangars there.

Most of the folks who fly out of TIX are retirees on fixed incomes, people who work at KSC, or young kids learning to fly.

If you want to see rich playboys, visit the numerous city funded golf courses.

Hatred of men and women of ability is becoming hard to ignore these days, not just in aviation, either.

[CarryaBigStick]

Lexington & Concord ... how ironic. The same place our forefathers fought to establish our free republic.

I've always strived to be a good neighbor when flying, by avoiding populated areas and carefully watching my propellor rpm's. I live right under the north downwind of the landing pattern to Phoenix Sky Harbour airport and a popular general aviation corridor around the PHX class B airspace is also over my house. I hardly ever even notice the noise, but when I do I usually go outside to look to see if it's a friend.:-)

[CarryaBigStick]

Bumpity, bump ... Vroooom!

[Wright is right!]

"I live 5 miles off the end of the ILS runway at Burlington, VT Int. A/P (BTV) and a/c noise doesn't bother me in the least. In fact, when Jet Blue's big A320 Airbus comes over the house, I got out and put the binoculars on it."

We're about 1/8 of a mile left of centerline and 4 miles out from Nashville (BNA)'s Rwy 31 Approach. During the day, BNA uses the parallels (2/20 R-C-L), but after dark Rwy 31 is used for all arrivals. Everything that comes in flies almost directly overhead and about 1000-1250 feet up, sometimes a bit less. With binocks, you can read the serial numbers on the engine cowlings. Sitting out on the deck of a summer's eve with the dogs and the binocks is a fine pastime.

Michael

[Wright is right!]

"My favorite con-artist ploy is when people buy real estate cheap in the landing pattern then sue for noise pollution."

And nowhere was that con more expertly employed than in Irving/Grapevine Texas with DFW airport. DFW was built out in the middle of no-freakin'-where, and then the population built in around it. One of the biggest selling points for the builders was that "you're just minutes from the airport." Once people moved in, they discovered that (gasp), they were "just minutes from the airport."

I don't know the full outcome of all the lawsuits, but there were certainly plenty of them, especially people living under the approaches to 13/31.

Michael

[JimVT]

It reads like you've got avgas in your blood too!!!

[CarryaBigStick]

BTTT .... No interest in this subject? Pilots and non- pilots, I'm seaking your opinion. Should recreation be made illegal or is there another solution?

[ArrogantBustard]

Tell the whiners to STFU. Shooters have faced similar problems, with morons moving near an existing rifle range then whining about noise. Many states (even Maryland) have passed range-protection laws to disallow noise nuisance suits like this. Perhaps airport protection laws are needed as well.

-Bustard, who lives within smelling distance (literally) of IAD.

[cschroe]

We have lots of friend and relatives in Virginia Beach. My wife's brother-in-law is an F14/F18 jockey for the Navy. There's been a concereted effort by liberals there to reduce or eliminate the "noise" of the jets going in and out of Oceana and other air stations in the area. Me, I'm with the rest of the folks who also hear that sound as the sound of freedom. I love jet noise!

[JETDRVR]

Good post! As a fellow aviator (CorpAv) noise is certainly a hot button issue. In my line of work it relates to curfews etc. That can be a royal pain in the a$$, when you are running a multi leg IPO trip for whomever Flav of the month brokerage. Just to name a few fields VNY vannuys, TEB teterburg, HPN , SMO santa mo etc. If you bust the flyover DB sensor, you get a letter or fine depending on location or amount of violations. Its not the easiest thing to have to tell some hotshot from Morg Stan etc , that no we cant arrive or depart at 0dark thirty! Unless they are going to pick up the fine:)