GA Airport Noise

[DuckRyder]

I'm certainly not going to argue, although I have friends and a former stepfather who are pilots, and have been up in all sorts of small aircraft from taylorcraft to kingair I am not a pilot...

However he seems to be saying that aircraft are now turning right over his house where they did not in the past? So something changed? No?

If that is where the turn has to be made, then that is where it has to be made... on the other hand if someone simply mapped out a 1 hour path using point a, b, c and d then it should be possible to map out multiple 1 hour routes using other "points of interest"?

That said, 15-20 times a day sounds like a lot of instruction's and 300 feet sounds very low (and thus very close) How close to airport would 200-300 feet be on a normal approach for the typical general aviation aircraft?

 

[demarpaint]

You don't always have to live "next to an airport" to hear the noise. I was 8 miles from JFK growing up. When they opened up runway 22L and we had landings stacked every 90 seconds, apart [sometimes less if they were using two runways near 22L] you couldn't think. Even people in much more affluent areas like Rockville Center and Garden City, both of which were even further away had complaints. It depended more on the day of the week, the wind and the weather for them, but boy was it loud. For us it became a normal occurrence.

 

[andrewg]

Find out what flight schools are using the airport. Go to them directly and kindly tell them about the situation and ask if any solutions MAY exist to lesson noise impact upon you. If not....install soundproofing on the house.
Other than that, only moving will solve your dilemma in my opinion.
I know all about noise. My current home has an idiot behind us that cranks up the volume of a car radio whenever they are in the yard....the neighbor next to me has built a motocross track IN HIS YARD right along our property line! To add to that noise we live about a half mile from a major regional drags trip (knew that going in). If that wasn't enough, we are about 5 miles from a local airport with a helicopter school....and lastly, major airline traffic often fly's overhead heading to SeaTac International and Boeing Field. I won't even mention police choppers, traffic choppers, and military choppers (Ft. Lewis is near).
We are moving next month.

 

[Fleetmon]

Just to clarify, the flight schools operate approximately one hour sessions and they turn over our house sometimes as little as ten times per hour and as much as twenty. We are three miles from the runway threshold. I did not try or mean to imply this occurs twenty times per day....worst case is early morning (begins at 7AM) and goes until about 10AM and then each afternoon, probably 3PM until 6PM. Different planes. There is apparently another school that operates but they turn to the east, go out further and then approach from our east.

All and I mean ALL other planes approach from our east (heading somewhat south) almost all of the time but occasionally from the west. The aircraft that turn over our house, make their turn, head west southwest and then line up for their landing. My range finder, although probably not real accurate on a moving "target" has always indicated between 200' and 300'.

Takeoffs are east of us (heading somewhat north) and travel till out of sight....the trainers turn west and fly directly over our house.

Thanks for the replies...we will approach the flights school(s) and see if we can come to some kind of compromise....otherwise, rain and winter are welcome.

 

[mattwithcats]

There are programs in place to mitigate noise from airports.
If available, and if asked, they will install soundproofing in walls and windows....

 

[spasm3]

I live a mile or so as the crow flies from the Piedmont triad regional airport( greensboro nc). I've lived here most of my life and none of it bothers me. If you live near an airport long enough this will not bother you. You get used to the sounds and perhaps straightening the pictures on the wall a bit. The only thing i notice a bit is when they do jet engine runups on the ground, this seems the loudest but it really does not bother me.

 

[fdcg27]

This may be an issue that will quickly solve itself.
The economics of flight training are not all that favorable, so the FBOs offering it at your airport may not survive for very long.
It's especially difficult to make the finances work on the scale you're seeing in a climate that grounds the training fleet probably five months out of the year.
What I'm saying is that relief may come sooner rather than later, although I hate to see any operation bringing new pilots into the dwindling GA fold fail.

 

[Fleetmon]

Well...let me say that I've lived near airports most of my adult life and was on the direct approach to 10-28 at BWI for twenty years....I'm used to airports, aircraft of all types, engine run-ups and etc.

What I'm trying to convey is how obnoxious the engines are that approach you, turn directly overhead, and then descend away from me. This is not as bothersome in the house so I don't need soundproofing. Outside sitting and conversation is impossible during the instruction hours though....not just bothersome to us either as we've seen our deer and turkey appraoch only to run off once the training flights start.

I merely asked what some people MIGHT do in the same circumstances. All of the planes/helo's leaving this airport don't bother me EXCEPT the ones that choose to use my house as a marker. There are 1k acres 200 yards north of me that could be used....there are huge fields on either side of me. I noticed the otherpilots take off and/or land pretty much over forest/fields/etc not houses.

 

[cjcride]

Originally Posted By: AandPDan
By the OP's own statement he lies in line with the runways.

You don't maneuver on approach.

Maybe he should take a lesson or two to understand what is going on from the pilot's perspective.
This^ is a good idea, then approach the manager and suggest the final turn point be moved if possible.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: mattwithcats
There are programs in place to mitigate noise from airports.
If available, and if asked, they will install soundproofing in walls and windows....


Links please.