Three items of note in the ongoing dispute about airport noise in the June minutes of the Airport Advisory Committee. All three items can expected to generate some media attention in the coming weeks.
1). Expect the airport to fight back against west-side residents wanting money because of noise from the new runway. As Jerry Orr said:
We have received a lot of noise complaints recently and we will talk more in detail at our next meeting. We have measured that noise and what we have observed is the peak noise measurement out of the data didn’t come from an airplane. But we are going to go back and look through the data, which is an extensive process, and work on calling out the noises that are not aircraft noises. We will have a lot more data and will spend more time on this next month.
2). The airport will soon have federal approval for new noise maps. If you are within the 65 LDN contour, you could get your home insulated against noise at airport expense. The old maps dates to 1996. Jets have gotten quieter since then, which is to say far fewer people will be eligible for the free sound insulation program under the new maps.
3). So far the new runway has been used mainly for landings. When the center runway closes on August 15 for 70 days for reconstruction, the new runway will also be used more for takeoffs. Takeoffs generate more noise than landings.
Put this all together, and you can expect more noise about noise through the fall.
