Point Loma Residents Upset Over Airport Noise
Residents Say Planes Shouldnt Be Taking Off South Of Narragansett Avenue
Posted: 09/13/2010
Last Updated:
1010 days ago
Residents in the southern part of Point Loma said they are upset about commercial jets departing over their homes.The Peninsula Community Planning Board, which is the neighborhood group that advises the city on land use issues in Point Loma, is also calling for the state to audit Lindbergh Field's flight operations."We can't hold the airport or the [Federal Aviation Administration] accountable when they're not willing to be transparent, so now we have to have a legislative body force them to be transparent," said Suhail Khalil of the PCPB.There are four main airborne departure routes out of Lindbergh. Under normal operations, commercial jets are only supposed to use the middle two routes, which go over Loma Portal and Ocean Beach.But more and more, Khalil said airplanes are being vectored to the south, past Narragansett Avenue where he said they're not supposed to be. Khalil said both the airport and the FAA are to blame."FAA is protecting not the communities that surround them," said Khalil. "Theyre protecting the airlines."Ian Gregor with the FAA told 10News that commercial jets only use the southern departure route when they miss their approach and must go around for another try."The FAA has not made any changes whatsoever in the way we depart aircraft from Lindbergh Field for years and years," said Gregor.Gregor said only propeller-driven airplanes are often routed on the southern vector.Long-time Point Loma residents Tim and Karen Wright say they've noticed more noisy planes over their home, near the intersection of Rosecrans and Talbot Streets."They have really started to take off further south and it's very unique because we've lived here our whole life and never seen this before," said Karen Wright.A decision on whether to conduct an audit of Lindbergh's flight operations is now pending.Both Gregor and a Lindbergh Field spokeswoman said they welcome an audit and will cooperate fully. A decision on whether an audit will be conducted should come within the next few weeks.