I have lived in the neighborhood of Northern Hills since 1986. We have enjoyed living there so much, that we are living in our third home in Northern Hills, which we bought just three years ago. Northern Hills is a few miles north of the Airport, and east of Wetmore road, which is the road that runs beside the airport. It's a nice community, mostly retired military, but a nice mix of professionals as well. There is a golf course running through Northern Hills, although I am not a golfer, I was attracted to Northern Hills because it has always been a community that continues to look younger than it is. In fact it is still being developed. Kaufman and Broad is selling the last street and there are only about 5 lots left and they will complete the neighborhood of 1732 homes.
Imagine my shock back in April when I read in our homeowner's newsletter that the Airport plans to have Air traffic redirected over Northern Hills! Can that really be true? What? How can this happen?
How did this happen, and what can we do about it?
In 1999, The San Antonio Airport contracted Ricondo and Associates to perform a "Far 150 Noise Abatement Update Study". To receive Federal funds, the airport can periodically conduct FAR 150 noise studies. Finding a way to reduce the number of people affected by noise would give the Airport 80% funding for projects like extending runways.
A Tactical Advisory Committee was formed and composed of experts and affected citizens. Unfortunately, no committee members were from Northern Hills.
In March 2000, the TAC together with Ricondo, made a presentation to City Council for their plans for noise abatement. One of the suggestions made included a turn of 15 degrees to the east when taking off on the northbound runway. This would put flights directly over Northern Hills. I wrote a letter to our Councilman voicing my concern, and copied it to another person I know in Northern Hills. It eventually ended up in the hands of Mike Gallagher, who was heading a Noise committee for Northern Hills. They asked me to join the team.
We put up our website, myNHHA.org and handed out flyers in April. We held homeowners meetings at the elementary school. We started learning all about Airports, Airlines, the FAA, and what is known as the FAR Part 150 Update Study. The process that started out so easy, for Ricondo was now being attacked. Letters started coming in to city hall and to council persons. Ricondo asked for additional time to finalize the study, and now, almost 4 months behind schedule, they have given the city their revised recommendations.
They are:
1) Conduct live tests of departure profiles.
2) Pursue additional voluntary noise departure procedures.
3) Establish a preferential use program minimizing 12L and 12R Extend runway 3-21. Break runway intersection.
4) Establish a departure corridore making use of compatible land use east of Wetmore Road.
5) Establish departure for 21 along Highway 281.
6) Incorporate the findings and recommendations of the engine run-up study into the program.
7) Install aircraft noise and operations monitoring system.
8) Enhanse pilot awareness of noise-sensative areas.
9) Investigate use of noise barriers to reduce takeoff roll noise.
10) Encourage Congress to seek stricter aircraft noise standards.
11) Encourace the FAA to develop a phase-out of stage 2 aircraft.
On October 3rd, I attended a bimonthly meeting of the Airport Noise abatement committee. Out of 15 members of the committee, only 7 showed up, meaning they had no quorum, and could not pass the recommendation on to City Council. Some members complained that they felt the $600,000.00 spent for the services of Ricondo and Associates could have been better spent. Some fumed that this problem could have been solved 9 or 10 years ago. Some members objected to all the hard work being tossed away. Now it will have to wait until after the next Noise Abatement Committee meeting, which will be the first Tuesday of December.
What we oppose about this plan.
1) A 15-degree turn causes the flight path to be over the cement plant. The proposed noise contour map shows that the "bad noise" stops at the edge of the Northern Hills Golf Course. They have widened the flight path in order to make the averages lower, thus backing the noise contours up towards Thousand Oaks.
2) Asking all pilots to turn 15 degrees to the east, then to turn back to the right after crossing Wetmore road would make this a difficult task for any pilot. On takeoff, their nose is up, and they won't be able to see where Wetmore Road is.
3) Having all traffic diverted 15 degrees causes a dangerous condition. Air Traffic controllers will tell you that they have slower traffic turn out, and the faster traffic go straight. Making them all go 15 degrees to the right will mean that they will have to space the traffic further apart, and therefore either delay take-offs, or cause unnecessary delays in take-offs.
4) The current airport system will serve San Antonio for many years to come safely and without wasteful runway extensions and aircraft diversions. New technology in Jet Engines allows the 757 to carry more people with less fuel and requires shorter runways than the 737 in use today.
What can you do to help?
Be aware that the public is never told everything when it comes to multi-million dollar projects like the Airport.
Visit our website, http:/www.myNHHA.org, and read the examples of the letters that we are sending to our City Council. Tell them not to recommend this dangerous tactic to the FAA.
Visit the site http://www.nonoise.com and write the FAA about airplane noise and airplane pollution.
It is my hope that I can remove the myNHHA website in 2001, and we can get back to our regularly scheduled lives.
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- © 2001 John Penry - All rights reserved. |