Airports across the LA Basin implemented dozens of noise control programs that do not require FAA approval.
The Hawthorne City Council created the Hawthorne Airport Community Roundtable to “find ways to reduce and mitigate noise impacts.” That was seven years ago, what happened?
- Complete the airport’s 2021 Part 150 Noise Compatibility Program and provide soundproofing for residents within the 65 CNEL.
Example: LAX soundproofing program - Develop a voluntary curfew and voluntary compliance program in partnership with Hawthorne Airport LLC, Advanced Air, and other commercial airline tenants
Examples: Van Nuys’ Quieter Nights Program; Long Beach’s voluntary commercial curfew; Whiteman’s voluntary curfew - Implement voluntary curfew fines if commercial flights take-off or land 10:00 pm to 6:00 am and donate the funds to a local Boys and Girls Club. In addition, award incentives such as additional landing slots for commercial companies that meet noises standards.
Example: Long Beach’s soft curfew fines and fly friendly incentives; Van Nuys - Cities and airports have demonstrated the legal right to ban touch and go landings. That is a powerful incentive for flight schools to fly quietly and respect the neighborhoods.
Example: Torrance - Enforce Hawthorne’s noise ordinance on the ground. The city can enforce noise ordinances when planes are on the ground, such as during start-up, warm-up, maintenance, and taxiing. In the air the FAA is in control, on the ground Hawthorne has noise control authority. Violation is approximately 65-db at the fence line for five minutes or longer, or 40-db indoors at night for five minutes or longer.
Examples: Santa Monica noise ordinances - Install an automated noise monitoring and reporting system at Hawthorne airport.
Examples: Long Beach and Van Nuy’s ANOMS system; Santa Monica’s flight tracker; and Torrance’s Casper system - Track pilot and company fly quietly performance, and report results quarterly to the community and aviation community. Use of a system, such as Vector Airport Systems, for a pilot incentive program. For companies not meeting standards, strongly encourage companies to send pilots to training if they are consistently violating the fly quietly routes. Again – show residents the data, be transparent, consistent, and reliable with your reports.
Examples: Santa Monica, Van Nuys, Torrance, and Long Beach - Ban the noisiest classes of helicopters.
Example: New York City - Beef up Hawthorne Airport’s noise control information webpage.
Examples: all other airports - You can implement landing fees to pay for noise monitors and more staff.
Examples: Torrance, Van Nuys, and Long Beach - Require the phase out of leaded aviation gas at Hawthorne’s fueling station in alignment with the FAA’s EAGLE program. There is no safe level of lead for children. 16 million gallons of leaded fuel were sold in California in 2023. What has Hawthorne LLC done on lead? What is their phase out plan, do they have one?
Examples: Santa Clara County Airport and Whiteman
Or waive fuel fees for pilots using unleaded aviation gas.
Example: Van Nuys - Produce an annual Noise Compatibility Plan summary report to indicate the status of each program listed in the 2021 noise study as required by the FAA.
Examples: all airports
Similar noise control programs have already been implemented by Santa Monica, Torrance, Van Nuys, Whiteman, and Long Beach Airports.
Hawthorne Quiet Skies 