Living Near the Airport Means You’ll Probably Wake up More in the Middle of the Night

“Noise is the silent killer in the sense that it’s really a cumulative effect,” says Mathias Basner, an associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. “If you expose yourself to high levels of noise, that won’t kill you. Our bodies are pretty amazing; we can tolerate a lot of things, especially with a one-time exposure. If it’s not extreme, we’ll deal with it. But if you’re exposed to high noise levels on a regular basis for prolonged periods of time, that’s when we pay the price — and humans are really bad at making that connection.

Basner knows what he’s talking about: He’s been investigating the effects of sound, particularly related to sleep disruption, for decades, and the FAA is currently funding his research around the impact of aircraft noise exposure on sleep. Basner and his team completed the first part of that study right here in Philly, with a group of people living near Philadelphia International Airport, and recently published the results in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.”

https://www.phillymag.com/be-well-philly/2019/11/07/airport-noise/

Hollywood Burbank Airport noise task force questions FAA as debate heats up on air traffic above San Fernando Valley neighborhoods

“The Southern San Fernando Valley Airplane Noise Task Force, made up of local elected city officials and congressional representatives — has been critical of FAA officials, who many residents say gave a scant heads-up on the establishment of the NextGen system.

Burbank flights have historically flown south and made westward turns over the 101 freeway toward their destination. But a report compiled by consulting firm Landrum & Brown last October determined that departing flight paths under the NextGen Metroplex system had shifted southward toward the Santa Monica Mountains, a shift that has parents, homeowners and businesses up in arms.

“I can’t believe how screwed up this situation is,” said LA City Councilman Paul Koretz, a task force member whose council district includes Encino, where south of Ventura Boulevard are the foothills of those mountains.”

Hollywood Burbank Airport noise task force questions FAA as debate heats up on air traffic above San Fernando Valley neighborhoods

600 Percent Rise in Noise Complaints Near Van Nuys Airport Leads to City Council Motion Addressing FAA

From KTLA…

“The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously Wednesday night to have the Federal Aviation Administration look into new rule changes it says have led to a 600 percent increase in noise complaints near Van Nuys Airport.”

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/city-council-votes-to-have-faa-look-into-new-rules-leading-to-600-percent-rise-in-noise-complaints-near-van-nuys-airport/

City of LA Harbor Gateway Council Sends Hawthorne City Council Request for Help with Aircraft Noise

From the Harbor Gateway North’s letter to the Hawthorne City Council…

On September 11, 2018, our Board voted 9-0-0 to go on record with this letter regarding the increased aircraft noise that many of our stakeholders who live below the flight path of the Hawthorne Municipal Airport (HHR) are experiencing. Because all Districts of the Harbor Gateway North community are located in the flight path, we are concerned about the safety, noise, and pollution issues caused by the increasing commercial and private air traffic into your airport which is resulting from changes in the permitted flight path and larger size of aircraft using the airport. We have also received complaints about interference with residents’ television signal reception and other electronics in their homes when the aircraft fly over.

Sincerely,
Pamela Thornton
Chairperson, harbor Gateway North Neighborhood Council

cc: Congressmember Maxine Waters – Congressional District 43
Councilmember Joe Buscaino – Council District 15
Alison Becker, Senior Advisor – Council District 15
Nathan Holmes, Planning Deputy – Council District 15
John Jones III, Field Deputy – Council District 15
Arely Garcia, Constituent Services – Council District 15

Jet Center LA About to Open New Hangars Along 120th, Highlight Airport has no Curfew

More hanger space at Hawthorne run by Jet Center LA.

According to the City jet traffic is up 300% in the last couple of years.

Will this bring in even more jets? It’s not looking good.

Particularly when Jet Center keeps highlighting in the aviation press that Hawthorne has absolutely no curfew. See the sentence  we bolded.

Article on aviation website AINonline…

Jet Center Los Angeles, one of two FBOs at dedicated general aviation Jack Northrop Field/Hawthorne Municipal Airport (HHR), expects to complete its $10.5 million hangar project by the end of this month.

Located three miles south of LAX and 13 miles from downtown Los Angeles, HHR has a 4,956-foot runway and no curfew. It is situated just blocks away from the under-construction stadium for the L.A. Rams football team and SpaceX’s headquarters are on the southest end of the airfield.

“With the help from our partners and talented team, Hawthorne Airport is perfectly situated to service all the overflow from busier L.A. airports,” said Jet Center Los Angeles president Levi Stockton. “With these hangars in place and the new Rams stadium, Hawthorne Airport will be the hot spot for L.A. corporate travel.”

Hawthorne Quiet Skies Coalition Disappointed in May 4th Meeting

The Coalition was disappointed in the City’s presentation to community members on May 4th. No one from City leadership even attended. About 70 residents attended completely filling the room.

We are continuing to talk with City of Hawthorne leaders to meet with the coalition and continue the dialogue.

Uh-oh: New Airline ROAM Starting Commercial Service at Hawthorne Soon

Well this can’t be good – yet another commercial airline is starting up operations at Hawthorne Airport. They say they’re launching a similar model to Surf Air “in the coming months.” How did tiny Hawthorne airport surrounded by neighborhoods close in become LA’s major commercial airport? Without ever informing us residents?

Learn more about ROAM at IFlyRoam.com

The airline also promotes that they are hiring young and inexperienced pilots to fly for them. Inexperienced pilots landing commercial airlines over our neighborhoods? That doesn’t sound good.
http://iflyroam.com/pilots

How Does an Airport Noise Advisory Committee Work?

San Diego Airport’s new Community Advisory Committee offers one model…

From the La Jolla Light newspaper:

The Airport Noise Authority initiated the Flight Procedures Study in January 2018, published a call for applications to serve on the Citizen Advisory (CAC) and Technical Advisory (TAC) Committees, appointed those committees and retained a private air noise consulting firm to make recommendations to the SDCRAA and ultimately to the FAA.

  • 3 -La Jolla’ representatives on the 15-person CAC,
  • representatives from Ocean Beach, Point Loma , Mission Beach and Lemon Grove.
  • one FAA Air Traffic Control District Manager
  • operations manager from the airport
  • members of the Airport Authority
  • representatives of Sky West, Alaska and Southwest Airlines
  • a representative from private aviation
  • long range planners for the City of San Diego
  • an Airport Noise Authority Commission (ANAC) member
  • two retired USAF pilots who also sit on the CAC

We Asked Hawthorne Airport Neighbors: What’s Your Greatest Safety or Noise Concern?

Here are some of the responses (we keep answers anonymous to protect neighbors privacy)…

  1. Surf Air planes are too loud and fly land too low to the ground upon approach to the airport over the Parkside Village community.
  2. Airplanes flying over my house
  3. Jets flying and helicopters over my home at all hours of the day and night and the noise that it makes, they changed the flight path, and how is the airport going to sound proof my home if there are not any changes made ASAP?
  4. 1) Planes are flying low and north of 120th directly over residential area. 2) Planes flying late at night.
  5. Noise
  6. Noise early in the morning and flying too low over the Raymond power lines.
  7. Low flying planes and noise, property value and times planes are permitted to land.
  8. Low flying, flight path over Wiseburn, all hours flights
  9. I am concerned about the airplanes flying directly over our house which is located north of Hollypark. These constant flights are polluting the area with exhaust fumes that are harmful to our health and the frequently blaring close encountered noise is very frightening. I have logged flights coming in occasionally after 10:00 pm and the sounds from the planes are very terrifying; sounding as if the plane is coming directly into your home. On 1/18/18 a plane flew directly over the house at 10:51 PM and the sound was horrendous. We have lived here for 2 years as of April 2018 and were told by the selling agent we would not be directly affected by the planes because the Hawthorne airport is not a busy airport and the planes are coming in over the park. Well, the majority of the times the planes fly directly over our home. I’ve stated several times that I am going to the city to file a complaint but I am happy to see that neighbors and citizens are coming together to address this concerning issue.
  10. Altitude concerns
  11. Noise, low flyers, helicoptors hovering too long overhead.
  12. Noise pollution, flying to low.
  13. Airplanes
  14. noise, safety (small plane crashes have been in the news frequently over the last couple of months) and pollution
  15. I would like to share my concerns about the noise level and privacy. Currently the noise level is loud upon the planes approaching the landing strip and a constance humming. When trying to enjoy time on the outside in the backyard there is no privacy as the planes fly over. Thank you in advance for your consideration into this matter.
  16. Low/Noise flying planes right over my house. I am in the flight path to Hawthorne Airport
  17. Concerned about how low the planes are flying
  18. Night time curfew of flying, flight path permanent as to not go over homes when landing and taking off, debris and jet fuel landing on cars, more traffic in the area were more accidents can occur ( pedestrians safety with crossing and aesthetic of neighborhood near Hawthorne Airport, do not want to decrease values of homes.
  19. planes flying over my home, shaking, noise, window rattling
  20. planes flyinig over my home dayand night, lot of noise, window rattling, loud noise from planes
  21. planes flying over my home, loud noise, rattling, shaking, keep us awake, sounds like plane is landing on top of my home.
  22. noise, possible crashes, air pollution
  23. I am concerned about safety as planes depart the airport as well as the exponential increase in air traffic over my home. The jets are very loud. I can hear the planes through closed doors and windows in my home.
  24. altitude, noise, hours
  25. Level of acceptable noise by aircraft and motorcycles. What noise is considered safe. Private pilots do not follow routes out of HHR
  26. Excessive noise from airplanes flying directly over my home – concerned about airplane carcinogenic pollution impacting my health and the lack of my peaceful enjoyment with airplanes flying over my home after 10 PM. On 3/22/18 a plane flew over my house into the Hawthorne Airport at 10:51 PM and on 3/23/18 at 11:28 PM.