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By Barbara Wood
Special to the Almanac
Taking a new approach in efforts to reduce airplane noise over Atherton, the town is sending a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration urging that planes fly at a higher altitude until closer to the San Carlos Airport.
Noisy planes became an issue soon after a new small airline, Surf Air, began flying passengers into the San Carlos Airport in June 2013. Cory Cozzens, co-founder of Surf Air, says the airline currently has nine daily arrivals in San Carlos on weekdays, four on Saturdays and eight on Sundays.
Surf Air, whose customers pay one monthly price for unlimited flights on small passenger planes, recently added flights to and from the Truckee airport to their weekend flight schedule.
At their May 21 meeting, City Council members agreed to have a letter signed by Mayor Cary Wiest sent to the FAA, urging the change in the GPS flight path that aircraft are asked to observe.
Mr. Cozzens says Surf Air has told the FAA the airline supports the proposed new GPS flight path.
“Adding a higher GPS approach would result in aircraft flying 25% higher over homes in the Atherton, North Fair Oaks and Menlo Park neighborhoods,” the letter to the FAA says. “We believe that this increase in altitude would greatly reduce the noise impacts.”
Councilman Rick DeGolia, who serves on the San Carlos Airport Noise Working Group along with Councilwoman Elizabeth Lewis, said the airline has promised to make another change to lessen noise. Pilots for the airline have been dropping their landing gear and powering up 6 miles from the airport, he said, while other pilots do that only 3 miles away. Surf Air officials have promised to start dropping the landing gear closer to the airport, he said. “That will be the most material change,” Mr. DeGolia said.
In December 2013, approximately 75 people attended a community meeting in Atherton to air their concerns about increased flight noise. Since then the working group has met several times to attempt to find a solution to the problem that would not move aircraft over other residential neighborhoods.
This is a great solution which will lower the noise footprint over Atherton and not simply shift the noise to other communities.
Well done Atherton.
I understand that Surf Air provides a service many people are interested in, and that the airport is required to accommodate their flights because of grant or other monies received, but did they have to pick the noisiest planes on the planet? After all, they’re taking off & landing over densely populated residential areas. It would have been nice if they’d kept that in mind while making their plans.
Great changes hope it works out, higher and cleaner should make a big difference. I have seen and heard this plane many times and when it is dirty (gear down) it is noisy.
Good work everyone
LGA:
they chose the safest propeller driven plane on the planet. Which would you rather have, a very safe plane flying over making a little more noise or a quieter one that isn’t as safe?
Menlo Voter:
As long as the fuel boost pumps are working and the pilot remembers the FSII de icing additive.
http://libraryonline.erau.edu/online-full-text/ntsb/aircraft-accident-reports/AAR11-05.pdf
http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2012/06/pilatus-pc-1247-n960ka-6-killed-in.html
LGA:
I’ve read the reports. Look at the statistics for this aircraft. It is the safest single engine propeller driven aircraft in the world. In addition, it is certified for single pilot operation, but Surfair has chosen to operate them with TWO pilots. This adds another level of redundancy and hence safety. You should be more concerned about what could happen to you driving your car than having one of these aircraft fly over your head.
As someone who lives in the direct flight path of Moffett Field, I find this discussion rather amusing (which probably doesn’t reflect well on me, alas).
I wonder how the fair residents of Atherton would have reacted in the heyday of Moffett, when Navy patrol flights and cargo planes were taking off and landing on a constant basis.
UC Davis Grad:
I lived in that landing pattern back in the 70’s. We had P3 Orions passing overhead almost constantly. To hear some in Atherton describe the Surfair over flights as “torture” is laughable. It’s really funny that these rich folks want to stick their heads in the sand and try to pretend they live in some “rural” enclave all the while under the airspace of three major airports. The stupidity or hubris, I’m not sure which it is, is awe inspiring.
I am amazed that a positive outcome can reveal so much about human nature! Everyone is happy with the course of events and yet contributors to this forum turn it into a criticism of “rich folks in Atherton.” I live next to the tracks in Menlo Park, am not wealthy, and I struggle with the noise these Surfair planes make. These flights are new as is scheduled commercial air traffic at San Carlos airport. I am happy with the action taken by the Atherton Council. They took action instead of just complaining or criticizing others.
Juan:
I live close to the tracks as well which is another reason I find the whole thing laughable. We live in an urban environment. It’s noisy. What else is new?
I still believe that leaf blowers make way more noise, and it seems to go on all day instead of just those few times a day for the planes. The kids love the airplanes, not so thrilled about the leaf blowers.