Just a reminder to anyone interested: Today, Thursday April 17th, 2014: FAA public comment meeting.

"FAA invites comment from residents under flight paths
by Dave Boyce / Almanac
A strong turnout from Portola Valley, Ladera and Woodside is expected at the workshop hosted by the Federal Aviation Administration in the San Mateo Public Library at 55 W. 3rd Ave. at 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 17."

Thanks for this article.

I attended this workshop yesterday April 17th.

As the Almanac article states, Comments from the Public will be accepted to April 24, 2014.

Email the FAA at: 7-ANM-NorCalOAPM@faa.gov
This email address as well as other addresses are listed in the Almanac article.

NorCal OAPM is: Northern California Optimization of Airspace and Procedures in the Metroplex.

The plan changes ("optimizes") arrival and departure procedures at the four major Northern California airports: SFO, Oakland, San Jose and Sacramento. In short, as it was explained to me, with this plan there will be more use of GPS technology and less use of tower-to-pilot communication. Also, a change in landing approach from stepped-down landing to more gradual descent.

The FAA people who hosted the afternoon info event were available and interested in explaining the new plan. They stated what the FAA considers advantages to using it. They explained to me that there are no known disadvantages. There has been no test data that shows disadvantages especially in respect to increased noise levels, but then added that not alot of tests have been done. At least that is how I understood what the FAA official told me.

I met a Menlo Park park ranger who was very concerned about increased noise levels. She was well informed and aware of current studies done and has serious concerns.

I met a Union City resident who showed me photos of the oil-based soot accumulated on her home driveway and house siding. She said that it was even difficult to get it off with a power washer since it adheres to surfaces. The airplane traffic has increased to such an extent that she counted and listed planes overhead one day and was shocked at the result. (I can relate to that because out of frustration one day I did the same thing).

She has lung problems. The FAA official who works in the EPA section of FAA suggested to her that she contact the Bay Area Air Quality District.

So, we all left carrying our information sheets and feeling somewhat hopeless in admitting to ourselves that we just may have to live with these conditions or worst.

Let me see if I have this right... the FAA changes the flight path aircraft actually fly, anytime they please, without inviting public comment, but invites public comment, only when they decides to change their maps to reflect the changes that are ALREADY in place?

Numerous studies have shown a link between aircraft noise and cardiovascular disease, but noise may not be the only problem. In the first study of its kind, experts from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, collected pollution from a commercial jet as it operated at different loads. They found microscopic droplets of unburned jet fuel in the exhaust, that when exposed to sunlight, break down into an even greater number, of even smaller particles, that can penetrate the lungs and blood-brain barrier.

The Carnegie Mellon Study, which was published in the Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry and Physic, can be found here: Web Link

Jet pollution can penetrate the Lungs and Brain study reveals
News.com.au ~ May 13, 2011 Web Link

Living under a flight path can raise the risk of heart disease and stroke
The Telegraph ~ March 1, 2014 Web Link

Aircraft Noise: The Ailment and The Treatment
By Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D. Web Link

The dramatic increase in commercial aircraft noise over Palo Alto is being discussed here: Web Link

Jetman:

Thanks for the links. I have read some of them previously. Also I was very interested to read the many comments from Palo Alto residents.

Yes, sending comments to the FAA pretty much seems like an exercise in futility. I got the distinct impression that they were humoring us.

When I asked them if this was part of Next Gen they looked very surprised that I was even aware of NextGen. No one said for certain that it was. It seemed to me that they were not at all eager to talk about it.

I have to say that I was surprised that FAA has an EPA department. Seems like such an oxymoron.

The increasing number and frequency of airplanes may be the noisy neighbor upstairs who never moves out, regardless of how much a disturbance they are to others who share that common space.