FAA Hosting Public Workshops Re: Flight Path Concerns, April 22, 23, 24

Posted By The Peak on Apr 23, 2019

April 19, 2019

Courtesy City of Scottsdale

Experiencing jet noise from Sky Harbor flights? Let the FAA know at an upcoming workshop

Scottsdale residents will have an opportunity to express their concerns about the impact of Sky Harbor flight paths over their neighborhoods at public workshops hosted next week in Phoenix by the Federal Aviation Administration.

These workshops are part of a court-ordered process to address noise impacts by examining the FAA’s “Next Gen” flight path changes implemented at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport in 2014.

“We believe that that the NextGen flight paths placed over Scottsdale were ill-conceived and a mistake,” said Scottsdale mayor W.J. “Jim” Lane. “We need to convince the FAA to reconsider.”

Scottsdale residents are encouraged to attend a workshop to ask questions and express their concerns about the impact of current Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport flight paths to their neighborhoods and quality of life.

• 5 – 8 p.m. Monday, April 22
  Desert Vista High School (16440 S. 32^nd St., Phoenix, AZ 85048)

• 5 – 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 23
  Pinnacle High School (3535 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85050)

• 5 – 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 24
  Cesar Chavez High School (3921 W. Baseline Road, Laveen, AZ 85339)

With feedback from this process and other factors such as operational safety and efficiency, the FAA may initiate new airspace changes and complete an environmental review.

In 2014, the FAA changed longstanding flight routes in and out of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport with the introduction of satellite-based navigation. These changes concentrate air traffic over heavily populated portions of Scottsdale. Neighborhoods within Troon, DC Ranch and McDowell Mountain Ranch are particularly impacted.

Similar impacts played out in many areas of Phoenix, leading Phoenix and several historic neighborhood districts to file suit against the FAA in federal court and win. Unfortunately, the court’s ruling was applied only to westbound departures, while Scottsdale neighborhoods are impacted by eastbound departures.

The city of Scottsdale has delivered numerous letters to the FAA citing issues of increased noise, physical vibrations of residences and the negative effects the flight path changes are having on our residents’ daily lives. We have also asked the FAA to engage with affected communities, implement reduced aircraft speeds, restrict aircraft altitudes and change throttle up patterns.

For residents unable to attend a workshop, the FAA is also accepting written comments on flightpath corridors from April 24 to May 23.

Holly Walter
Public Information Officer
City of Scottsdale
3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Office: (480) 312-2655

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