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To Report Aircraft Noise REPORT EACH AND EVERY LOUD EVENT Don't waste time calling the Airport, it doesn't do any good! DEMAND THE FOLLOWING FROM THE MAYOR: 1. Start a Phase out of Noisy Stage 2 Jets! 2. Limit Van Nuys Airport Growth NOW with a viable E-2 Alternative Master Plan! 3. Establish Penalties & Fines for excessive noise! 4. Curfew Media Helicopters from 10pm to 7am. 5. Conduct a rapid and effective Part 161 Study to reduced noise in our community!
Mr. Mayor, don't use the Part 161 as a smoke screen to delay noise reduction. Have your Board of Airport Commissioners submit a Phase Out of Stage 2 jets to the City Council TODAY! A Phase Out that will rid the Valley of Stage 2 Jets within 7 years. No More Excuses!!! ---------------- UPDATE: The residents of Sherman Oaks have been bombarded by aircraft noise since Van Nuys Airport (VNY) has been allowed to grow from a relatively quiet General Aviation Airport to a full-fledged Commercial Jet Charter Airport all with the blind eye of the previous and current Mayors and their Board of Airport Commissioners.
Currently the only restriction on Van Nuys Airport air traffic is on what are considered Stage 2 Jets. Stage 2 Jets are jet aircraft built before 1983 that make more jet noise than those considered Stage 3 aircraft built after 1983.
Many airports around the world have restricted Stage 2 Aircraft, like Santa Monica and John Wayne Airports back in late 1980’s. The City of Los Angeles failed to do so during a 1990 opportunity called the Air Noise and Capacity Act (ANCA), thus there are over 50 Stage 2 jets based at VNY and thousands that are considered “Itinerants” that fly in from other airports that are considered their home bases. Thus, VNY could have anywhere from a few to many dozen Stage 2 noisy jets flying in and out of VNY each day.
Many of these jets are the ones that are so loud that they shake your home and cause you to stop talking on the phone, carrying on a conversation or disrupt you leisure time. There are also 10 Navy Stage 1 Jets used by Raytheon based at VNY. These are Military aircraft used to test new radar technology. All within our residential populated Valley community. SOHA has asked our Congressional representatives to request that the Navy replace these Stage 1 Jets at VNY as soon as possible. This may take time but there are alternatives that we hope can be used that are quieter Stage 3 military jets that will still allow Raytheon to do their job.
There is a limited curfew established to restrict the “Take Off” of Stage 2 jets that is in place at the airport. Stage 2 jets can only fly between 7 am and 11 pm daily. And they can land at VNY any time without restriction. This curfew was Grandfathered as part of a proposal considered during the Air Noise and Capacity Act (ANCA) time frame of 1990. It is now law, and not considered discriminatory.
All other Stage 3 Jets and aircraft, including helicopters can take off and land anytime they wish.
Many helicopters are also based at VNY and often fly out of the airport as early as 5:15 am. Many of these noisy helicopters are “Media” helicopters flying low over our homes to show us that the traffic on the freeway is bad. As if we didn’t already know. Do note that these media helicopter crews get their traffic report instructions from the same web sites that you can... all because of sensors or camera's on our freeways. So why do we really need them flying so low over all our homes so early in the morning? Tell the Mayor to get some backbone, and tell the Media to fly higher, and quieter, and make it public so we know that when the media helicopters and others don't fly quietly, we know they are abusing our rights to privacy, invading our homes with the intent of destroying our quality of life, not enhancing it.
There is currently no “Master Plan” for VNY so it is allowed to grow and grow until one is implemented. SOHA supports what is called the E-2 Alternative Master Plan proposal that would instate the limits established on a Master Plan proposal in 1995, but was never implemented by then Mayor Riordan’s administration at the Board of Airport Commissioners (BOAC). The longer a Master Plan takes to implement, the larger the airport is going to be allowed to grow, all guaranteed to be worse for residents of the Valley.
The BOAC was appointed by Mayor Hahn and is at his beck and call. We believe that Mayor Hahn and his BOAC hold the keys to making the airport more resident friendly, AND THERE IS MUCH THEY CAN DO!
Here is a small list of items we have asked Mayor Hahn to implement via his BOAC for a vote before the City Council, and then signed into law by him. Of course to date, he won't speak with us directly but shuttles off this responsibility to the bureaucrats at the Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) who run LAX, VNY, ONTAIRIO and PALMDALE Airports.
We want the Mayor and the City to...
REMOVAL OF ALL STAGE 2 JETS FROM VNY AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. Based on letters the City Attorney has received from the FAA that a Phase Out is doable, a removal of Stage 2 Jets can take place over no less than 7 years based on the ANCA proposals of 1990. A Part 161 FAA Study that is to be conducted by the City could also remove these aircraft sooner, but these studies, like the Master Plan have a life of their own and can take up to 10 years or more to be submitted to the FAA for approval. Currently, the City of Naples, Florida, which conducted such a Part 161 Study, and banned Stage 2 jets is now fighting with the FAA, to keep their ban in place. Until this matter is resolved in the courts, the validity of a Part 161 Study is in doubt, so all the more reason to push through a Phase Out of Stage 2 jets based on the ANCA proposals. Just like the Curfew and the Non-Addition Rule passed by the City in the 1990's that also were ANCA proposals and have all won in the Courts. We want a date certain when all Stage 2 Jets will be gone from VNY forever! The Non-Addition Rule only removes Stage 2 Jets that are sold and replaced by other Stage 2 Jets, but allows all current Stage 2 Jets to stay INDEFINITELY! It also still allows itinerant Stage 2 Jets to continue to use the airfield as well.
STOP ALL ITINERANT (non VNY Based aircraft) STAGE 2 JETS FROM USING VNY... again within 7 years at least!
CONSTRUCT A SIGNIFICANT NOISE TRACKING SYSTEM OUT 5 MILES FROM VNY AND ESTABLISH STRONG PENALTIES FOR VIOLATORS AS
ARE IN PLACE AT JOHN WAYNE AIRPORT IN ORANGE COUNTY. This can be done if the proposed Part 161 Study is conduced in earnest.
CURFEW HELICOPTERS TO BETWEEN 10PM AND 7AM ON WEEKDAYS (except emergency aircraft). Again, a Part 161 Study is required.
ADOPT THE E-2 ALTERNATIVE OF THE MASTER PLAN FOR VNY NOW!!!
END SIGHT SEEING FLIGHTS AT VNY. These are often overloaded small planes or Helicopters that advertise their businesses to tourists and who fly low over the Hollywood Hills and our homes, making more noise than usual due to their excessive weight, continual flight times.
ESTABLISH A NEW ALL AIRCRAFT CURFEW ON WEEKENDS FROM 10PM TO 9AM (Part 161 Study Required)
BASE LEASE ARRANGEMENTS FOR AIRCRAFT AT VNY ON HOW QUIET THEY OPERATE.
What can you do? Keep the pressure on the Mayor Hahn and let him know that our Quality of Life here in the Valley is unacceptable with noisy jets and helicopters and he should stop siding with the airport interests alone and help us stop the noise NOW!
Join the SHERMAN OAKS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION and the Airport Noise Committee Email List by sending an email to Wayne Williams at: mailto:wwclick@earthlink.net
Ask Wayne to keep you informed of what the Committee is up to. You can call and complain about airport noise to the following phone numbers. Call Mayor James K. Hahn directly: (213)978-0600 Burbank Airport Noise Response Line (800) 441-0409
In the past we recommended the public call VNY or BUR noise lines directly, but they are Public Relations sponges by the Cities to drain your energy and make you feel like you are doing something. They do not penalize or stop noise making aircraft or their owners in any way, as there are no laws to fine or restrict noise violators on aircraft except those listed as Stage 2 curfews hours.
You are better off complaining to your local City Council Representatives and the Mayor’s Valley Office directly. Mayor James K. Hahn (213)978-0600 Council Person Jack Weiss (818) 756-8083 (Valley Office) Council Person Wendy Greuel (818) 755-7676 (Valley Office)
There are also other sources of information on the Internet that are worth checking out regarding Van Nuys Airport Noise.
An excellent web page called VanNoise.org that can inform you with more information than is listed here.
Finally, there is a pitiful organization called the Van Nuys Airport Citizens Advisory Council (CAC) that meets once a month, on the first Tuesday of each month, at least 10 times a year (except August and December) at 7 PM till about 9 PM.
7277 Valjean Ave Van Nuys, CA 91406-3434 Located west of the 405 Freeway, just off Sherman Way at the north west Corner of Valjean Avenue at the Van Nuys Airport. |
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Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association Post Office Box 5223 Sherman Oaks, California 91413 Information : (818) 377-4590 Email: soha914@gmail.com |
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