No change in air noise

This is an extremely belated response to your 'Dealing with air noise over Wilmington' article of last December. The reason for the delay is probably the same reason that 'complaints are down' - burnout. How many times can you call the airport to complain, how many letters can you write, before you just feel foolish?

You ask if there is less noise over Delaware. I would say no. When the planes are flying overhead, which is strictly weather related, they areas noisy as ever.

I would also be very surprised to find out that anything has been changed since the first public meeting on this subject on August 16, 1999. The fact that airport or FAA officials tell you they have means nothing. My first experience dealing with airports was up near Newark, N.J. One night, airplanes 'turned on', and they never stopped. It took me two years of calls and letters being told that nothing had changed (i.e., it was my imagination) before someone slipped up and admitted there had been a change in flight pattern to avoid a new condominium development on Staten Island. The only advice I ever got was that FAA regulations required quieter 'Stage III' engines as of December 1999, and I should just wait (this was in 1988, by the way).

When I relocated to the Brandywine Hundred area, I was very disappointed to find out we had airplanes, seemingly during bad weather. When I called the Philadelphia Airport, I was told by the noise control person at the time that planes didn't fly over Delaware. Later he told me he didn't have Wilmington on his maps, and just where was it! And still later, that I was confused and was hearing the noise from New Castle County airport. A couple of years later, I needed to relocate in the area. I attempted to get maps that would help me at least move in the right direction. I was told I had to file a Freedom of Information Act request, which I did. I know it was received, but it was ignored.

There were many, many more useless calls over the years up to the August meeting. I was very surprised to hear at that meeting that not only was Wilmington on their maps, but there was a radio beacon in our neighborhood that the planes aimed for. But all would be put well. The planes would be moved up to 3000 feet, and new quieter engines were due in December. So just wait.

Did anyone notice a sudden drop in the noise level on New Years day, 2000?

Skipping ahead to last July, 2002, Mr Jeck appeared on site. (There is tremendous turnover at the noise control office). I had called to complain about noise. I was told not to worry, the planes had been ordered to fly at 3000 feet. But wait, that was supposed to have happened three years ago I said. The answer - three years ago it was 'suggested' that the planes fly at 3000 feet. Now they are supposed to, unless of course, the pilot doesn't feel like it. I asked about the new quieter engines due in 1999. Surprise, surprise! The airlines hadn't been ready. And now there were 'Stage IV' requirements out, so there was no point in worrying about 'Stage III'.

In my personal opinion, this is the bottom line: By FAA definition, we do not have a noise problem here (they admit this if you ask). So, while they give us lots of lip service, at least when our federal representatives are looking, they are not going to do a thing. (In fact - and this is scary - proposed maps on display at the May 22,2001 workshop didn't show changes in the landing pattern that bothers us now, but they did show a change to direct takeoffs over this area. That would be a major disaster.) Like other Federal agencies, the FAA is beyond control. Unless and until Mr Castle, Mr Carper, and Mr Biden get together enough support to withhold significant funds from the FAA, they will ignore us. And what do you think the possibility of that happening is?

George Smith
Brandywine