Update: March 29, 2019

U.S. Senators and Congressmen on Capitol Hill have responded to our request to help resolve our aircraft impact issues.

FEDERAL OFFICIALS REQUEST AN AVIATION IMPACT PANEL

U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, and U.S. Congressmen Brad Sherman and Adam Schiff have recently joined together to send a strong message to the FAA about the current aviation impact over our neighborhoods.

On March 21, they called for the formation of an aviation impact panel comprised of the FAA, local community members, Van Nuys Airport, Burbank Airport, and others to resolve this current, ongoing problem which includes safety, health, noise and environmental impacts from aircraft. Read Congressman Sherman’s press release here.

In a separate release on March 25, Senator Feinstein distinguishes between the proposed new Burbank flight paths and the current routing of aircraft over the Santa Monica Mountains, which is causing unprecedented complaint levels at both airports, noting the urgency of the current problem that requires “an immediate solution.” Read Senator Feinstein’s press release here.

This coordinated federal action from the U.S. Senate and U.S. House comes in response to our March 12 letter to them and subsequent behind-the-scenes phone calls and follow up communications with their offices. Our letter notified them of the joint Section 175 letters from Burbank Airport and Los Angeles World Airport (LAWA) regarding Van Nuys Airport, and requested their involvement at this pivotal moment to help resolve this recent and serious problem.

Please check back for updates on when this panel will be convened.

Update: March 10, 2019

LAWA SENDS SECTION 175 LETTER TO THE FAA

We played a significant role in the letter that Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) sent to the FAA on March 1, 2019, to address noise and safety impacts, invoking Section 175 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, as instructed by the Los Angeles City Council (see City Council Vote recap below for more information). Read the letter here.

Update: March 6, 2019

Motion passed by the City Council on February 27 to request LAWA to work with the FAA to address impacts.

CITY COUNCIL VOTE (Feb. 27) RECAP

On February 27, the Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to approve Councilman Koretz’s motion to request the FAA to address noise and safety impacts at Van Nuys Airport (VNY), invoking Section 175 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018.

This was in response to our efforts, and a 622% spike in noise complaints by Encino, Sherman Oaks, and Studio City residents, as well as parts of Bel-Air and along the Mulholland ridge. We have been working with the City of Los Angeles, a number of City Council members, the VNY Community Advisory Committee (CAC), the Board of Airport Commissioners (BOAC), and Los Angeles World Airport (LAWA), to return VNY aircraft paths to where they have historically been for decades.

A number of residents who live miles from VNY and Burbank (BUR) Airports, spoke to the full City Council about the harmful effects that the FAA’s changes to flight paths have had on their families and businesses, which now directs hundreds of loud, low-flying aircraft every day - and night - over the noise-sensitive elevations of the Santa Monica Mountain area. The FAA enacted these changes without properly notifying our communities or conducting formal impact studies.

Before it was passed, the motion was amended by Councilman Krekorian, to include language that the FAA also take into account the relationship between flight procedures at both VNY and BUR Airports. The FAA had also changed BUR flight paths recently over these same communities, which has caused a “stacking” of general aviation, commercial, and helicopter aircraft. Read the motion here.

Update: February 23, 2019

A status update was provided by LAWA’s Board of Airport Commissioners (BOAC) public meeting on February 21, 2019.

BOAC MEETING (Feb. 21) RECAP

Once again, on Thursday, Feb. 21st, Sherman Oaks & Encino for Quiet Skies and residents made the trek to LAX to learn if the Board of Airport Commissioners (BOAC) will support our request to invoke Section 175, based in part on documentation we presented at two previous meetings on January 17th and February 7th.

Thanks to all who turned out! An Encino resident spoke about the frequency of departures and their substantial increase during voluntary curfew hours. A Bel Air resident emphasized the high fire hazard dangers of low-flying aircraft over mountainous terrain with narrow roads during a disaster, and reiterated SOEQS research that we submitted at the last meeting, which indicates the NTSB has investigated over 4,500 aircraft crashes in mountain areas since 2000.

The Commissioners reported during the meeting that Los Angeles World Airport (LAWA) staff has been communicating with the FAA’s Western Regional office about the rationale for relocating aircraft over the Santa Monica Mountain area with its 2018 PPRRY waypoint. The FAA is aware there is a problem and has requested LAWA’s help in facilitating meetings with City Council members.

Secondly, they reported on the approval of Councilman Koretz’s motion by the City Council’s Trade, Travel & Tourism Committee that goes to full Council next week on February 21. If the City Council adopts the Motion, LAWA will send a letter to the FAA requesting they undertake the Section 175 process to address noise impacts at VNY consistent with the City Council request.

We thanked LAWA staff, BOAC members and the City Council for their responsiveness to our concerns on behalf of tens of thousands of residents in Sherman Oaks, Encino, and parts of Studio City and Bel-Air, and picked up on what Commissioner Jeffrey Daar said: they need to ask the FAA to revert back to 2.2. DME while the Section 175 process is being undertaken.

Chairman Sean O. Burton noted that he and one of the other BOAC members along with several City Council members will be meeting with the FAA in Washington D.C. in the near future, relative to VNY.

Update: February 20, 2019

Residents from Bel Air, Sherman Oaks and Encino spoke at the City Council’s Trade, Travel & Tourism Committee meeting on February 19, 2019.

CITY COUNCIL’S TRADE, TRAVEL & TOURISM COMMITTEE MEETING (Feb. 19) RECAP

Sherman Oaks & Encino for Quiet Skies headed downtown for the City Council’s Trade, Tourism and Travel (TT&T) Committee meeting, held at City Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 19th. Residents spoke in support of Councilman Koretz’s motion to instruct Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) to invoke Section 175 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, by sending a letter with documentation to the FAA detailing noise issues caused by Van Nuys Airport (VNY) flight paths and to revert to the historical 2.2DME, a safe and efficient alternative to the current use of NextGen PPRRY waypoint.

Councilman and Committee Member Krekorian (CD2) also spoke in support of the motion, noting that residents who live in the impacted Santa Monica Mountains are suffering the cumulative impacts from VNY and Burbank (BUR) Airports, and that the canyon topography amplifies and extends noise from the aircraft, seriously compounding the community noise impact from the VNY flight paths.

Councilwoman Nury Martinez (CD6) requested that the Motion include language taking into account the potential noise impact of any new departing flight guidelines on the surrounding communities before they are implemented.

The motion passed unanimously out of the committee, and is set to go before the full City Council on Wednesday, February 27 at 10:00 in City Hall (details below). We anticipate that the motion may receive the support of the entire City Council but your attendance will be helpful. Click here for details.

Update: February 9, 2019

More than 100 residents attended the BOAC meeting in Van Nuys on February 7, 2019 to support our efforts for quiet skies.

BOAC MEETING (Feb. 7) RECAP

The turnout at the BOAC Meeting on Thursday, Feb. 7th in Van Nuys was fantastic. We filled the room with more than 100 residents. A shout out to all who were able to attend in the middle of a work day and lend support. Your presence mattered! Thanks to the residents and the staff of Councilmen Koretz and Ryu who spoke, as well as Congressman Brad Sherman’s representative who was also in attendance.

The BOAC and the City heard our message loud and clear! We now realize this was a special meeting to focus on the VNY flight path issues because of resident testimonials and our presentation, letter, and documents submitted at the first BOAC meeting on January 17. Putting pressure in the right places is getting results.

We presented new factual documentation including testimonials and Airnoise summaries from multiple residents that show frequency of VNY, BUR and overflight aircraft from other airports; Webtrak screenshots that show what we call “vertical stacking” of planes at different altitudes and airports over residences; and screenshots showing short distances between low altitude planes and homes at higher elevations.

We provided a table comparing the impact that began in May 2018 when the FAA attempted to correct their NextGen implementation mistake, by creating a new waypoint, PPRRY. It contrasted how impactful and dangerous the new waypoint is in comparison to the historic 2.2 DME waypoint, which historically generated few complaints since a good portion of turns were being made over the unpopulated Sepulveda Basin.

Our presentation spelled out the noise, health, and cumulative impacts from frequency and “vertical stacking” of air traffic that is driving aircraft, including helicopters, lower than ever before. We also described fire risks created by low planes flying in mountainous terrain that is designated as a Dangerous Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ) by the state, and noted that a plane crash causing wildfire is only a matter of time.

We closed by asking the BOAC to work with the FAA to move the new waypoint 3/4 mile back to where it was for decades.

All of these documents are now in the hands of the BOAC, and we are following up with them and the City of Los Angeles to send a Section 175 letter - with this documentation - to the FAA.