McClellan-Palomar Airport Neighbors Say Pilots Aren't Following Noise Abatement Procedures

"If pilots would just follow the recommended (flight) path, we wouldn't be here tonight."

So says Gail Carroll, who lives in Carlsbad (CA). She was one of about two dozen people who showed up at a meeting of the McClellan-Palomar Airport Advisory Committee Thursday night to complain about airport noise.

Mind you, these are the folks that moved next to an airport and then decided they didn't like airplane noise. Hmmmm....

The San Diego Union-Tribune reports she and eight of her neighbors who just can't stand the noise. But this isn't about a neighborhood bashing general aviation. Instead, it's a story about people who say they want to work with the airport in a... well, neighborly... fashion.

That's welcome news for airport administrators, who already seem to have enough on their hands. Pilots at Palomar have complained to the FAA about being booted out of their hangars and tie-down spots as the airport undergoes renovation.

Right now, noise abatement procedures at Palomar call for departing jets taking off from Runway 24 to climb at best rate on a heading of 250 degrees until at least a half-mile over the Pacific Ocean. At that point, jet pilots can pick their heading and altitude above 2000 feet. Props departing 24 are asked to maintain runway heading until reaching 800 feet. The north pattern for 24 is preferred, according to the procedure. All departures from Runway 6, regardless of type, are asked to maintain runway heading until reaching at least 800 feet.

The airport also encourages "Quiet Hours" between 2200 and 0700. Jet flight is discouraged, as are touch-and-go maneuvers.

"At this point, we have a compatible airport," said Jeff Fuller of URS. That's the San Diego environmental engineering company conducting a noise study at McClellan-Palomar.

Pilot Paul Breed told the San Diego paper, "We're trying to be good neighbors as well." But, he said, vectors from the tower or ATC often force pilots to abandon the noise abatement procedures.

Regarding the complaint by pilots angry at the way the Airport Committee is going about renovating the field, the Committee voted not to put the $30 million project on hold, according to the Union-Tribune. Resolution on the matter could take months and committee members said the show must go on.

FMI: www.kcrosby.com/pairport.html, www.co.san-diego.ca.us/dpw/airports/noise.htm#McClellan