Airplane Noise Committee Says FAA Should Alter New KSFO Flight Paths | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-06.23.25

Airborne-NextGen-06.24.25

AirborneUnlimited-06.25.25

Airborne-AffordableFlyers-06.26.25

AirborneUnlimited-06.27.25

Thu, Dec 01, 2016

Airplane Noise Committee Says FAA Should Alter New KSFO Flight Paths

Recommends Higher Approach Altitudes And Procedural Changes

After four months of work, the Select Committee on South Bay Arrivals has recommended some changes to the new approach corridors over Palo Alto, Mountain View, Menlo Park, East Palo Alto, and other communities south of San Francisco International Airport (KSFO).

The Palo Alto Weekly newspaper reports that the committee produced a 44-page report that includes ideas ranging from a change in nighttime flight hours to changing routes aircraft use on approach to the airport.

The flight paths became an issue when after the FAA implemented NextGen approach procedures into KSFO in 2015 which took aircraft over communities that had not previously seen a lot of air traffic. The most controversial route shifted a flight path three miles to the east, and was intended for Optimal Profile Descent under NextGen. But there was a conflict with other restricted airspace around KSFO, and pilots were required to carry power and then use "speed braking" to reduce airspeed on approach, which created more noise. The route, known as SERFR, generated more than a million complaints, according to the committee's report.

The committee recommended returning that route to the previous Big Sur flight path. However, that recommendation was opposed by members of the committee who live in the towns underneath that flight path. It also recommended that the FAA establish a minimum altitude over the MENLO waypoint of 5,000 feet.

The committee went on to recommend that the FAA should continue to meet with the community leaders after new procedures are implemented to track how effective the changes have been, and should consider developing a new flight path that would take flights over less populated areas.

FMI: Full Report

Advertisement

More News

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (06.30.25): Ground Stop (GS)

Ground Stop (GS) The GS is a process that requires aircraft that meet a specific criteria to remain on the ground. The criteria may be airport specific, airspace specific, or equip>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (06.30.25)

Aero Linx: Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) improves safety and public confidence in aviation, marine and rail transport thro>[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (06.30.25)

“The Palo Alto stopover confirmed—yet again—that flight schools and aero-clubs are no longer just curious about electric training; they are ready to buy. In just >[...]

NTSB Final Report: ICON A5

Pilot’s Failure To Maintain Clearance From The Water While Flying At A Low Altitude Analysis: The flight of two airplanes was in cruise flight on a north heading about 50 ft >[...]

Airborne Affordable Flyers 06.26.25: PA18 Upgrades, ‘Delta Force’, Rhinebeck

Also: 48th Annual Air Race Classic, Hot Air Balloon Fire, FAA v Banning 100LL, Complete Remote Pilot The news Piper PA-18 Super Cub owners have been waiting for has finally arrived>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC