Protect Citizens Surrounding Palomar Airport
Frustrated residents surrounding Palomar Airport are concerned for their safety due to self-interested, hazardous flying practices at McClellan-Palomar Airport. Although most residents are proponents of the airport, and the benefits it brings to our community, democratic principals dictate that the government officials and airport operators make every effort to balance the needs of transportation with those of the residents, who support them by way of patronage and taxes. This balance has been swayed toward business interests at Palomar Airport, so much so, that residents have been tragically treated as though they were the nuisance, and not a partner. Our goal is very simple: enforce the Quiet Hours and departure patterns of the current Voluntary Noise Abatement Policy, VNAP, per the Part 150 Study. This request is all about safety and environmental quality, yet officials have ignored resident pleas and denied concerns and responsibility.
Voluntary programs simply are not working as evidenced by review of NTSB plane crash records as well as the number of complaints registered with the county for non-compliance. We will greatly decrease the number of accidents, fear of greater tragedy, improve noise and environmental quality in the surrounding community if guidelines were made mandatory.
The current Negative Declaration for Proposed Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan will omit environmental impact studies on future development around the airport and serve as precedent for the future planned expansion of the airport.
It is our opinion that if officials cannot maintain safety and enforce current guidelines over homes, schools, churches, and parks at the current level of growth, that any expansion of services and extension of the runway to accommodate larger and more planes, will create more surface traffic and will surely be the end of the Village by the Sea and become a seaside metro, congested and noise polluted, providing safety hazards to both residents and visitors alike.
We the undersigned, call on the City of Carlsbad, County of San Diego, State of California and Federal Aviation Administration and Federal Representatives to:
1. Oppose relaxed environmental standards for future development adjacent to the airport included in the Negative Declaration for Proposed Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan at McClellan-Palomar Airport which would waive Environmental Impact Reports and studies upon local communities. This may lead to unrestrained standards when they move forward to extend the runway and expand operations at the airport. The proposed runway extension is intended over a land fill where underground fires and gases are known to dwell. Greenhouse emission impact on local communities is significant and must be reviewed to maintain the quality of our communities under CEQA and SB 375 aimed at limiting urban sprawl.
2. Oppose any extension of the runway or expansion of operations which will bring additional air traffic vis-%uFFFD-vis larger planes holding more fuel, more noise pollution, increased safety threats, more noise and higher passenger volume, which will overburden already crowded roads and highways.
3. Submit to public vote any expansion of the airport or extension of runways per Carlsbad City Ordinance 21.53.015 so stating.
4. Remediate the horrific safety record of Palomar Airport by enforcing FAA guidelines set forth. This airport record of fatalities far exceeds others and is only a flight away from crashing into a home, school, church or park. Most of these accidents result from negligent or untrained pilots, negligent mechanical upkeep, weather and fog. All of these can be reversed by actions herein.
From 2000-2009 Palomar has had 17 incidents and 13 fatalities, while Lindberg has 10 incidents & 1 fatality,
LAX has 26 incidents & 8 fatalities, John Wayne has 8 incidents and 0 fatalities. This is extraordinary by any standards.
5. Close the airport and make Quiet Hours 10:00PM to 7:00AM mandatory, when air traffic controllers are not on duty, for ALL aircraft except emergency as intended by Part 150 Study and Par 2000 Study and per the FEDERAL REGISTER, dated 12/18/06.
6. Make arrival and departure guidelines mandatory and impose penalties on pilots and aircraft owners that do not comply with VNAP (Voluntary Noise Abatement Procedures), including departures to fly at a 250%uFFFD degree heading (Staying on the north side of Palomar Airport Road) until %uFFFD mile off the coast before making turns for navigation. This is to include all aircraft, including training flights.
7. Require FAA Traffic Controllers take a pro-active role to provide direction and penalties to pilots to comply with VNAP, maintain required altitudes, and prevent operations when fog is present.
8. Require Helicopters to fly along highway and main road navigation routes to avoid residential areas in non emergency situations.
9. Provide incentives for flight schools to train out of remote areas, such as Borrego Springs, avoiding dense population over homes, churches, schools and parks.
10. County request a Part 161 Study by FAA to make mandatory Palomar Airport VNAP and Quiet Hours.
11. Adopt a 3-Strikes policy and tracking system for pilots and operators not in compliance with VNAP and Quiet hours, denying them airport access, as adopted at John Wayne Airport, and public notification and posting of names.
12. Adopt a control system for both pilot training and airplane inspections with stiff penalties for non compliance.
For more information, go to http://www.loudairport.com/
Frustrated residents surrounding Palomar Airport are concerned for their safety due to self-interested, hazardous flying practices at McClellan-Palomar Airport. Although most residents are proponents of the airport, and the benefits it brings to our community, democratic principals dictate that the government officials and airport operators make every effort to balance the needs of transportation with those of the residents, who support them by way of patronage and taxes. This balance has been swayed toward business interests at Palomar Airport, so much so, that residents have been tragically treated as though they were the nuisance, and not a partner. Our goal is very simple: enforce the Quiet Hours and departure patterns of the current Voluntary Noise Abatement Policy, VNAP, per the Part 150 Study. This request is all about safety and environmental quality, yet officials have ignored resident pleas and denied concerns and responsibility.
Voluntary programs simply are not working as evidenced by review of NTSB plane crash records as well as the number of complaints registered with the county for non-compliance. We will greatly decrease the number of accidents, fear of greater tragedy, improve noise and environmental quality in the surrounding community if guidelines were made mandatory.
The current Negative Declaration for Proposed Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan will omit environmental impact studies on future development around the airport and serve as precedent for the future planned expansion of the airport.
It is our opinion that if officials cannot maintain safety and enforce current guidelines over homes, schools, churches, and parks at the current level of growth, that any expansion of services and extension of the runway to accommodate larger and more planes, will create more surface traffic and will surely be the end of the Village by the Sea and become a seaside metro, congested and noise polluted, providing safety hazards to both residents and visitors alike.
We the undersigned, call on the City of Carlsbad, County of San Diego, State of California and Federal Aviation Administration and Federal Representatives to:
1. Oppose relaxed environmental standards for future development adjacent to the airport included in the Negative Declaration for Proposed Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan at McClellan-Palomar Airport which would waive Environmental Impact Reports and studies upon local communities. This may lead to unrestrained standards when they move forward to extend the runway and expand operations at the airport. The proposed runway extension is intended over a land fill where underground fires and gases are known to dwell. Greenhouse emission impact on local communities is significant and must be reviewed to maintain the quality of our communities under CEQA and SB 375 aimed at limiting urban sprawl.
2. Oppose any extension of the runway or expansion of operations which will bring additional air traffic vis-%uFFFD-vis larger planes holding more fuel, more noise pollution, increased safety threats, more noise and higher passenger volume, which will overburden already crowded roads and highways.
3. Submit to public vote any expansion of the airport or extension of runways per Carlsbad City Ordinance 21.53.015 so stating.
4. Remediate the horrific safety record of Palomar Airport by enforcing FAA guidelines set forth. This airport record of fatalities far exceeds others and is only a flight away from crashing into a home, school, church or park. Most of these accidents result from negligent or untrained pilots, negligent mechanical upkeep, weather and fog. All of these can be reversed by actions herein.
From 2000-2009 Palomar has had 17 incidents and 13 fatalities, while Lindberg has 10 incidents & 1 fatality,
LAX has 26 incidents & 8 fatalities, John Wayne has 8 incidents and 0 fatalities. This is extraordinary by any standards.
5. Close the airport and make Quiet Hours 10:00PM to 7:00AM mandatory, when air traffic controllers are not on duty, for ALL aircraft except emergency as intended by Part 150 Study and Par 2000 Study and per the FEDERAL REGISTER, dated 12/18/06.
6. Make arrival and departure guidelines mandatory and impose penalties on pilots and aircraft owners that do not comply with VNAP (Voluntary Noise Abatement Procedures), including departures to fly at a 250%uFFFD degree heading (Staying on the north side of Palomar Airport Road) until %uFFFD mile off the coast before making turns for navigation. This is to include all aircraft, including training flights.
7. Require FAA Traffic Controllers take a pro-active role to provide direction and penalties to pilots to comply with VNAP, maintain required altitudes, and prevent operations when fog is present.
8. Require Helicopters to fly along highway and main road navigation routes to avoid residential areas in non emergency situations.
9. Provide incentives for flight schools to train out of remote areas, such as Borrego Springs, avoiding dense population over homes, churches, schools and parks.
10. County request a Part 161 Study by FAA to make mandatory Palomar Airport VNAP and Quiet Hours.
11. Adopt a 3-Strikes policy and tracking system for pilots and operators not in compliance with VNAP and Quiet hours, denying them airport access, as adopted at John Wayne Airport, and public notification and posting of names.
12. Adopt a control system for both pilot training and airplane inspections with stiff penalties for non compliance.
For more information, go to http://www.loudairport.com/
The flight schools are creating most of the havoc during the day, endlessly flying over home and businesses, but the Quiet Hours violators are even more egregious. It is amazing how so few pilots can cause so much havoc to so many citizens, and our elected officials continue to turn a deaf ear!
The late night aircraft noise has increased in our area. Low flying aircraft have been sighted by me directly over my home. Need some regulations enforced to get this airport to partner with surrounding communities.
We have lived here for 10 years and the noise from aircraft has become increasingly loud and more frequent. It really is infringing on the quality of life in the area.
I have had numerous aircraft fly in the vicinity of my house tonight. Two of them have been very low and nearly directly overhead. The first at 9:05 PM and the second at 9:40 PM. I am tired of this! No airplanes flew over my house eight years ago when I moved in, but in the last 18-24 months, planes have increasingly flown over my house. I suspect the complaints out of Carlsbad have redirected pilots in my direction. The other weekend a plane was so low I couldn't believe it in the middle of the day. The plane could not have been more than 600-700 feet overhead as I watched it go directly over my home. This change in flight patterns is very disturbing. Please restrict pilots from flying low and over neighborhoods like mine. As I understand it, there are recommended approach routes, and my house in not under them.
I support having a vibrant regional airport, but not the way it is currently being run. Pilots of jets, prop planes and helicopters routinely ignore both the quiet hours and noise abatement procedures. The authorities seem to have no concern for the safety or quality of life of the citizens leaving near the airport.
The Quiet Hours are not being observed. The Pilots feel free to ignore them. It is not an unusual request to be able to have a good night sleep each night--or most nights, but the planes flying over every night make this impossible. Why is no one being held accountable? The flight paths are not being observed either. The planes and jets are cutting over North County any way they please. A good number of them aren't trying to follow the historical flight paths of the freeways ((I15 south/78 west).
We've lived in the neigborhood about 10 yrs now. I'm not anti-airport/airplanes, infact I have a private pilots certificate for SEL. What I am against is loud airplanes taking off between 11 and 7 am and departing flights over our houses, especially with there is less populated areas easily and safely over flyable Noise abatement/flight restrictions should be manditory. Pilots are just like everyone else, if they can save a buck or get away with it for convients sake (I do believe they are a safe group) they'll do it. Like taking off early in the morning, cutting south east of the 5 fwy after a west takeoff instead of waiting for the coast. Another issue safety, there have been an unusally high number of aircraft crashes either departing or arriving Palomar. One was very close to the private school.
Small aircraft buzz the top of my house everyday. I complained to Palomar airport and out of spite they Increased traffic directly over my house. Outrageous!
Compliance with the requirements as set forth in this petition is an absolute must. The noise is out of control and pilots continue to ignore the basic requirements of this airport. Nearly once a week I have small, single engine aircrafts flying at low altitude right over my home. There have been countless times in the early AM or late evening that I've been tempted to call the authorities to complain about pilots that simply are not following the rules. In its current state of operational negligence, this is, without question, a recipe for disaster. The needs as clearly and fairly defined in this petition are a must.
Aircraft continue to take off and land during quiet hours and when the tower is unmanned. We request that pilots abide by the VNAP and quiet hours -- for improved safety and noise reduction.
To Whom It May Concern, As a recent homebuyer in the Seaside Estates community of Carlsbad, I am aware of and accept the current size and volume of air traffic of the McClellan-Palomar Airport. However, I would not like to see the quality of life of my family and community diminished by a failure to enforce the current rules concerning airport Quiet Hours, proper flight paths, and--worse still--an expansion of the airport beyond its current size and volume of traffic. Should these rules not be enforced and the size and traffic of the airport increased, I will join with other concerned citizens of my community in taking whatever legal action is necessary to ensure that these rules are enforced and the airport remains at its current size. Sincerely, Darel Engen.
I fully endorse this petition. Unfortunately, this is required because of individuals that are in position to provide safety to the local residents are not acting in a responsible manner. That includes pilots, City of Carlsbad, County of San Diego, and the FAA. Please no extension of the runway or expansion of operations. It is clear based on the actions of the individuals and organizations (including pilots) that oversee the airport are not responsible enough to comply with the VNAP, so please make this mandatory.
I have been increasingly concerned for my family's safety as airport traffic flying directly over my home has increased significantly since moving into our neighborhood three years ago. I firmly believe that mandatory quiet hours and no-fly hours will alleviate my concerns, as well as efforts to involve community members in future expansion plans. I wholeheartedly endorse this petition.
Voluntary compliance is not working and the Palomar Airport was never designed to be more then a local airport as evidenced by the zoning plans and residential area within close proximity of the airport. Mandatory compliance must now be enforced to protect the integrity of the neighboring community.
I think the AP is great, however do not want to see it grow larger and need the quiet hours to become manditory except for emergency and/or medical related flights.
Unfortunately, I believe that it will take a horrific accident over a home(s) with casualties for the authorities to take drastic measures to protect our safety as residents in the communities most affected by air traffic.
We are sick and tired of this airport and its affiliates' inability to coexist with the community that supports its very existance. Who cares who was here first; grow up and adapt to the current situation!
Low flying aircraft have been a recent problem, although I understand the FAA has reactively handled ths issue promptly. The airport has been a relatively good neighbor, but fails to control the pilots during the off-hours when it appears they can and do fly at will. Turbine aircraft take off late at night and early morning disturbing the populace without any sanctions. They are louder than piston aircraft and create much more noise pollution. Plus, the flight patterns have widened so that aircraft no longer avoid heavily populated housing areas in many instances; we see them overhead whereas they used to follow directed headings to keep them out of these areas. No question we'll have a Buffalo type tragedy here someday; it's just a matter of time.
There are far too many instances to mention of pilots not following along major roads to approach the Palomar landing strip, and flying directly over my home and neighborhood. I have small children and fear that there can be any number of things that can go wrong. Thank you for listening.
It is time to change the Voluntary Noise Abatement Procedures (VNAP) to Mandatory Procedures and to hold the pilots accountable for any infractions.
Thank you to everyone that signed this petition. It is time the FAA, San Diego County Airport Authority, Palomar Airport Administrators, Supervisor Horn and his appointed PAAC members stop ignoring the concerns and requests of the citizens of our community as they continue with their private agenda to make Palomar airport into San Diego Lindbergh airport NORTH after their failed attempt at the polls to secure NAS Miramar.
I have made numerous calls to Jim Swain to register my complaints about airplane traffic directly over our house.
The amount of traffic and aircraft noise from Palomar airport has made our back yard unusable for afternoon and evening conversation. Over the past week, airplane traffic directly over our has appeared to be some one doing "touch and go" practice. Even after dark.
The Voluntary Noise Abatement Procedures (VNAP) are an abysmal failure. In the first half of this year there have been 128 aircraft responsible for 282 violations of Quiet Hours (over 1 per day). Countless other planes deviate from the Alpha depature route flying over homes, parks, and churches. Mandatory regulation of Quiet Hours and Noise Abatement departures coupled with fines are the only way to gain compliance, and give the residents surrounding the airport a respite from the most "unfriendly" neighbor in the City of Carlsbad.
this lovely and unique town would be devastated by expanding our intimate airport!
After 13 fatalities and regular abuse of the guidelines for flights it is time to protect the citizens of Carlsbad. I consistently see small planes flying at low altitude over neighborhoods and LegoLand. I would hate to see another tragic fatality impacting families and or children at the park.
Although I do not live in the path of the airport, the airplanes are consistently flying over my home - dangerously close. We need regulation with consequences.
A Mandatory (NOT VNAP) Noise Abatement Procedure (like the one at John Wayne [O.C.]) needs to be implemented IMMEDIATLY. San Diego International (SAN) operates under a strict curfew. Why should a smaller airport such as Carlsbad Palomar be any different?
Enforcement of noise restrictions will create the catalyst to allow government, business & residents to work together toward making Palomar Airport an appropirate economic engine in Carlsbad. Until noise restrictions are mandatory and enforced residents cannot trust those who oversee and manage the airport.
Enforce the Quiet Hours and departure patterns of the current Voluntary Noise Abatement Policy, VNAP, per the Part 150 Study.
Please understand that noise issues are really SAFETY issues. Loud low-flying planes can represent a danger.
Although there was a period a in February and March of this year wherein there seemed to be greater effort on the part of the pilots to comply with the voluntary noise abatement plan, at this point (June, 2009) aircraft of all types fly directly over my home in the Seabright community, and the noise level has become unacceptable for even me (a retired, half deaf Boeing 747 captain). Encouraging and cajoling just don't work. Rules, and enforcement need to be instituted to protect our homes, and our quality of life in this beautiful city.
I am concerned about the terrible safety record of this airport. For an airport of this size, 17 incidents, 13 fatalities in a span of nine years is unacceptable. Flight operations ocurr at this airport when no one is in the control tower to monitor and direct traffic from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Pilots are NOT respecting the recommended flight pattern and continue to cut over the neighborhoods southwest of the runway at a VERY low altitude. This past week there was a plane that circled barely above the rooftops a dozen times, probably practicing take off and landing at night. The noise was outrageous and the plane dangerously low.
Please enforce the rules for flyovers & do not extend the runway
WE should all sign this as it will help hold the value of our homes. Thanks for taking the time!
VNAP has NOT worked, primarily because airport officials do not enforce it. We have complained about the current noise, they listen, then do nothing. OR, recommend that we talk to the FAA. OR, recommend that we talk to Bill Horn, who is never available and besides he's the prime mover behind airport development. Basically, we the people have no recourse except the petition process.
Let's retain Carlsbad's quality and safety of life by improving compliance with noise abatement policies and flight patterns.
It is time to stop the irresponsibility of a few using the airport who endanger our neighborhoods. VNAP must be made manditory so the Airport and our neighborhoods can safely coexist.
Starting @ 7AM and sometimes being woke up in the middle of the night as well as dropped cell phone calls as the planes fly directly over my home are unacceptable. Occasionally a plane will veer over the industrial park instead of over the mobile home park I live in, it is so thoughtful of that pilot! Please do something about this daily problem. Thank you!
While I appreciate the need for the airport, I have come to believe that the VNAP needs to be changed to the M(andatory)NAP.
