Keep our neighborhoods safe, Stop dangerously low-flying aircraft
- by: The Highland Park Action Committee
- recipient: The FAA, King Co. Airport, and the Elected Officials of King Co.
The residents of south West Seattle are very concerned about neighborhood safety and insist that the FAA require pilots using King County Airport (Boeing Field) to follow the federal regulations with regard to required minimum altitude.
For safety reasons, the law states that all aircraft must stay at least 1000 ft. above residential neighborhoods except when necessary for takeoff and landing.
The aircraft passing over West Seattle on the way to and from King County Airport are often no more than 200-300 ft. above the rooftops.
When crossing West Seattle, these pilots are not generally using any radar or technologies based tracking devices, and are too low to be tracked by air traffic controllers.
It"s up to the pilots to avoid collisions, primarily by watching out the window.
An FAA inspector in 2004 stated a high risk of midair collision above the Highland Park residential area, yet close calls reported by residents are not being investigated by the FAA.
The high level of noise pollution caused by these very low flying airplanes and helicopters affects many residents, but our biggest concern is an accidental collision or engine failure directly over our homes, schools or parks.
Similarities to the situation, which led to a fatal accident above the Hoboken New Jersey in 2009, are obvious. But the situation above south West Seattle is even worse, with general aircraft and helicopters flying in a mix and often even at much lower altitude.
All general aircraft above densely populated West Seattle need to stay at least 1000 feet above residential areas, and need to be actively separated by air traffic control in order to reduce an unacceptable high risk of a midair collision. "See and avoid" is not acceptable as our only safety measure.
Please join us in demanding that King County Airport work with the pilots and the FAA to ensure that planes are operated in accordance with all current federal safety regulations.
We welcome Highland Park and West Seattle residents as well as others, including safety concerned private pilots, to participate in order to stop dangerously low flying aircraft and helicopters.
You can email us under: aviation@highlandpk.net . Please visit the Highland Park Action Committee (HPAC) website for community and other info and meeting dates under www.highlandpk.net.
We the undersigned residents of south West Seattle are very concerned about neighborhood safety and insist that the FAA require pilots using King County Airport (Boeing Field) to follow the federal regulations with regard to required minimum altitude.
For safety reasons, the law states that all aircraft must stay at least 1000 ft. above residential neighborhoods except when necessary for takeoff and landing.
The aircraft passing over West Seattle on the way to and from King County Airport are often no more than 200-300 ft. above the rooftops.
When crossing West Seattle, these pilots are not generally using any radar or technologies based tracking devices, and are too low to be tracked by air traffic controllers.
It"s up to the pilots to avoid collisions, primarily by watching out the window.
An FAA inspector in 2004 stated a high risk of midair collision above the Highland Park residential area, yet close calls reported by residents are not being investigated by the FAA.
The high level of noise pollution caused by these very low flying airplanes and helicopters affects many residents, but our biggest concern is an accidental collision or engine failure directly over our homes, schools or parks.
Similarities to the situation, which led to a fatal accident above the Hoboken New Jersey in 2009, are obvious. But the situation above south West Seattle is even worse, with general aircraft and helicopters flying in a mix and often even at much lower altitude.
All general aircraft above densely populated West Seattle need to stay at least 1000 feet above residential areas, and need to be actively separated by air traffic control in order to reduce an unacceptable high risk of a midair collision. "See and avoid" is not acceptable as our only safety measure.
Please join us in demanding that King County Airport work with
the pilots and the FAA to ensure that planes are operated
in accordance with all current federal safety regulations.
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