Noise Abatement

As someone who just bought a house along the departure end of runway 34 (KBVY), i can say that the noise issue would not be as much of an issue if the 0.2% of those of us who fly put some effort into reaching out to the non-pilot public.

For example, I was in to get my oil changed the other day and the head mechanic proudly described how he had become a thorn in the side of the Airport commission for KBVY over noise issues. I sat down with him and explained, in detail, how a traffic pattern works at an airport as well as the fact that training flights go on at KBVY. I also explained that touch-and-goes were important to practice so that pilots would be less likely to go into his house rather than over his house. I also, gently, pointed out that KBVY has been present since the 1920's and that his house was built in the 1970's. He replied that no one had ever taken the time to explain it all to him and that he would try to be more understanding about the noise. I think we made a good connection in our conversation. I also offered to take him up anytime he wanted to see his house from above and gave him my business card. The total conversation took about 10 minutes.

I realize that we dont always have the time to explain as much as i tried to explain to this gentleman, but I hope that my conversation with him would allow him to be more informed when he next has a BBQ with his neighbors.

All that being said, KBVY is a ghost town compared with other GA airports nearby like KLWM. No one ever seems to open their hangar doors except one guy who is building some kit planes by the restaurant (which is also always empty). And yet they still charge $600/month hangar fees (assuming you can get one).....sorry, brief, unrelated rant ;)
 
I worked in a Noise Complaint office at one of the most-complained-to airports in the country, KOSU. There were people submitting 1,600 complains PER MONTH. We had to then correlate the aircraft that were complained about to ones the monitoring equipment and radar feed from CMH showed. Right around 6/10 never existed. They would complain about a plane that shook their house to pieces and we would go back and look and it would most likely be one of Ohio State's 172's at 6,500ft... surreeeee it did. Then they would come in and expect a print-out of all the aircraft they complained about. We would give it to them but they were always timid when we would confront them about the complaints. They knew it was BS. The airport has been many, many, MANY years and they have the nerve to complain about it.

One lady blatantly calls in about MedFlight (who has seven birds based on the field and does all their mx there). Those are the ones that got me fired up. A lot of the people I would about, but she really irked me. Oh well, some people never learn.

/rant
 
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