FIGHTING FOR QUIETER SKIES OVER THE BRENTWOOD FOOTHILLS
Kudos to Congressman Waxman for his timely response to residents letters and a petition sent regarding the problems generated by the dramatic increase in air traffic. These issues have persisted and have caused problems since June 2008 for those of us living in the Brentwood Foothills and Palisades. The Congressman immediately contacted the Federal Aviation Administration on our behalf. His office is now awaiting word from the Regional FAA Director, who has promised to investigate our complaints about the air traffic and noise. In the interim, air traffic has noticeably decreased, but only time will tell if this is merely an anomaly or a result of the impending investigation.
When the noise problem initially began, we discovered that a visual reporting point (VRP) had been placed on the pilot charts at the new Getty Museum. It had coincidentally become active when the price of fuel spiked in ‘08. At that point in time, we went from having minimal air traffic to excessive crossings over the Brentwood Foothills and Palisades, to the ocean, the Valley and points East by helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft on a on-going basis, starting as early as 6:30am and continuing through the day and into the night.
This VRP was placed on the pilot charts without either discussion with or notification to the residents of the effected communities. It was placed on the charts by the FAA at the suggestion of the Southern California Airspace Users Group (SCAUWG) which is composed of pilots, aircraft manufacturers, the airlines, tour operators and other entities that use the airspace over our homes. We have been monitoring these over flights via aviation scanner and know where they are coming from and where they are going.
Last fall, virtually every helicopter company operating in our general vicinity (at numerous airports including Van Nuys, Whiteman, Burbank, Torrance and Hawthorne) was contacted and was asked not to fly over the heavily residential areas of the foothills and Palisades. For a while they honored the request but then, several months ago, the traffic and noise escalated again.
We are in communication with two members of SCAUWG, who are acting as our advocates for the group. Thanks to them the traffic has lessened slightly. We have asked them to act on our behalf in getting the new Getty VRP removed from the charts and reinstated at the VA, where it had been for many years. However, we are still concerned that pilots will over fly us and if they do and the noise continues we will seek a NOISE ABATEMENT AGREEMENT from the FAA.
We, once again, applaud Congressman Waxman and extend a special thanks to his aides Lisa Pinto and Sam Shirazi for their involvement.
As we anxiously await word from the Congressman and the FAA about a favorable resolution, we as a community cannot and should not throttle back our efforts to restore the peace to our once tranquil environment. We ask for your continued support until the battle is won.
Gail Campbell-Newman
and Rita Burton
