Angry Residents Voice Concern Over Noise From New Burbank Airport Flight Path Changes
BURBANK (CBSLA) – Dozens of frustrated San Fernando Valley residents packed a community meeting in Burbank Thursday night to protest recent departure flight path changes for Hollywood Burbank Airport which have bombarded their neighborhoods with excessive airplane noise.
Residents from communities including Studio City, Sherman Oaks and Encino attended the meeting at Burbank Vista Library to voice their complaints about a new Federal Aviation Administration transportation system which is sending departing planes south directly over homes and schools, such as Carpenter Elementary School and Walter Reed Middle School in Studio City.
In March 2017, the FAA rolled out Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen), a satellite-based navigation system designed to promote efficiency after take-off.
Residents south of the 101 Freeway say that since NextGen took effect, they've seen more low-flying planes overhead, and they are concerned about the noise.
At Thursday's meeting, the airport presented findings from consulting firm Landrum & Brown which found that flights have been drifting south in recent years, but claim the FAA's NextGen plan is only partially responsible.
Several residents at Thursday's meeting were asking for an environmental impact study on the NextGen plan. However, such a study is not required by federal standards.
The FAA is hosting two workshops next month to answer questions from the public on NextGen. There will be a 30-day comment period before NextGen will be made permanent.
