Aircraft Noise Over Culver Is Increasing

By Lynne Bronstein

Observer Reporter

More than 30 Culver City residents attended a city-organized meeting at City Hall on August 27 to discuss aircraft noise from overflights and learn about the FAA’s (Federal Aviation Agency) plans.

A community forum on the issue of overflight aircraft noise was previously held in February 2015, with more than 50 residents in attendance. At that meeting, as at the recent meeting, council members Meghan Sahli-Wells and Jim Clarke were in attendance.

The August 27 meeting was attended by residents from Carlson Park, downtown Culver City, Lindberg Park, Sunkist Park, Culver Crest, and Blair Hills, as well as other residents who did not announce their neighborhood affiliation.

Speaking at the meeting were Denny Schneider, Chair of the LAX Noise Round Table and President of the Alliance for a Regional Solution to Airport Congestion, Scott Tatro, Airport Environmental Manager at Los Angeles World Airports, Kevin Klowden, the city's representative on the LAX Advisory Committee, city aviation attorney Barbara Lichman and airspace consultant Tom Kamman.

Also present was Stephen Murray, Culver City representative to the FAA Noise Roundtable.

Murray gave a presentation on the FAA’s Metroplex project. The purpose of this project is to improve airspace efficiency and reduce complexity. (For a look at just how complex Los Angeles air routes are, see the map at the city web site article on the Metroplex plan athttp://www.culvercity.org/~/media/Files/Articles/2015/FAA%20Metroplex%20Presentationcorrected.ashx).

The brilliantly colored web seen on the map represents air routes over the Los Angeles area, with jets indicated in blue, turboprops in yellow, and all other forms of aircraft in red.

The FAA’s proposed redesign, noted Murray, will take advantage of “NextGen satellite navigation.”

“Over Culver City the changes will increase the precision that planes fly on the easterly and westerly arrival paths to LAX. Planes will fly along a narrower navigation corridor called RNAV and RNP which allows for performance based navigation. Departure paths will stay near the same.

“During daytime operations LAX normally operates in a Westerly mode where airplanes land from the East and take off over the ocean. Jet planes arriving at LAX airport from the North and West follow a conventional flight path called SADDE SIX that lines them up for an east side arrival. The FAA has created three new westerly satellite-based Standard Terminal Arrival Routes (RNAV STAR’s). CRSHR routes planes from the Pacific Ocean, IRNMN routes them from northern airports, and HUULL is an arrival route reserved for larger jets.

“All three of the proposed arrival routes converge west of Santa Monica – and fly as one path west to east over Culver City.”

The airports studied for the project included Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), San Diego International Airport (SAN), Bob Hope Airport (BUR), Ontario International Airport (ONT), John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA), Long Beach/Daugherty Field (LGB), Santa Monica Municipal Airport (SMO), Van Nuys Airport (VNY).

Noise impacts will be assessed and reported in an Environmental Assessment (EA). The Draft EA will include a noise analysis and track/altitude information.

The main focus of the meeting however, was the gathering of public input, not just about the FAA project but also existing noise conditions.

The city received written comments and complaints about the aircraft noise from about 20 residents prior to the meeting.

Most of the public comments pointed out what the city consultants found in their research-that there are more planes flying over Culver City neighborhoods at lower altitudes, causing more noise than in past years.