Resident spurs FAR 150 noise study

Noise monitoring system, resolution may come from recent meetings

It’s a little after six on a Monday morning in Chandler. The sun hasn’t even risen yet in Dirk Matthews’ back yard.

Trouble is, the helicopters have.

Suddenly, the sky is filled with a dull hum. It grows in intensity though, and before long is a full-blown roar that literally shakes the walls in Mr. Matthews’ house at the southeast corner of Germann and Gilbert roads.

For the past two years, Mr. Matthews has grown accustomed and increasingly frustrated to the ear and often wall-shattering noise. It’s being created by the countless helicopters that operate out of Quantum Helicopters.

Mr. Matthews estimates that on an average day, his house is passed over by the helicopters some 125 times.

Hopefully, for Mr. Matthews and his neighbors, relief is in sight. In the form of peace and quiet.

Mr. Matthews, as well as many of his neighbors, are hoping that the soon to be completed Federal Aviation Regulation Part 150 will address many of the noise issues that they have been living with for the past three years.

The noise study was commissioned by Chandler City Council in December 2007 at a cost of $326,476 and was the first one since 1998.

"I’m not sure what the result of the FAR will be, or what to expect," Mr. Matthews, who has been residing in a house on the west side of the airport since 2005, said. "In the least, I’m hoping we get some type of permanent monitoring system so that the flights can actually be tracked and verified."

The FAR 150 Study is being conducted by Wilbur Smith Associates of Phoenix, a consultant firm that will present to the city a list of operational, land use and administrative suggestions, according to city officials.

The city will analyze that report and then present its own list to the Federal Aviation Administration. Parts, all, or none of the suggestions can be approved by the FAA, city officials say.

"The Chandler Airport is a very, very busy airport," said Pam Keidel-Adams, vice president of Wilbur Smith Associates. "It is an airport with not one, but two flight schools. With all the training that is going on, there is a great deal of repetitive flight patterns with pilots with all the training activities that take place. That seems to really be the concern right now."

Chandler Airport Manager Greg Chenoweth is hopeful that the FAA will accept at least parts of the study and allow the airport to make suggested changes.

"The city of Chandler opted to do this study because we want to be proactive in addressing the concerns of our residents," Mr. Chenowith said, adding he has fielded an average of 10 complaints a week about noise for the past year. "We were actually getting far more complaints before the first study in 1998."

"We knew what the issues were, and the key for us has been to find areas that we can improve in that are grant eligible," Mr. Chenowith said. "The city has been good in not allowing any new homes near the runways or other areas of high use at the airport."

According to the FAR study, Chandler Airport is projected to have 309,423 operations by 2013. That number is projected to increase to 446,163 operations by 2028 and of those operations, 154,716 would be helicopters or 34.68 percent, the study states.

"For the most part, the open meetings we’ve had have been amicable," Mr. Chenowith said of the series of meetings held by the Chandler Airport Advisory Committee, of which Mr. Matthews is a member. "Because of the economy, our short-term operations have actually fallen off a bit, but we expect that to change."

When Mr. Matthews moved into his residence in 1995, the noise levels were within reason, in his opinion. But all that changed in 2007, when the heliport was relocated to the southeastern edge of the airport.

The helipad was relocated to accommodate new aircraft hangars, increased use by single wings of the runway and to reduce frequency and amount of noise over the neighborhoods to the south and east of the airport, according to Mr. Matthews.

"Before they moved the helipad and changed the flight pattern, everything was fine," says Mr. Matthews, who has no problems with the single wings that use the airport.

"Of course, before that change, I’m sure people on the east side were complaining. I think what frustrated me initially was that they moved the heliport and there was never any notice or public hearing about it. It just kind of happened, and when I did voice some concern, the general sentiment and reaction was that the airport was here before my house. The airport was, but the heliport really wasn’t."

Neil Jones has owned Quantum Helicopters, one of the two flight schools at Chandler Airport, for 18 years, and has been active in the FAR Part 150 noise study since its inception.

He is also one of the siting committee members and will continue to participate in the study until it is completed.

"It’s important to understand that efforts to address anticipated and now existing noise concerns around the Chandler Municipal Airport have long preceded the current noise study," Mr. Jones said in response to e-mailed questions. "This has been especially true since approximately 2003 when the construction of residential homes and subdivisions began to dramatically encroach upon land around the airport. Quantum Helicopters, as well as other stake holders based at Chandler Municipal, have for many years (18 years in our case) strived to use the airport in a noise-sensitive way as much as possible, while still operating in a safe, efficient and regulatory-sound manner."

What makes Mr. Matthews hopeful that the FAA will come to some sort of resolution is based in large part on a three-day noise study in which noise monitors were placed in his backyard.

"For the three days those monitors were in our backyard, it was the noise level that was reduced that was great," Mr. Matthews recalled. "Instead of making turns right at the house, everything was flying a mile past and then turning around. They were also flying some 500 feet higher than normal. They tried something different and it really worked. It’s tough when you have some of these rogue pilots practicing their touch-and-go’s at 6 a.m. day after day. They just don’t seem to have any common sense whatsoever."

The other flight school that operates out of Chandler is Chandler Airport Alliance, owned by John Walkup. It is the airport’s oldest continuing business and recently celebrated its 30th year of operation in November.

The end result of the FAR Study 150 remains a mystery to all, but all involved parties hold high hopes, those effected contend.

"The key for us will be to have the FAA accept as many recommendations we make that are grant-eligible," Mr. Chenowith said. "We’ll also make every attempt, work with our pilots more through some type of education program. At some point, we’d like to expand our runway from its present 4,870 feet to 5,600 feet."

Mr. Matthews, on the other hand, doesn’t see anything changing soon.

 What is FAR Part 150?

Source: Federal Aviation Administration.