Steve EckelsI don't know if you got this or not......
James R. Pierce
Red Eagle Aviation, Inc.
www.redeagleaviation.com
406-755-2376 Office
406-755-5231 Fax
-----Original Message-----
From: Red Eagle Aviation [mailto:info@redeagleaviation.com]
Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 9:24 AM
To: rachel@redeagleaviation.com; jim@redeagleaviation.com
Subject: Website Feedback Form
Below is the result of the Website Feedback Form form. It was submitted by
eckels@guitarmusicman.com on July 21st, 2009 at 09:23AM (MDT).
Name: Eckels to Jim Pierce
E-mail: eckels@guitarmusicman.com
Tail_Number: ba
Visit_Date: na
Comments: Hi Jim
Thank you for reducing the noise over Kalispell's historic district this summer. I notice an improvement from last year. Would you please pass along this info to other pilots who may
be interested.
Enclosed:
---City council comments
---Flight recommendations from Washington FAA
If there is anything I can do to help the aviation community, please let me know.
Best wishes,
Steve Eckels
July 20,2009
Steve Eckels
City Council Comment
Re: noise from the City Airport and Private Flight School
Comments are addressed to the council and to the citizens of Kalispell regarding noise from the city airport.
Correct the record: According to the news paper report of last weeks council meeting it was stated that by Jim Atkinson that the FAA meters and monitors noise. According to Paul Hurlbert
at the FAA Flight Standards office in Helena, the FAA does not monitor altitude and noise from the Kalispell City Airport.
Kalispell City Airport is classified by the FAA as an uncontrolled airfield. Although there are rules for pilots above a certain altitude, there is no monitoring, control or enforcement.
Although the airport is a public airport, the main source of noise has been from the private flight school. According to the FAA, the city holds the authority to regulate flight paths
and noise, on and off the ground. Enforcement falls to city attorney, city court and police department. The city can regulate flight school business as a type of zoning regulation.
I feel it is time for the city to step up and take seriously the protection of the residents and the schools in downtown Kalispell. Many of the historic homes of downtown Kalispell
were here before the airport was.
According to the FAA the flight school may operate from Glacier Airport. According to the air traffic control at Glacier Airport, training flights are welcome and encouraged. This
would be one way to solve the problem of noise over the city.
The citizens of Kalispell are protected from noise by city code 19-10 Disturbance of the Peace. Citizens interested in asserting their rights can obtain a Kalispell Police Department
Witness Statement. Citizens are encouraged to document as much information as possible including the times of the disturbance, and if possible the color of the plane and the plane
identification number. Witness statements should be turned in to the police department. The police department will first issue a warning to the aviators. If the disturbance continues,
court action would be the next consideration.
Further, there is no monitoring or log information in regards to take offs and landing. For example if you went down to the airport at 5:00 and asked for a list of the flight activity,
names, times, etc, there would be no information available.
In summary:
There is no monitoring of altitude and noise.
The city could regulate noise and flight paths.
The main source of noise is from a private flight school. Moving operations to Glacier Airport would solve the noise problems.
This is in response to your telephone inquiry regarding General Aviation
aircraft generating noise operating to and from S27.
The airport currently operates using left-hand traffic patterns to runways
13 and 31.
One simple solution is to modify the runway traffic pattern operations.
Runway 31can maintain its left hand traffic pattern with a minor change for
departures.
Since aircraft departing runway 31 are operating at full power over the
city causing noise problems, a natural solution is to request the airport
manager
to post a change for pilots to the effect " Departing Runway 31-For Noise
Abatement Purposes, after take off, climb to 200-300 ft and turn left to a
heading of 220 degrees to avoid overflight of the city".
For Runway 13, departure/takeoffs to the southeast do not create noise
problems. However, landings do create a noise problem. Therefore, because
of this, the traffic pattern for 13 could be changed to a right-hand
pattern to minimize any overflight of the city.
In summation. A new right hand pattern for runway 13, and a normal left
hand pattern for 31 with a defined takeoff and departure procedure.
I hope that these recommendations help. General Aviation desires to be a
friend to all not involved in aviation.
Thank you for your interest in aviation and aviation safety.
Stephen D. Isaacs
Aviation Safety Inspector-Operations
General Aviation & Commercial Division
Commercial Operations Branch, AFS-820
Washington, DC 20591
202-267-7413