Commercial jets do fly over Seal Beach neighborhoods on their way
into Long Beach Airport, Federal Aviation Administration officials
confirmed this week. However, despite an increase in noise complaints,
there hasn’t been an increase in jet traffic. According to the FAA, an
average of 1.5 jets pass over Seal Beach every day since May.
“FAA radar data shows that 43 jets flew over Seal Beach in May 2011
while lining up for the LGB (Long Beach Airport) final. In September
2011, 47 jets flew over Seal Beach while lining up for the LGB final.
This is not an appreciable change, and it's an average of only 1.5
aircraft a day,” FAA Public Affairs Manager Ian Gregor said by email.
“Again, there has been absolutely no change in aircraft routes or
altitudes into LGB.”
However, even just 1.5 flights per day overhead is still too many
when the planes can be shifted slightly to avoid flying over Seal Beach
homes, said Seal Beach City Councilwoman Ellery Deaton
“That is still too many flights overhead,” said Deaton. “If they go
back and check two years ago, they’ll see an increase in flights. This
has been a problem since before May.”
City officials have been lobbying Long Beach Airport and JetBlue
officials to alter their planes’ arrival paths so that they no longer
fly above residential neighborhoods in Seal Beach, and they plan to
continue the campaign, said Deaton.
Residents are getting tired of airplane noise, added Deaton. On
Saturday, Deaton received a noise complaint from a resident summarizing
the problem in an email.
“I have noticed with alarming frequency that commercial airplanes are
flying directly across old town on their flight in and out of Long
Beach. We just experienced a loud and large airplane flying directly
over our home on Third Street,” wrote the resident. “The Weapons Station
is an easy nearby solution to this unnecessary noise disruption to our
residential community.”
In fact, the city is asking airport officials to shift flights to
come in over the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station and then along
Westminster Boulevard, said Deaton.
“It’s not that much of a shift. It should be no big deal,” added Deaton.
Air traffic controllers determine pathways, but the approaches aren’t so precise as to be a perfect line, Gregor said.
Currently, there aren't specific routes for planes coming into Long Beach Airport, Gregor said.
“There are two primary jet approaches to Runway 30 at Long Beach
Airport. One is straight in to Runway 30 from the southeast. This is
used by jets coming in from the south and east, and by all jets when
there are low clouds or fog. The other is from out over the water. This
is used by jets that are arriving primarily from the Bay Area in clear
weather. These jets fly south over the ocean and then turn left to line
up for final approach into LGB. These pilots are making visual
approaches and are not flying specific routes. A small number of these
jets fly over Seal Beach. Most make their turns further south.”
City officials are asking Seal Beach residents with noise complaints to call the Long Beach Airport noise complaint number at 562-570-2665 or the JetBlue customer relations number at 1-800-365-2470.
City officials are asking Seal Beach residents with noise complaints to call the Long Beach Airport noise complaint number at 562-570-2665 or the JetBlue customer relations number at 1-800-365-2470.