"Part 150 Noise study - Firm: airport noise within FAA guidelines"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@xxxxxxxxx>]

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Firm: airport noise within FAA guidelines
* The company that conducted the federal Part 150 Noise study said the OSU
Airport appears to be well within FAA guidelines and would most likely
receive approval for runway expansion.
By DONAVON CAMPBELL
Columbus (OH) Local News


The Ohio State University Airport held a public open house Thursday, April
24, in an effort to share its findings from the recently completed Part 150
Noise and Land Use Compatibility Study.

The Part 150 study -- which was performed by the consulting firm Reynolds,
Smith and Hill -- was undertaken by the airport as a means to find out just
how much impact a 3,000-foot expansion of the north runway would have on the
surrounding area.

The expansion would shift current traffic and allow for more corporate jets
to use the facility.

The Part 150 study is also the first part of the procedure of receiving
Federal Aviation Administration approval and, subsequently, would make the
OSU Airport eligible to receive federal funding.

The open house was held at the OSU Airport in Hangar 1.

Stations were set up with displays of both the process of the Part 150 study
as well its results.

Contour maps superimposed upon an aerial overview of the airport and its
surrounding neighborhoods showed how noise exposure was dispersed.

Steve Alverson, of Environmental Science Associates, a sub-conracted
consultant to RS&H, gave an explanatory presentation at the event.

"The idea is to quantify the noise exposure," said Alverson.

"The next step is to see how we can minimize noise exposure."

The open house also served as one of the final steps in phase one of the
process which is simply gathering data and input.

Phase two, airport officials said, is where they begin to look into possible
ways to abate the noise exposure suffered by local residents or other sound
sensitive entities.

In terms of the results of the study, RS&H essentially reported that no
residences currently existed inside the 65 decibel contour for both present
airport traffic as well as the projected traffic from the expansion,
meaning, essentially, that the OSU Airport should be well within FAA
guidelines and would most likely receive approval for the expansion.

A Linworth resident, who would not disclose his name said an expansion is
not unthinkable, but some things would need to be done about a current
situation that is already bad enough.

"(The situation) is already too bad," he said.

"We're not objecting to everything, but there are a few (flights overhead)
that will shake every window in the house."

John Haueisen, a lifelong Worthington resident who grew up, and still lives,
about three miles from the OSU Airport, said he feels that even though the
airport is sharing its findings and asking for input from the public it is
all just lip service.

"It's like they're playing with loaded dice," Haueisen said.

"The FAA is in the airport expansion business. They set a really low bar so
that no airport is offensive.

"It's frustrating for the people," Haueisen said.

Jane Weislogel, vice president of WOOSE -- an organization of area residents
that oppose airport expansion -- also served on both the Part 150 Committee
and the Technical Committee.

She said the issue is with both the accuracy of the study -- she said she
does not believe RS&H used completely accurate data -- and the fact noise
exposure is already an issue let alone with an expansion of the north
runway.

"If something is going to be done, we want the input put in to be accurate,"
said Weislogel.

"Let's help solve current noise problems before we talk of expansion."

Marie Keister, president of Engage Communications L.L.C., who is working
with the OSU Airport from a public affairs standpoint, says she sympathizes
with the residents and values their involvement.

"People know what's in their neighborhood," said Keister.

"All the tech experts in the world can't replace the knowledge of someone
who lives just down the street."

Melanie Dickman, a Worthington resident and a private pilot who often uses
the OSU Airport, says the noise doesn't bother her and the airport should be
seen as a plus for what it brings to the area rather than a negative entity.

"None of (the noise) bothers me," Dickman said.

"What I don't think Worthington residents realize is how big of an asset
(the OSU Airport) is...there are a lot of big companies that fly in and out
of here."

OSU Airport Director Doug Hammon maintained that as the first phase of the
process comes to a close, the focus will be to improve both current and
future conditions.

"We want to do better," Hammon said.

"What we do now is we take what we've got and try to do what we do well,
better."

"We want to do better. What we do now is we take what we've got and try to
do what we do well, better."


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