HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06121990 - 1.12 --TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: J. MICHAEL WALFORD, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
DATE: JUNE 12, 1990
SUBJECT: REFERRAL OF APRIL 10, 1990 REGARDING LETTER FROM
PILOT NOISE ABATEMENT COMMITTEE
SPFXMC REQUF.ST(S)OR RECOMME�MAMN(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSrMCAMON
I. Recommended Action:
ACCEPT report.
Il. Financial Impact:
None
-.III. Reasons for Recommendations and Background:
The Airport staff has looked into the implementation of the Board Order of February 13, 1990
which directs staff to institute procedures whereby all pilots having filed a flight plan will be
notified of a complaint when positive identification of a specific airplane cannot be made.
In order to obtain this information from the Flight Service Station, a request must be made to
the FAA through the Freedom of Information Act. The information is mostly handled through the
Oakland Flight Service Station. Pilots, however, may also file flight plans with other Flight Service
Stations in. the area, such as Sacramento or Stockton. Flight plans are maintained only for a
period of fifteen days then the information is destroyed. The process of getting the information
through the Freedom of Information.Act may occasionally take longer than the fifteen days. The
information, when received, will not be of any help in actually identifying the aircraft that caused
the complaint since flight plans will 'give no information on the aircraft flight detail close to the
Airport.
Continued on Attachment: x SIGNATURE:
_RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S):
ACTION OF BOARD ON JUR 12 1990 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED V OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
UNANIMOUS (ABSENT
AYES: NOES: 1 hereby certity that this is a um and correct copy of
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: an action taken and entered on the minutes of the
Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
HEW:dg ATTESTED: .JUN 12 1990
flitpin.bo PHIL BATCHELOR,Clerk of the Board
of Supervisors and Countv Administrator
Orig Div: Airports
cc: County Administrator
Public Works Director
Aviation Advisory Committee
Pilot Noise Abatement Committee
D. Heisch - Ref
Referral Letter - Noise Abatement Committee
June 12, 1990
Page 2
As the Pilot Noise Committee pointed out, only a small percentage of aircraft operating in and out of the
Airport actually file flight plans. The pilots' letter intimates forty percent or less. The Airport staff and
Control Tower feel that it is probably less than twenty five percent. Since only the pilots with filed flight
plans would receive letters, it would appear that most of the planes in the air would not receive a letter.
Another problem with this directive is that it would appear to have a discriminatory effect on the
conscientious pilots. For example, a noise call (whether valid or not) on the south end of the Airport may
be reported relative to an airplane either passing through the area, taking off on Runway 19, or landing
on Runway 1. Another pilot filing a flight plan may take off on Runway 32, make a right turn out, and
yet that airplane would be one receiving a letter advising that there was a noise complaint generated in
the area. This would appear to discourage pilots from using noise abatement procedures and from filing
flight plans. If they are going to receive a letter from us when they clearly are not and could not have
caused the problem, it would seem to be counterproductive to our overall program. A very high
percentage of all of our Airport pilots are extremely conscientious about our noise abatement efforts.
At its February 27, 1990 meeting, the Aviation Advisory Committee also indicated concern regarding this
directive.
The Public Works Director and the Manager of Airports recommend that the Board of Supervisors re-
evaluate this directive.