FAA to hear from Valley pilots, residents on overflight changes
Thomas Ropp The Arizona Republic Apr. 22, 2006 12:00 AM
Emotions could take flight next week as homeowners, private pilots and federal aviation officials square off over a redesign of the Valley's airspace that would force small planes to fly lower over some neighborhoods.
A public meeting Tuesday at Glendale Airport is the first of three planned by the Federal Aviation Administration to hear what those on the ground think about where and how high aircraft fly overhead.
FAA officials will show maps and provide other descriptions of the changes, which are designed to increase safety by putting more distance between small private aircraft and large commercial airliners.
But some homeowners worry about increased noise from low-flying aircraft, and private pilots say that the proposed changes are too restrictive.
The FAA proposal covers the area within a 68-mile-wide circle known as Phoenix Class Bravo airspace, centered on Sky Harbor International Airport.
This airspace is where large jets fly in and out of Phoenix. Smaller, general aviation aircraft must avoid this airspace unless given special permission.
Warren Meehan, the FAA's air-traffic manager at Sky Harbor, said the redesign should improve safety by cutting down on "separation incidents," or close encounters between commercial jets and private aircraft.
It also is expected to move increasing numbers of airliners more efficiently in and out of Sky Harbor as the Valley population mushrooms.
To accomplish this, Phoenix airspace reserved for big jets would be pushed down in places, forcing small planes to fly lower, beneath the jet envelope, especially in those areas aligned with Sky Harbor's east/west runways, from Buckeye to Apache Junction.
3,000 feet lower
The most severe changes would be along a wide swath in the East Valley from Queen Creek to Rio Verde, where small planes would be forced 3,000 feet lower, to an altitude of 5,000 feet, from 8,000 now.
Fred Wolfe lives in this swath along with 70 of his neighbors in the upscale desert community of Goldfield Ranch northeast of Fountain Hills. Wolfe said he likely will attend the public meetings because of his concerns about increased aircraft noise and the potential to devalue his property.
Jim Timm, executive director of the Arizona Pilots Association, said his organization is unhappy because of the potential for increased ill will toward private pilots forced to fly closer to homes.
Many homes within this swath are nearly 2,000 feet above sea level. Because a pilot must fly at least 1,000 feet above the ground, that leaves only 2,000 feet of maneuvering room.
"And that's a real noise-sensitive area already," Timm said.
In addition to Timm's group, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, which includes two-thirds of all pilots in the United States, opposes the redesign because of the increased restrictions on general aviation.
They also are concerned about the safety of private pilots, who stand a better chance of surviving an engine failure at higher altitudes because they have more gliding time to find a place to land.
Mesa faces change
An even tighter fit is in the area where Loop 101 and Loop 202 converge in Mesa. In that region east of Sky Harbor, the airspace for jetliners would be lowered to 2,700 feet, from 3,000, above sea level. Because the ground elevation is about 1,200 feet, the window left for private pilots would be cut to only 500 feet, reducing their ability to maneuver up or down.
Mesa Mayor Keno Hawker, who lives near the affected area, said he expects to attend at least one of the public meetings.
"Without much leeway, you have to be a whole lot better pilot," said Hawker, who is also a private pilot.
Hawker said he doesn't believe lowering this airspace just 300 feet will make much difference, but he is worried.
"If this airspace keeps creeping down, you don't know where it's going to end up," Hawker said. "I don't want a 10-mile, 2,000-foot-high approach for Sky Harbor."
Meehan said the extra 300 feet of distance between small planes and large jets descending into Sky Harbor is necessary because of several near-misses in which jetliners and private aircraft have flown within 100 feet of each other.
Mack Lake, who lives near Brown Road and Mesa Drive in Mesa, lives in a direct line with Sky Harbor. He fears the FAA is clearing a larger chunk of airspace so more large jets can fly over his neighborhood into Sky Harbor as well as into Mesa's Williams Gateway, the recently designated Sky Harbor reliever airport of the future.
"I don't understand why our city (Mesa) leaders are not publicly saying more about the noise," Lake said.
West Valley impact
In the West Valley, residents of Buckeye, Avondale, Goodyear, Litchfield Park and Sun City would experience small planes flying lower over their homes.
Gail Carlo, president of the Diamond Ridge Home Owners Association in Avondale, said she didn't know about the redesign and doesn't plan to attend the public meetings, even though small planes will fly 1,000 feet closer.
"We do not have a problem with small aircraft in our neighborhood," Carlo said. "Our problems are with the dairy down the street and the obnoxious smells."
The airspace redesign will include new areas of restricted airspace in the outer regions of the Valley, along commercial-airliner routes.
Anthem falls under one of these new restricted areas, where private pilots must stay under 8,000 feet, or fly above 9,000 feet.
Rob Wren, a pilot and Anthem resident, said that although he is bothered by the redesign in general, the additional restrictions would make the skies over Anthem and New River safer. It also should result in less noise from small aircraft.
Scottsdale benefits
Scottsdale Airport Director Scott Gray said he likes the redesign because general aviation would be allowed to fly higher in noise-sensitive areas around Scottsdale Airport, where conflicts have erupted in recent years with nearby homeowners.
Under the banner Quiet Skies, a coalition of northeast Valley residents and homeowners associations sued the FAA to stop a 2002 redesign that increased the number of commercial jets over Carefree, Cave Creek and north Scottsdale. A domino effect caused corporate jets to fly lower over homes in north Scottsdale and Paradise Valley.
In April 2003, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously in favor of the FAA and the new air-traffic routes.
Airline likes new plan
Phil Gee, spokesman for Tempe-based US Airways (formerly America West), said his airline strongly supports the redesign because it gives the FAA better control of the airspace in and out of Phoenix.
Sky Harbor Director David Krietor said that although his airport is not taking a position about the redesign, he recommends that critics take a look at the numbers.
Sky Harbor passenger traffic increased by 1.7 million passengers last year, or about 5 percent, a growth rate in keeping with the Valley's population surge.
Among the 30 largest airports in the nation, Sky Harbor consistently ranks No. 1 or No. 2 for on-time arrivals.
Last year, 41.2 million people traveled through Sky Harbor's gates, and the airport logged 555,256 takeoffs and landings. By 2015, the number of takeoffs and landings is expected to grow to 670,000.
Earlier this month, Sky Harbor announced a $2 billion expansion, including replacing Terminal 2 with a new and larger terminal.