XPost: alt.noise, talk.environment, misc.legal   
   XPost: rec.backcountry   
      
   rogerbrown99999@hotmail.com wrote:   
      
   > I live in Newark (south-east side of San Francisco Bay), and small   
   > plane noise is driving me crazy. All day long, especially on the   
   > weekends, small private planes are buzzing above Newark.   
   >   
   > Newark used to be a quiet town, but within the last year, the airspace   
   > above it has became the training ground for flight schools and private   
   > pilots.   
   >   
   > These recreational flyers can only practice their hobby if they have   
   > someone else's land to fly over. They leave Palo Alto and/or San   
   > Carlos airport and head east. They wouldn't think of causing noise   
   > pollution over their ritzy pennsula area.   
   >   
   > They are not simply navigating from point A to point B. They have   
   > navigated to our back yards and are now loitering above us that serves   
   > no purpose other than to please the pilots and to enrich those who   
   > rented or sold them the airplane.   
   >   
   > When one aircraft departs the area, within minutes another takes its   
   > place. It is not uncommon for this activity to take place from sunup   
   > to sundown. This constant flying in one place creates unreasonable,   
   > unbearable and unhealthy noise to those on the ground, and constitutes   
   > an unwanted and ungranted easement over private property to the pilots   
   > and to their related business interests.   
   >   
   > I can not enjoy my life anymore. I can't go outside during the day   
   > without hearing this buzzing, droneing noise from the planes. Inside   
   > it isn't much better, as the plane noise overrides my TV or stereo.   
   >   
   > These aircraft perform no useful function and can make no   
   > claim to even the remotest socially redeeming value that might justify   
   > destruction of peoples lives.   
   >   
   > My life has been destroyed.   
      
   Hope today's a better day for you.   
      
   As someone who has taken some flying lessons, my guess is that you   
   live under a designated practice area for new pilots. The planes   
   aren't just dawdling around making noise, the pilots are learning   
   flying skills.   
      
   Small planes are legitimate modes of transportation. I've personally   
   known some people that use them for business purposes. One of them was   
   someone who sold bridges (really) and had to travel all over, and the   
   other was someone who commuted to work. He rode with his boss, who   
   actually owned the plane. Obviously businesses ferry their people all   
   over by air. One local small town considers its small airport an   
   integral part of attracting business to the area. It's always doing   
   something to upgrade it.   
      
   I don't know of a solution to the problem. They've got to practice   
   somewhere, although maybe there's a better 'somewhere' than over your   
   house.   
      
   But I understand your frustration. I'm someone who is absurdly   
   sensitive to noise. In fact one of my favorite, and close, car   
   campgrounds is under an airway. Having large and small planes   
   continually flying over during the afternoon takes a lot of joy out of   
   it.   
      
   I'm also a mile from an interstate highway. Although I have a   
   beautiful woods view I rarely open the windows. Can't stand the   
   highway noise, even though some people here consider it low and   
   soothing. I often wear ear plugs to bed when I'm camping.   
      
   And I'm not going to go into how much I hate the sound of snowmobiles,   
   chain saws and trail bikes. Not to mention loud radios. The fan on my   
   computer bugs me. I'd probably be happier if I were stone deaf, though   
   I'd have to get a different job.   
      
   I had once considered moving to Lake Superior, but I discovered from   
   talking to locals I'd be listening to snowmobiles at all hours of the   
   day and night during the winter. Killed that idea. The highway noise I   
   put up with in the city is much less.   
      
   I suppose you could call the airport, flight school and FAA and see if   
   there's a way the practice area (assuming I'm right) could be moved   
   elsewhere. I don't know how it's done.   
      
   But I can imagine what you're going through. I grew up (my family   
   still lives there) directly under the local airport landing pattern.   
   (One reason I said "landing lights" when I saw a picture of an alleged   
   UFO on TV.) At one time there was a corporate jet we could identify by   
   the scream it made as it took off. Small planes seemed friendly then.   
      
      
   --Rod   
   Author of "Linux for Non-Geeks--Clear-eyed Answers for Practical   
   Consumers" and "Boring Stories from Uncle Rod." Both are available at   
   http://www.rodwriterpublishing.com/index.html.   
      
   To reply take the extra "o" out of the name.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)