Fairhope, Alabama
CONTINUOUSLY UPDATED: Some citizens have formed a new community group concerning this issue: https://www.facebook.com/fairhopecitizenscan/
PLANE NOISE COMPLAINTS GROWING
In early January, the city's Airport Authority met at the home of Teri Withee southwest of the Sonny Callahan airport about chronic problems she and neighbors are having concerning low-flying aircraft noise from the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corp. and Coast Guard planes that use the airport for training (touch and go landings). (videos below)
Navy planes are marked orange and Air Force blue: a number of pilots from the military of the nation's allies (NATO, Saudi Arabia, Israel, etc.) are also training here.
The mayor and some council members say they also receive numerous noise complaints from other parts of the city (ie. Rock Creek) about the loud drone of the high-flying trainers doing aerobatic training exercises over their neighborhoods.
This is by far the number one complaint the Times hears about too; lowered quality of life, damage to home values, and tourist-related businesses are some most often heard.
Citizens are often reluctant to speak out because of being labeled as "unpatriotic" by the airport expansion proponents.
The planes -- based in Florida at Whiting Field near Milton, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Hulburt Field in Okaloossa County and at the Coast Guard station in Mobile -- are used for training new pilots; practice for other established units takes place at the airport sometimes too.
[Some 'Special Ops' helicopter training has been conducted in early-morning hours (3AM)]
The Airport Authority is an independent legal entity from city government, formed years ago by the city council under state law to administer the airport; but the city council appoints its membership (4 year terms) and contributes yearly about $800K of taxpayers dollars to its operation and debt service.
SUBSEQUENT REGULAR MEETING
At the Airport Authority's regular meeting on January 19th at city hall, Vice Chairperson Pamela Caudill said she, Chairman Joseph McEnerney and member Chip Groener met at Withee's 7336 Monk Road home to discuss the problem and possible solutions; Mr. Randy Roy, Aviation/Community Planner and another commissioned officer represented the Navy.
Caudill said the discussion centered on finding ways to measure and document the noise level and solutions may be to increase altitude levels of the planes and better-enforce existing FAA flight regulations.
Obtaining sound measuring devices (decibel meters), finding ways to identify offending aircraft, and conduction an engineering study of the problem were also discussed.
Changing the airport's operating rules themselves is another possibility to restrict behavior of aircraft beyond the current FAA rules, but restricting military training could jeopardize getting FAA grants for planned airport expansion; up to $12 million more will be needed for the planned expansion on the east side of the runway for the addition of at least two more hangars, fuel farms, a passenger terminal -- and possibly an office building to be constructed in cooperation with the city's Industrial Board and the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance (BCEDA).
In order to increase the odds for winning more of the competitive FAA grants, the airport must be kept open for "national defense purposes" such as the military training.
SUMMERDALE NAVY MEETING TOO
The Times aviation reporter was able to attend a subsequent meeting with the Navy, primarily for residents of the town of Summerdale, on January 26th that was properly announced beforehand to the public -- and held at that city's city hall, where we questioned Mr. Roy and Navy officers directly to confirm the facts about the meeting at Withee's Fairhope home.
(The Navy operates their own landing field north of Summerdale.)
Mr. Roy (a civilian defense department employee) reiterated the Navy would do whatever it is asked to do by the airport's management; but again mentioned other branches of the military not under his jurisdiction train there too.
After Withee's meeting, Roy said he offered to attend the Authority's next regular meeting (Jan. 19th) but was told not to come. He said he would come to any future meetings to meet with the public as well, if asked by city officials.
Roy and the other officers present at Summerdale seemed surprised when told by the Times of the widespread nature of the problem in Fairhope: they thought it was just a few citizens complaining in the immediate vicinity of the airport.
He added he thought that completion of longer runways at the Navy's Summerdale and Foley (Barin) Fields probably would not help much with Fairhope's problems.
'Factsheets' were distributed but they apply only to military-owned fields like Summerdale's and Barin in Foley (not Fairhope).
Roy said he is the military contact person for citizens' complaints about the Navy plane noise at Whiting Field: randy.roy@navy.mil or phone (850) 665-6132 were the numbers given out.
Also:
Mr. Randy Roy, CPLO
Aviation/Community Planner
NAS Whiting field
7550 USS Essex Court
Milton Fl. 32570
850-623-7196
Mary Moot is the contact for NAS Pensacola planes.
Other military complaint phone numbers provided: Randy Roy, NAS Whiting Field 850-665-6132 and Mary Moot, NAS Pensacola 850-452-3948.
Locally, contact the mayor/council members or Chairman McEnerney, Vice Chairman Caudill or any other Airport Authority members.
Ask the city clerk for their e-mail/phone numbers.
PUBLIC MAY BRING CONCERNS TO NEXT MEETING TOO
Any citizen may attend regularly scheduled Airport Authority meetings in the Delchamps room behind the city council chamber -- at 4:30PM on the third Tuesday of every month.
The plane noise issue is expected to be on the agenda again for the one this week (February 16th)
These are videos (Parts 1 and 2) from the January 19, 2016 Airport Authority meeting at city hall where the military plane noise issue was discussed -- as well as the private meeting held the week before at Withee's home.
These are the planes training over the city which generate many complaints from citizens.
CONTINUOUSLY UPDATED: Some citizens have formed a new community group concerning this issue: https://www.facebook.com/fairhopecitizenscan/
 |
| T-6 Navy trainers |
PLANE NOISE COMPLAINTS GROWING
 |
| 7336 Monk Road |
Navy planes are marked orange and Air Force blue: a number of pilots from the military of the nation's allies (NATO, Saudi Arabia, Israel, etc.) are also training here.
The mayor and some council members say they also receive numerous noise complaints from other parts of the city (ie. Rock Creek) about the loud drone of the high-flying trainers doing aerobatic training exercises over their neighborhoods.
This is by far the number one complaint the Times hears about too; lowered quality of life, damage to home values, and tourist-related businesses are some most often heard.
Citizens are often reluctant to speak out because of being labeled as "unpatriotic" by the airport expansion proponents.
The planes -- based in Florida at Whiting Field near Milton, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Hulburt Field in Okaloossa County and at the Coast Guard station in Mobile -- are used for training new pilots; practice for other established units takes place at the airport sometimes too.
[Some 'Special Ops' helicopter training has been conducted in early-morning hours (3AM)]
The Airport Authority is an independent legal entity from city government, formed years ago by the city council under state law to administer the airport; but the city council appoints its membership (4 year terms) and contributes yearly about $800K of taxpayers dollars to its operation and debt service.
SUBSEQUENT REGULAR MEETING
 |
| Ms. Withee at left |
Caudill said the discussion centered on finding ways to measure and document the noise level and solutions may be to increase altitude levels of the planes and better-enforce existing FAA flight regulations.
Obtaining sound measuring devices (decibel meters), finding ways to identify offending aircraft, and conduction an engineering study of the problem were also discussed.
Changing the airport's operating rules themselves is another possibility to restrict behavior of aircraft beyond the current FAA rules, but restricting military training could jeopardize getting FAA grants for planned airport expansion; up to $12 million more will be needed for the planned expansion on the east side of the runway for the addition of at least two more hangars, fuel farms, a passenger terminal -- and possibly an office building to be constructed in cooperation with the city's Industrial Board and the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance (BCEDA).In order to increase the odds for winning more of the competitive FAA grants, the airport must be kept open for "national defense purposes" such as the military training.
SUMMERDALE NAVY MEETING TOO
 |
| Summerdale meeting with Navy |
(The Navy operates their own landing field north of Summerdale.)
Mr. Roy (a civilian defense department employee) reiterated the Navy would do whatever it is asked to do by the airport's management; but again mentioned other branches of the military not under his jurisdiction train there too.
After Withee's meeting, Roy said he offered to attend the Authority's next regular meeting (Jan. 19th) but was told not to come. He said he would come to any future meetings to meet with the public as well, if asked by city officials.
Roy and the other officers present at Summerdale seemed surprised when told by the Times of the widespread nature of the problem in Fairhope: they thought it was just a few citizens complaining in the immediate vicinity of the airport.
He added he thought that completion of longer runways at the Navy's Summerdale and Foley (Barin) Fields probably would not help much with Fairhope's problems.
'Factsheets' were distributed but they apply only to military-owned fields like Summerdale's and Barin in Foley (not Fairhope).
Roy said he is the military contact person for citizens' complaints about the Navy plane noise at Whiting Field: randy.roy@navy.mil or phone (850) 665-6132 were the numbers given out.
Also:
Mr. Randy Roy, CPLO
Aviation/Community Planner
NAS Whiting field
 |
| Mr. Randy Roy, yellow shirt |
Milton Fl. 32570
850-623-7196
Mary Moot is the contact for NAS Pensacola planes.
Other military complaint phone numbers provided: Randy Roy, NAS Whiting Field 850-665-6132 and Mary Moot, NAS Pensacola 850-452-3948.
Locally, contact the mayor/council members or Chairman McEnerney, Vice Chairman Caudill or any other Airport Authority members.
Ask the city clerk for their e-mail/phone numbers.
PUBLIC MAY BRING CONCERNS TO NEXT MEETING TOO
Any citizen may attend regularly scheduled Airport Authority meetings in the Delchamps room behind the city council chamber -- at 4:30PM on the third Tuesday of every month.
The plane noise issue is expected to be on the agenda again for the one this week (February 16th)
These are videos (Parts 1 and 2) from the January 19, 2016 Airport Authority meeting at city hall where the military plane noise issue was discussed -- as well as the private meeting held the week before at Withee's home.
These are the planes training over the city which generate many complaints from citizens.
Comments
Repetitive posts may be deleted.
Conservatives are usually the first in line for guvment hand outs!
However airport traffic has been on the increase in the last decade due to spiraling building of subdivisions (in some areas) that have been allowed by so called planning and zoning decisions.To include the increased training of military flight crews.Many have relocated here from other areas and feel they may impose their ideals instead of a common sense approach.
Approach plates are very hard if no impossible to change.Blaming a conservative or liberal mirely shows the lack of education of history and unity with in this nation as a nation.So if one has problem with the airport,the solution is easy MOVE.
So many snow birds ......so little freezer space.
Why spend so much to build a bigger airport just so a few rich people can have more places to park their planes?
No body I know wants a bigger airport. Why are those peaple forcing one down ours throats?
!!!!! It is hard to sell a home in Fairfield!!!!
This airport does house some corporate jets that are owned by businesses that provide jobs in this area. It is also where Comtinental Motors does their aircraft engine installations on engines built in Mobile, providing hundreds of jobs in this area. Continental Motors is the largest builder of general aviation piston motors in the U.S. It also is a source of corporate convention business for the Grand Hotel as well as tourists that fly their own aircraft in to visit the area. There is an aviation academy housed at the airport that provides aviation related technical training so our citizens can train for jobs at Airbus, Mobile Aerospace Engineering and Continental Motors.
Pray for Fairhope.
One has since recanted her e-mail to us (under odd circumstances) and said only three were there, but there is new information from a third witness the actual number may have been four.
If and when we find hard evidence either way, we will update again.
One thing is certain though, this committee has not been distinguished for its transparency in recent months, a fact reported here before.
Airport Authority or city council members are asked to identify themselves.