Burbank AirportFor those living near Bob Hope and Van Nuys airports, jet noise is a way of life. But it’s the noise at night from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. that is prompting lawmakers to propose a mandatory curfew. “When you’re standing in your home or you’re standing outside or you’re trying to carry on a conversation or you’re trying to get some sleep, and you hear just how loud those flights are, and how much it makes your house shake, you’ll get a much better appreciation for what we’re talking about,” said Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank).
There is already a voluntary curfew in place, but still, planes come in at night, including cargo planes, private jets and commercial airlines that either leave early or arrive late. “Voluntary is just that, voluntary, and it kind of leaves a sense of insecurity about what might happen in the future, so that’s really what’s going on here,” said Victor Gill of Bob Hope Airport. Burbank officials say they’ve worked hard over the years to successfully reduce noise and are on board with a mandatory curfew.
Van Nyes AirportThe Van Nuys Airport spokesperson released a similar statement saying, “VNY already has a limited jet departure curfew in place during the nighttime hour, has restricted the number of based aircraft, and is phasing out the louder jet aircraft from the fleet.” While many of those living around the Burbank Airport say they aren’t too bothered by the noise, others do support the legislation. “They should stop after a certain hour. We hear them all night long in the middle of the night, morning, after 10,” said Michael Listorti of Burbank.
The Federal Aviation Administration wouldn’t comment, but turned down a mandatory curfew in the past and would have to get a green light to any new legislation. But the lobby that represents the airline industry, released a statement saying, “The proposed legislation raises significant concerns in that it appears to be an attempt to circumvent the Airport Noise and Capacity Act (ANCA) of 1990, which has a well-established process for the consideration of local noise restrictions.”
Related Video: http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/video?id=9113006&pid=9113000
