Clairmont Heights Civic Association

From StandUp DeKalb, Inc., February 25, 2010 re. FAA Presentation on Lowered Flightpaths for PDK & Hartsfield : Dear Friends and Neighbors, This is a bit of a departure from our previous emails, but this is an issue that  impacts all of us in DeKalb. The FAA is proposing to lower the flightpath altitudes for Hartsfield flights departing in our direction. This lowered altitude will in  turn depress and compress the flight envelope for flights in and out of Peachtree DeKalb airport.

Depending on who you listen to, this could have the positive effect of fewer PDK  flights or the negative effect of generating more noise and air pollution closer to the ground from departing Hartsfield flights. Interestingly enough, PDK Watch, the neighborhood-supported organization devoted to keeping the operation of the  airport from overwhelming surrounding neighborhoods and those in its flightpaths  has not taken a position on this issue.

Our Board of Commissioners has weighed in with an opinion of opposition that I suspect is based more on the prospect of lost revenue from PDK fees than on the concern  for neighborhoods. They took a vote even before the FAA has held a formal public  hearing. Here is a link to their resolution: BoC Resolution Opposing FAA Proposal

Here is a link to an AJC article in today's paper about a public meeting held the other night with FAA, PDK and PDK Watch representatives in attendance: AJC Article on PDK Meeting

And here is a writeup from a local resident familiar with the FAA:
First, as a procedural matter, the FAA process to expand airspace is long. They are just at the beginning of the process and there hasn't yet even been a notice of proposed rulemaking. It does take a rulemaking to expand the airspace, so right now, all the FAA is doing is soliciting information/opinions from the public. There is a stakeholder group that was convened by the FAA, and which includes PDK Watch and the airport. This type  of thing can be political but ultimately, there is apparently a process (note: this was told to me, I did not double check it).

Second, on a substantive note, here's the issue. The FAA, at the request of Hartsfield, is considering a formal proposal to expand the Class B airspace over Atl so that flights coming into Hartsfield can use "constant descent arrivals" as a means to arrive at the airport. This method of flying an airplane involves essentially coasting in on idle power, but requires a more direct flight path than Hartsfield planes have previously used. Currently, planes taking off and landing at Hartsfield fly around the outskirts of Atl - kind of over the 285 corridor. With the CDA method, planes will have to fly right over the middle of the city (think 85 to 75/85 corridor) because that's where the atmosphere is most conducive to success in this method. So the airspace will be lowered to about 5000 feet altitude and increased in size as well (the details were fuzzy to me and not well explained at the meeting - we'll have to hear directly from the FAA on those points). So class B airspace is airspace where only the Hartsfield planes can use although other aeronautical activities can occur above and below class B airspace.

So what's the upshot? Well, the PDK airport opposes the expansion because its jets will have to take a less fuel efficient (i.e., more costly) flight path in order to stay out of the now larger class B airspace. In addition, private planes in the Atl area will be squeezed into the non-class B airspace, thus raising safety concerns. But the main problem from the PDK airport perspective is that business jets are likely to go farther out to Gwinnett and other airports because they can take off/land in a more fuel efficient way without worrying about the constraints of the class B airspace. So PDK stands to lose money.

Because of this last point, there was actually quite a bit of disagreement at the meeting as to whether the expansion would be worse or better for our area from a noise, aesthetic, and environmental perspective. Some thought it would be quieter because PDK airport would experience less traffic. Others noted that if ALL Hartsfield planes were re-routed over our n'hood, it would be crazy loud and annoying. Still others (including a pilot) noted that no pilot would fly a commercial jetliner at 5000' and they are typically flown at 10,000 even with the CDA. With the CDA, the engines are idled at Lake Lanier for the approach into Atl. The pilot said no one would hear the planes. On the other hand, we all know that we can hear commercial jetliners, even if they are really high up, and if the number were to
increase into the hundreds, that would certainly be noticeable. In addition, there's no law requiring that the commercial jets fly at 10,000' - that's just 'practice' so in the worst case scenario, we'd see A LOT of traffic
increase.

The FAA will be presenting their "project" to the public at:
Chamblee Civic Center
3540 Broad Street, Chamblee 30341
call 770/986-5016 for directions.
March 1, 2010, at 3:00, 5:00 & 7:00 pm
with a public comment period lasting until April 3, 2010.
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Please try to attend this meeting as input on where interested folks live will be important to the study team.
Please share this notice with your neighbors.
Thanks for your support,
The volunteers of StandUp DeKalb

If you would like more information or are interested in joining StandUp DeKalb, please visit our website,
www.StandUpDeKalb.org