Residents in Calgary, Canada, suffering unacceptable noise due to new 4th runway

In June 2014, Calgary airport in Canada opened a new 4th runway. It was the longest in Canada, at 14,000 feet, and 200 feet wide “able to land the world’s largest aircraft.”  Being parallel to an existing runway, planes taking off need to diverge by 10 degrees from the other take off route. Planes heading east often make their turns over homes in the Marlborough area. There has been a lot of anger and upset there, about the noise burden. Hundreds from the Marlborough area attended a recent meeting, to try to get the Calgary Airport Authority to improve the noise situation. People are finding the noise from planes overhead every few minutes intolerable, and a local  Airplane Noise Committee was formed in October 2015. One affected resident said:  “I’m suffering severely now from headaches, migraines. I can’t sleep at night…. My beds vibrate. Everything,”  An earlier meeting in January, attended by about 500 residents, was very heated and residents did not find it productive. The Calgary Airport Authority (CAA) said they’re “listening to concerns and trying to come up with solutions but there’s no easy fix.”  The CAA said it asks pilots to reach 1,000 feet before turning, but suggests it’s up to individual airlines to enforce. They want planes to fly a bit higher, and avoid turns at low altitude. CAA wants dialogue (residents want less noise).
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Calgary Airport Wikipedia

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Calgary residents sound off over airplane noise

25.3.2016

It was a full house of angry people at Marlborough Community Centre Thursday night. Hundreds gathered to sound-off about airplane noise. The Calgary Airport Authority is looking at solutions, trying to calm growing concerns about the new airport runway.

Hundreds of angry people filled the Marlborough Community Centre once again Thursday night.

They were expressing concerns over airplane noise, primarily from the new runway installed at Calgary International Airport almost two years ago.

Because there are now parallel runways, planes must deviate 10 degrees when taking off. Those heading east often make their turns over homes in communities like Marlborough.

“The noise is just unbearable with airplanes coming in every couple of minutes,” Don Fisherman, who sits on the Airplane Noise Committee that formed in October of last year, said.

“I’m suffering severely now from headaches, migranes. I can’t sleep at night…. My beds vibrate. Everything,” longtime Marlborough resident Marlene Sailer said.

The police were on hand at Thursday’s meeting after tempers flared and what Fisherman called a “fiasco” at the last meeting in January.

The Calgary Airport Authority (CAA) said they’re listening to concerns and trying to come up with solutions but there’s no easy fix.

“Airplanes are regulated to turn away from each other when they are flying. It’s just a regulated requirement,” Jody Moseley with the CAA said. “But what we need to do is look at any opportunity to get them as straight in and as straight out as possible.”

Moseley said they’re looking into the possibility of flying higher and getting planes out of the way quicker when they do have to fly over homes.

“I will say, I will believe it when I see it,” Sailer said.

“We’re not satisfied with the answers because we believe – based on what other cities have done – there are solutions to this problem,” Fisherman added.

Dozens of residents voiced their concerns and questions in a question and answer period following a presentation by the CAA.

http://globalnews.ca/news/2600100/calgary-residents-sound-off-over-airplane-noise/

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Earlier:

Noise from new Calgary airport runway sparks heated debate at open house

By Melissa Ramsay (Global News)

21.1.2016

WATCH: Things became quite heated at a public discussion on Wednesday about noise from the Calgary International Airport’s new runway. Jayme Doll reports.

CALGARY – A public discussion about noise pollution from planes taking off and landing at the Calgary airport became so heated on Wednesday that police had to be called.

The meeting, held at the Marlbough Community Association, was a chance for northeast residents to voice their concerns over the non-stop noise.

About 500 people packed into the facility.

“It rattles the window, and in the summer you can’t leave your windows open because you can’t hear your spouse in the house,” complained Renee Reeder. “During Stampede it was unbearable. I got migraine headaches for the first time in my life.”

Residents say the noise started with the opening of the Calgary International Airport’s new runway in June 2014. As there are now two parallel runways, planes must deviate 10 degrees when taking off. The change means eastbound planes often turn and head toward their destination while flying over northeast homes.

Representatives from the Calgary Airport Authority and Nav Canada attended the meeting. However, instead of addressing the group as a whole, they opted to answer questions one-on-one in an open house format. The decision caused already frustrated residents to become even more heated.

“We have technical groups looking at things, we have community groups that are part of the conversation, and we want to keep that conversation going,” said Calgary Airport Authority spokesperson Jody Moseley.

The airport authority said it asks pilots to reach 1,000 feet before turning toward their destination, but suggests it’s up to individual airlines to enforce.

http://globalnews.ca/news/2468025/noise-from-new-calgary-airport-runway-sparks-heated-debate-at-open-house/ 


 

Earlier:

Officials get earful from Calgarians over airplane noise

CALGARY- After getting an earful from Calgarians across the city, council is trying to find a way to limit the noise caused by the new airport runway.

Since opening last month, there have been about 100 complaints about the din caused by roaring planes. Lawyers are investigating whether the city can restrict the time of day that commercial planes take off or land.

The mayor said he sympathizes with residents.

“I happen to live in an area that has airplane noise, always had had it, I did get used to it,” said Mayor Naheed Nenshi. “But let’s keep in mind these are people who’ve lived in neighbourhoods like Whitehorn and Rundle and Marlborough for decades, and this is something new.”

Complaints are being investigated with a noise monitoring system, and airport officials tell Global News they are open to discussions.

http://globalnews.ca/news/1464880/officials-get-earful-from-calgarians-over-airplane-noise/

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Earlier:

Calgary airport celebrates opening of new runway

The Calgary Airport Authority welcomes more than 10,000 people to the opening of Canada’s longest runway this weekend.

The new runway is part of the Calgary International Airport’s $2 billion redevelopment program.

The new runway will be the longest in Canada at 14-thousand feet in length and 200 feet wide and will be able to land the world’s largest aircraft.

To celebrate, the Airport Authority will hold a two day event.

Saturday 1400 Calgarians will take part in a fun run as part of the weekend long festival called Run and Roam the Runway. It’s the only opportunity for people to walk the runway before it opens to traffic June 28th.

Participants can run the entire length of the runway and back at 8.4 kilometres or take part in a five kilometer fun run.

The festival continues Sunday, with 10,000 people expected for Father’s Day.

The runway is a 600 million project and coincides with the opening of Calgary’s airport tunnel that connects Barlow trail to 36th street NE.

http://globalnews.ca/news/1394289/calgary-airport-celebrates-opening-of-new-runway/

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