The Flight Path of Airplanes Over Neighborhoods

2384 Words5 Pages

The Flight Path of Airplanes Over Neighborhoods The houses can’t be unbuilt, and the airports can’t be torn down. But maybe the fences can be mended. –Robbie Sherwood In the past 10 years, many cities across the country have outgrown the planner’s expectations. Unfortunately the airports that were built 20 or more years ago, have not grown with the cities. Phoenix has tripled in size in the past 10 years. The tripling of air traffic has not had anywhere to go. The same two runways that have been serving the city since 1935 when the airport was built have been extremely over loaded. It is not just happening in Phoenix, a few years ago Denver received a new airport to relieve the overflow of traffic from the older Stapelton Airport. In Irvine California, El Toro Marine Air Base is scheduled to be closed next year, and running into opposition to be converted to civilian use. The changes in the National Airspace System (NAS) are always happening, either in the routing of traffic or the airports on the ground. The problem arises when the traffic routes change faster than the airport system does. As said above, there are some changes that are going on in the system right now. “ To accommodate the growing number of flights operating at Sky Harbor construction of a new third runway is underway. The 7,800-foot parallel runway is scheduled for completion in spring 1999”(Sky harbor International Airport 4).

In Denver the traffic load that was being handled by Stapelton Airport was too high. When Denver International (DIA) opened in February 1995 it could immediately take three times of the traffic that Stapelton could the week before. I believe that the airports around the country and specifically in Phoe...

... middle of paper ...

...Harbor International Airport. http://www.ci.phoenix.az.us/AVIATION/airports.html (2 Dec. 1998). “Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.” List of Airport Tables. http://www.nrdc.org/nrdc/nrdcpro/nrdcpro/foc/phazps.html (2 Dec. 1998). “Record of Approval: Scottsdale Airport Noise Compatibility Program.” Federal Aviation Administration. http://www.faa.gov/arp/app600/14cfr150/roasdl.html (28 Oct. 1998). “Scottsdale Airport General Information.” City of Scottsdale Transportation. http://www.ci.scottsdale.az.us/airport/general_info.asp (28 Oct. 1998). Sherwood. Robbie. “Airports Runway to future Bumpy: Olive Branches offered to Williams Neighbors.” Arizona Republic. 25 Oct. 1998, community ed.; EV1+. Sullivan, George. Personal Interview. 27 Oct. 1998. “What’s New.” Williams Gateway Airport. http://www.flywga.org/whatsnew.htm (2 Dec. 1998)

Open Document