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Relevant Documents:
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The distance between
the sw corner of the runway and the corner of 2nd and Orange
(marked by the yellow push pins) is a little less than 3 miles. |
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Did you just hear a loud flight overhead?
Find out detailed information about it with one
click to
ILM's tracking page at Flightaware.com.
(note: it does not track military aircraft) |
Downtown Airplane Noise
Earlier this year, some downtown residents began
noting a significant increase not only in the number of flights
overhead, but also the noise generated. The former coincides
with a decision by ILM, implemented earlier this year, to switch its primary
runway to one that takes its flights directly over downtown. The latter
coincides with the removal of trees just southwest of that runway (along MLK
parkway). The removal of these trees would presumably allow aircraft to
utilize more of that runway, which means they begin their approaches earlier,
and fly at lower altitudes, over the downtown area.
Wilmington's airport (ILM) is operated by the
New
Hanover County Airport Authority, whose members are appointed by the County
Commissioners. This authority recently made the
decision to invest $22 million to switch the primary runway to one that runs
directly over the most densely populated area of the city (see
density maps). Apparently,
this decision was made without regard to the adverse effects of excessive noise
on the
quality of
life of those near the flight path,
health and safety, and
the
detrimental effects on property
values (which will indirectly have a significant impact on property taxes). This decision was made
without any public meetings or plans to address these issues (such as a
noise
abatement program).
Management of ILM claims the increase in flights
over downtown is part of the overall gradual growth of the City. It has
refused to acknowledge that there has been a significant increase in flights
over downtown. However, they also claim that they have not kept track of
the number of flights going over downtown, so they really don't know - and they
can't back their assertion that conflicts with the opinion of so many that live
in the affected area.
If you live in downtown Wilmington and are fortunate
enough to have a high tolerance for noise, consider that:
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Many are bothered by the current levels of
noise. This will diminish the market for your home and
adversely
affect its property value (see details below).
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The level of noise is only going to get worse.
This is a rapidly growing region and the current plan is to funnel much of
the growth in flights over the downtown area. There are presently no
regulations - City or County - that would limit the number or hours of these flights.
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Even if the noise doesn't consciously bother
you, it still may detrimentally affect your health - not to mention the
increased air pollution you can't see but are breathing in. See
Health Affects.
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If nothing is done, the airport may be able to
hostilely acquire the right to fly over your property - regardless of noise,
pollution,
and other "nuisances" - without compensation to you. A prescriptive
easement is one in which someone acquires a right to do something that
adversely impacts your property simply
because they've been doing it for a certain length of time.
If would like to get involved, learn more, or rebut
or refute, please send an email to
webmaster@ROWilmington.org.
Adverse Impact on Property Values
There have been several studies conducted on the
diminutive effect of excessive airplane noise on property values in communities
near airports. Many of the communities studied are comparable to
Wilmington in terms of
distance from, and location relative to, their airports.
Here are some of the findings:
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18.6% devaluation
when comparing market prices of similar neighborhoods that differ only in
the level of airport-related noise. [The Effect of Airport Noise on
Housing Values: A Summary Report, prepared for the FAA by the consulting firm of Booz-Allen & Hamilton, 1994]. "An average 18.6 percent higher property value in the
quiet neighborhood, or 1.33 percent per dB of additional quiet."
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10.1% devaluation
housing unit in the immediate vicinity of the airport [1996 study funded
by the Legislature of the State of Washington]. It found that the
proposed expansion of Seattle-Tacoma Airport would cost five nearby cities
$500 million in property values and $22 million in real-estate tax revenue.
It also concluded that "all other things remaining equal, the value of a
house and lot increases by about 3.4% for every quarter of a mile the house
is farther away from being directly underneath the flight track of
departing/approaching jet aircraft."
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27.4% diminution
in value than an otherwise similar property that is not located by an
airport. [1997
report by Randall Bell - MAI, Certified General Real Estate Appraiser,
licensed real estate broker, and instructor for the Appraisal Institute - to
the Orange County Board of Supervisors]. 27.4% is the average.
The range is -15.15 to -42.6%.
Quality of
Life
Affects on
Health
"Researchers have known for years that exposure to
excessively-loud noise can cause changes in blood pressure as well as changes in
sleep and digestive patterns -- all signs of stress on the human body. The very
word “noise” itself derives from the Latin word “noxia,” which means injury or
hurt" [What
are the Health Effects of Airport Noise and Airport Pollution?]
Safety
Common sense tells us that it's not a good idea to
direct takeoffs and approaches over heavily populated areas. It's
an even worse idea to allow training flights to practice those maneuvers
over heavily populated areas - yet ILM has a contract will the military that
allows just that. An even worse idea is to let the military practice such
maneuvers with an aircraft - the Osprey - whose development has been
riddled with problems and crashes - yet the military is currently conducting
training flights with the Osprey over downtown Wilmington.
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Osprey crashes in Wilmington. No, this is not a futuristic
hypothetical news headline. It's already happened - in Wilmington DE.
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Osprey
crashes in Jacksonville, NC. This article, describing this tragic
event, also includes the following: "Another Osprey made an unscheduled
landing in Wilmington, N.C., on Nov. 30, after the pilot radioed the control
tower that he was in trouble. He managed to land the plane safely."
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The military would have you believe that all these
problems are in the past. Not true. Just this past February
(2007), the
Marine Corps Grounds V-22 Osprey Aircraft
after "discovering a glitch in a computer chip that could cause the aircraft
to lose control."
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This
April 2007 article in Wilmington NC's Star News discusses the troubled
crash history of the Osprey and some of the problems are quite recent, "In
March 2006, a computer problem led an idling V- 22 to suddenly take off on
its own."
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TIME Magazine's October 9, 2007 cover
story,
V-22 Osprey: A Flying Shame, states: "...the V-22 lacks a
helicopter's ability to coast roughly to the ground - something that often
saved lives in Vietnam. In 2002 the Marines abandoned the requirement
that the planes be capable of autorotating (as the maneuver is called), with
unpowered but spinning helicopter blades slowly letting the aircraft land
safely. ...all bets are off if a V-22 is flying like a
helicopter, heading in or out of a landing zone, and it's engines are
disabled... If power is lost when a V-22 is flying like a helicopter below
1,600 ft. (490 m), he said, emergency landings 'are not likely to be
survivable'." Unfortunately, the V-22 Osprey is flying over downtown
Wilmington in helicopter mode well below 1,000 ft.
Development of new technology is tricky.
Accidents happen. No one is arguing that the military shouldn't be testing
experimental aircraft. It's just a bad idea to do it over heavily
populated areas.
Noise Abatement
Programs
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Why did ILM choose to aim its primary
runway over the most densely populated area of the County when so much
of the other surrounding area is much less populated and developed? |
Flight Paths directly over the Densest Areas of the City & County (and SE North
Carolina)
Other pertinent resources:
Recent news articles on this issue:
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