Quote of the Week:  "It's the largest and most comprehensive community benefits package ever negotiated" Los Angles Airport (LAX) spokesman on bribe to local communities to accept massive 11 BILLION dollar LAX expansion

Aviation Conspiracy Newsletter #303................................................December 19, 2004 Past newsletters can be accessed at: http://pages.prodigy.net/rockaway/ACNewsmenu.htm  The PASSUR airport flight tracking system at http://www.passur.com/sites.htm (you must have Java installed to view it) Bill Mulcahy rockaway@prodigy.net 

FAA "Airspace Redesign" Another FAA Con Job!!!

As Bill Sees It: (Editorial)  New Jersey Group Questions My Newark Airport "Overwater Route"  Graphic:  This week I received an email from a member of a New Jersey anti-airport pollution group called Citizens Against Aircraft Noise NJCAAN. The gentleman complained about a map (see below left) I put in the Nov. 21st Aviation Conspiracy newsletter which showed planes leaving Newark Airport and flying over the N.Y. City Borough of Staten Island. He claimed that the routes (map left) I showed for plane departing Newark Airport in New Jersey were incorrect.  He claims that the  FAA graphic in their May 5th "Update to Congress,"  which shows Newark planes using ONE over water route, that goes over a narrow body of water that lies between Staten Island and New Jersey, is the correct one. I disagree, as the actual new route is still up for interpretation and change as the FAA checks to see what they can get away with. If NJCAAN believes that is the actual new route why don't they show a graphic of it on their own web site? If it is such a good idea, how come NJCAAN doesn't use facts and figures on their web site? Instead of doing that they show a long list of political supporters of the route change. I was told a long time ago, by the FAA criminals themselves, that they didn't want to use this route because it would increase impacts on Staten Island people already heavily impacted. I also think they said it would interfere with JFK Airport traffic (heaven forbid!). I don't believe NJCAAN cares one bit about dumping Newark Airport's increasing impacts on others, as long as the FAA diverts planes away from their communities. This is the worst kind of aircraft noise organization, in my opinion. Looking Technical While Showing Nothing: The FAA's Graphics: The FAA graphic (top right) is from their 2003 Airspace Redesign Report to Congress. It has labeled on the  lower right the words "notational depiction." I tried to find out , to no avail, what this phrase means. No doubt it is just another meaningless FAAspeak term like "noise sensitive area" that they use to hide their real intentions and give them flexibility to do whatever they want. The FAA loves to use this kind of crap instead of doing actual noise studies with numbers of people impacted, because that would accurately show how they protect favored, politically connected areas. You just have to take a look at most of the graphics and maps in their "reports to congress" to see what contempt they have for the intelligence of the public and our representatives. These computer generated graphics look like only a computer could read them. They are clearly designed to baffle the unwary, which unfortunately is most of the public and obviously congress. The airspace and traffic flow  "map" of  Philadelphia Airport on the right looks like it was drawn by a three-year-old. The FAA has been getting away with expanding airports and dumping horrendous amounts of noise and air pollution on communities for years without doing real analysis, so why should they change now. After all, obviously nobody's checking up on them..

 

Los Angeles Groups Agree to (11 BILLION DOLLAR) LAX Expansion... for a Price: LOS ANGELES, Dec. 16 - An $11 billion plan to expand and modernize Los Angeles International Airport includes an unusual agreement worth an estimated $500 million in measures to ease the expansion's effects on surrounding communities. The so-called community benefits agreement, part of the airport expansion plan approved by the City Council this week, is the largest of its kind in the nation and the latest example of a tactic increasingly employed by advocacy groups to extract concessions from developers and public entities proposing large projects on scarce urban land.  The parties to the agreement called it an unprecedented deal to address a host of traffic, air pollution, noise and economic concerns raised by the huge airport project, which will take a decade to complete if it wins federal approval next year. Mayor James K. Hahn called it a national model for airport development and a way to "enhance the quality of life for those living around the airport."  http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/17/national/17lax.html  http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/articles/1143537.html Editor's Note: The key word here is "address," not improve. No doubt this latest airport "improvement" will bring unheard of (pardon the pun) noise levels to LAX communities. No doubt most will take the money and run selling their homes to some other poor unfortunates.

Stuart, Florida: Noisy Planes To Be Put On Internet "Wall Of Shame."  Tail numbers from aircraft that violate the voluntary nighttime curfew at the airport here are going to appear on the Internet. However, some members of the Airport Noise Advisory Committee are concerned the information, which they equate to a "wall of shame," could result in pilots and aircraft owners being harassed by people critical of the airport. The committee narrowly agreed Thursday to back airport officials who plan to post the monthly information about curfew violations on the county Web site. The curfew is between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. "This is a list of violators, this is a list of people who are not cooperating with our desire to protect our neighbors from noise," Committee Chairman Dan Cowan said. "If they get harassed as a result of the publication, so be it -- don't do the thing, don't appear on the list." Editor's Note: I like this idea. Why not give the people who harass the rest of us some of their medicine?  http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-pcurfewweb18dec18,0,3533530.story?coll=sfla-news-palm 
 


Chicago: FAA To Fine The City Of Chicago Over Meigs Field? City says federal money used appropriately: (AP) - Northerly Island's transformation from Meigs Field into a park cost the city $2.9 million, nearly twice as much as Chicago Park District and city officials had estimated, documents show. Overall costs, including removing the former airfield's runway, were paid for with airport development funds, according to a city document. Federal authorities had warned the city against using the funds for work at Meigs Field before the order was given to tear up the runway, Molinaro said.  City officials said the use of airport development funds "was permissible and in accordance with applicable law." Mayor Richard Daley has said the airport, which leased the land from the park district, had a legal responsibility to restore the property to its original condition. The FAA could order the city to pay triple damages, or $8.7 million, if the agency determines the funds were misused, Molinaro said Wednesday. Editor's Note: The "FAA could order the city?" They even threaten large cities!!! I thought the FAA was supposed to be keeping the skies safe? These corrupt bureaucrats have too much power and are out of control. Don't you like the way the destroyed Meig's Field will look after a few few trees are removed and landscaping is done. I'm looking forward to the same thing being done to JFK Airport.  http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=14908 

 

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