Aviation Conspiracy Newsletter #474........................................................................March 30, 2008 Past newsletters can be accessed at: http://pages.prodigy.net/rockaway/ACNewsmenu.htm If you want to get the newsletter sent to you every week, sign up to AviationWatch. Bill Mulcahy rockaway@prodigy.net
Quote of the Week: "Imagine that in the comfort of your home, one day the government decides to turn up the volume by running jet planes overhead." comment in a story this week by New Jersey Senator Menendez on the FAA's Airspace Redesign
1991 Airport Capacity (Increase) "Act" Challenged!!!
As
Bill Sees It (Editorial): Burbank,
California's Airport Could Challenge The Obscene Airport
Noise and Capacity Act of 1991; Ever since this airport expansion and
pro-noise pollution
law was passed by the aviation industry's paid political flunky's, communities
have been unable to get nighttime curfews on "their" airports. Since
this law there has been no way to stop the increasing aviation noise pollution from damaging
people's health and quality-of-life. This may be changing
if California's Burbank Airport and the City of Burbank go through the expensive, long process to
quiet their nights by getting a nighttime curfew instituted. You can be sure
the
Aviation Cabal (the airline and their paid political stooges and the FAA) will
pull out all the stops to prevent this community from gaining any kind of
control over their own airport's operations!!!
Politicians
Fighting Airport Expansion Make Mistake Focusing On Airline Safety And Ignoring
Health Impacts!!!
I don't understand why politicians in New Jersey and elsewhere keep talking
about aviation safety issues instead of the health issues associated with
aircraft noise. They must know the FAA is the final authority on aviation
safety issues and they have no chance of
winning in that arena. Could it be that they think this sells with
their noise impacted constituents who (they feel) live in an airport's fight
path and are dumb enough to think this will stop the noise increases? However,
maybe the politicians are
starting to pay attention to their constituents. I saw a story on the FAA's Airspace Redesign scheme
where
New Jersey Senator's Lautenburg and Menendez where they talked about how it
would "introduce a new level of ambient noise to towns directly beneath the
flight path of arriving and departing flights." That's what they should be
talking about instead of the "flight safety and performance"
issues they have previously been dealing with. What
Are The Environmental And Health
Impacts Of The TODAY'S
U.S./EU Open Skies Agreement? Today the new U.S./EU Open Skies Agreement
goes into effect. Apparently no Environmental Impact Study has been done to
calculate the health impacts on Americans. Where are the many environmental
groups that once inhabited the American landscape? No doubt they are pushing
"feel good" environmental issues like replacing plastic and paper bags
with canvas ones in supermarkets. When it comes to aviation pollution; once
again this proves that corporate America and their politician agents have
"co-opted" the environmental movement in the U.S. They do this by
grant money and control of these groups by corrupt (democrat) political hacks.
Burbank,
California, Tries To Get A Night Flight Curfew On "Their" Airport!!!
Most night flights at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank would be banned under a
proposed curfew meant to reduce nighttime noise for nearby residents. Beginning
Monday, the public will have 45 days to comment on a proposal by the
Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority to ban flights between 10 p.m. and 7
a.m. Currently, about 22 planes a night takeoff from the airport and 23 land.
Under the so-called curfew, only aircraft involved in law enforcement,
firefighting, medical emergencies, the military or those with in-flight
emergencies would be exempt from the curfew. An eight-year cost-benefit study
found a curfew could cost airlines, cargo carriers and passengers about $55
million, but save $67 million, mostly from a reduced need for residential
acoustical treatment near the airport. Under Federal Aviation Administration
requirements, aviation restrictions are required to have a positive cost-benefit
ratio, although achieving a positive ratio is not a guarantee the FAA will
approve a proposed curfew. If approved, the curfew would be the nation's first
restriction of Stage 3 jets since Congress passed the Airport Noise and Capacity
Act of 1990, which barred airport imposition of new access restrictions unless
approved by the FAA. The public has 45 days to comment on a proposed plan to ban
all night flights into and out of Burbank Airport. The Public comment period
begins on Monday March 31st. To make a comment, or get more information, go to
the link below and click on the "airport Noise Issues" link. http://ktla.trb.com/news/ktla-burbanknightflights,0,4849877.story
Bush
Opens Up U.S. Skies To European "Open Skies" Flights Today!!!
On Sunday, the new EU-US Air Transport Agreement will take effect. For the
first time, European airlines can fly without restrictions from any point in the
EU to any point in the US. "This marks the start of a new era in
transatlantic aviation. This Agreement will bring more competition and cheaper
flights to the US," said Jacques Barrot, vice-president of the European
Commission in charge of transports. He called the agreement “the most
ambitious air services deal ever negotiated”. The two biggest aviation
markets, encompassing 60 per cent of world traffic, will cooperate closer in all
fields of aviation policy. Direct flights to the US In May
2008, the European Commission will engage in second-stage negotiations with the
US. "A fully Open Aviation Area between the EU and the US must remain our
objective," Barrot added. All EU airlines are now able to operate direct
flights to the US from anywhere in Europe and not just from their home country.
The Open Skies agreement removes all restrictions on routes, prices, or the
number of weekly flights. Many airlines will increase the number of flights and
destinations on Sunday. Flights between London-Heathrow and the US, for example,
will increase about 20 per cent compared to April 2007. With about 50 million
annual passengers between the EU and the US, the agreement covers by far the
biggest international air transport market. Editor's Note: I wonder what
the "restrictions" are now that they are eliminating? As many U.S.
airports are at maximum capacity already look for more air cargo flights
at night and more "regional" airport expansions.
Adelaide,
Australia: Air Cargo Industry Wants To End Night Time Curfew!!! ADELAIDE
Airport's restrictive and antiquated night curfew is strangling local business
and hindering South Australia's economic development, a report says The South
Australian Freight Council report said the Federal Government 
should
review the current laws restricting flights in and out of Adelaide's main
airport between 11pm and 6am. "South Australia is failing to maximize
its true economic potential due to a restrictive and antiquated night curfew at
Adelaide Airport," freight council chairman Vincent Tremaine said.
"While we recognise that the airport's metropolitan location requires
measures to protect surrounding residents from unreasonable levels of noise, the
state's economic prospects are being slowly eroded by this current out-dated
regime. "We keep hearing how South Australia's economy is taking off thanks
to the growth of tourism, mining and the export of fresh produce - but many of
these industries depend on the effective and efficient operation of the state's
main airport." Noise for residents living near the airport has been an
issue for many years. While maintaining the current flight restrictions, the
previous Federal Government helped to sound-proof 650 homes at a cost of about
$50 million. Steve Georganas, the federal member for Hindmarsh, which includes
the airport, said he did not believe the new Labor Government would change the
current regulations. Editor's Note: The air freight industry criminals
have once again has showed themselves to be a public enemy concerned only with
their profit margin and uncaring about the severe health impacts from night
flights over residential communities. http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23434461-29277,00.html
New Jersey Politicians Call For Halt In Airspace Redesign Scheme!!! WEST DEPTFORD — Three New Jersey lawmakers called on the Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday to stop a multi-phase redesign of the congested airspace between Philadelphia and New York, citing concerns about noise and safety. U.S. Sens. Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez, and Rep. Rob Andrews, all D-N.J., said they feared new flight paths implemented in December put planes at risk. Their fears were echoed by leaders of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. The new takeoff procedures have caused confusion among air traffic controllers and pilots, said Don Chapman, president of the union's Philadelphia chapter. The new procedures involve changes to an automated system that gives pilots their flight path before takeoff. In several instances, Chapman said, pilots were given last-minute changes to their flight paths, which resulted in flights veering off course. The FAA defended the project in a statement Tuesday, and said air traffic controllers have been involved in planning since the inception of the project in 1998. The new headings -- which allow planes to fan out and take off at the same time instead of waiting in line -- won't necessarily cut flight delays because planes often have to wait before landing, he said. The lawmakers also reiterated Gloucester County residents' concerns about increased airplane noise. http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080326/NEWS01/803260364/1006
New York Judges Kill Passenger Bill Of Rights: NEW YORK (AP) — State lawmakers moved quickly after thousands of passengers were stuck for hours in parked planes at John F. Kennedy International Airport during a 2007 winter storm. Within six months, New York had enacted the nation's first law requiring airlines to provide food, water, clean toilets and fresh air to passengers trapped in delayed planes for more than three hours. A federal appeals court struck down the law Tuesday, saying despite admirable aims, it interferes with federal law governing the price, route or service of an air carrier. "If New York's view regarding the scope of its regulatory authority carried the day, another state could be free to enact a law prohibiting the service of soda on flights departing from its airports, while another could require allergen-free food options on its outbound flights, unraveling the centralized federal framework for air travel," the court wrote. It said that while the goals of the law were "laudable," and the circumstances prompting its adoption "deplorable," only the federal government has the authority to impose such regulations. The ruling was a victory for the Air Transport Association of America, the industry trade group representing leading U.S. airlines. The association argued the law could lead to an unmanageable hodgepodge of state statutes. Editor's Note: What are they talking about? Do these corrupt judges mean to say that the aviation industry is exempt from ANY local controls over how they mistreat people. Once again the airlines know they can http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jI20MR3Xinejtid51wrBxNvyg7FwD8VL2J1O6
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Important Aviation News Stories This Week
Wednesday, March 26, 2008 http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/25/MN5IVQ7MD.DTL
(03-25) 16:14 PDT NEW YORK -- States can't require airlines to provide food, water and fresh air to passengers stuck on the ground during long delays, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday in overturning a New York law that is similar to legislation pending in California.
New York's Passenger Bill of Rights, which would apply to runway delays of more than three hours, conflicts with a 1978 federal law that prohibits states from regulating airline prices, routes or services, the Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York said in a 3-0 ruling.
"We have little difficulty concluding that requiring airlines to provide food, water, electricity and restrooms to passengers during lengthy ground delays relates to the services of an air carrier," the court said. "Only the federal government has the authority to enact such a law."
The ruling is binding only on federal courts in New York, Vermont and Connecticut. It does not apply to California, where the state Assembly is considering a virtually identical measure sponsored by Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco.
The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled in a separate case in 1998 that the federal law covered only airline transportation services and left states free to regulate such amenities as in-flight beverages, baggage handling and personal assistance to passengers. That court would review Leno's bill if it became law and were challenged.
Leno said Tuesday that he would press ahead with his measure, AB1943, which cleared its first Assembly committee vote Monday.
"We have crafted our bill very narrowly so it just deals with the health and well-being of the passenger ... fresh air, water, light, snack foods and working bathrooms," Leno said.
Kate Hanni of Napa, who became a passengers' rights activist after being kept on a runway in Texas for more than nine hours in 2006, said she supports bills such as Leno's but believes Tuesday's ruling should focus attention on whether the federal government will act. The House has already passed legislation that would require airlines to provide food, water, fresh air and functional restrooms during any preflight delays.
"We need to get the federal government to recognize that these things are happening every week," said Hanni, who has testified in support of both the California and federal measures. "The federal government is going to have to take this on. You've got passengers screaming and crying out for protection. All we're asking for is food and water and freedom."
Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, a leading sponsor of the House-approved measure, said he has urged airline representatives to work with him on passenger-protection legislation and avoid stronger state-by-state regulation. Thompson said he hopes Tuesday's ruling will bring increased public attention to the issue and lead to action in the Senate.
The Air Transport Association, which represents major U.S. airlines, said the ruling should send "a strong message to other states that are considering similar legislation."
The court vindicated the airlines' position that "airline services are regulated by the federal government and that a patchwork of laws by states and localities would be impractical and harmful to consumer interests," the trade group, which sued to overturn the New York law, said in a statement.
Asked about federal regulation, Victoria Day, spokeswoman for the airline association, said the group would oppose "draconian measures that may have unintended consequences." She said the association is working with the U.S. Department of Transportation to address onboard delays.
The New York law, the first of its kind, was passed in response to lengthy delays on New York runways during the winter of 2006-07, during which some passengers went without water and food.
The law required airlines to provide adequate food, drinking water and refreshments, electricity needed for fresh air and lights, and waste-removal service for restrooms any time passengers are kept in a plane for more than three hours before takeoff.
The appeals court said the law "substitutes New York's commands for competitive market forces," contrary to the intent of the 1978 federal law, which deregulated the airline industry. "Onboard amenities, regardless of whether they are luxuries or necessities, still relate to airline service," the court said.
If New York could require airlines to provide food and water, the court said, other states might ban soda or require allergen-free food options on flights leaving from their airports, "unraveling the centralized federal framework for air travel."
The three-judge panel in New York, all appointees of President Bush, overturned a ruling issued in December by U.S. District Judge Lawrence Kahn, who was appointed by former President Bill Clinton.