The Republic Airport Commission presented their annual Noise Contour report for the year 2000 at their Tuesday, June 5 meeting. The report, presented by Henry Young, explained the amount of total operations, paying special attention to landings and takeoffs, as well as types of aircraft used at various hours of the day. In addition, the report featured escalating rates of resident complaints.

In addition to the Noise Contour, a general outline of airport activity, the commission also presented its aircraft complaint report, which more specifically addresses resident complaints, comparing this fiscal year to last year. The airport's fiscal year ends each March, so the report outlined complaints from April, 2000 to March, 2001 in comparison with April, 1999 to March, 2000.

The complaint report showed that in March, 2000, 86 total complaints were phoned in, 25 less than this March. Of the 111 complaints phoned into the airport's complaint hotline this March, 72 of the complaints were the result of daytime noise and 39 of them regarding nighttime activity. Of the 111 complaints, the majority of them, 79, were due to jet use and 27 were unknown. The report also showed that the majority of complaints came from the northwest area of the airport and were transient planes, not based at the airport.

Comparing this fiscal year to last year, overall complaints phoned in by residents increased by 927, bringing the end of the 2000/2001 fiscal year to a total of 1,652 complaints from residents when 1999/2000 saw only 725. As was the case just this past March, the majority of complaints came as a result of jet activity, coming mainly from the northwest portion of the airport during the day.

During his presentation of the Noise Contour report, Young explained that management teams at Republic record all landing and takeoff activity by all aircraft, including the runway used and time of day. He explained that in the last fiscal year, total operations at the airport amounted to 161,840, a decrease of six percent from 1999. He added that there was an 8.42 percent decrease in single engine aircraft, probably the result of the local aviation school closing down. Operations of dual engine planes increased 2.10 percent and turbo plane activity decreased 2.29 percent.

Young added that business jet activity increased 16.8 percent from the previous year, explaining that this is the case in many airports, since more businessmen and elite groups are using business jets for traveling purposes.

In addition, helicopter activity declined 7.96 percent and movements of large aircraft totaled 72 landings.

As far as total operations, Young explained that 79 percent of airport activity comes from the use of single engine planes, followed by twin engines, down to the lowest percentage for helicopters at approximately five percent.

Based on these figures, Young explained that in regard to total activity, only 5.25 percent took place during the night period, classified as the hours between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. He added that every category saw an improvement in the case of night activity.

Young continued to explain that many of the planes used are stage 2 planes, which have louder engines than their quieter cousin aircraft, the stage 3 plane. While many operators are switching from stage 2 to stage 3, Young estimated that the airport will not be completely rid of stage 2 planes for approximately 10 years, if even by then.

Following reports of aircraft use, Young presented a graph detailing resident complaints and months they were placed. While they remained fairly low in January through March, complaints rose greatly in June through September and declined slightly in later months.

Young said that although the contour showed that the noise impact area is approximately one-fifth smaller than it was in 1999, the human ear is much more sensitive than the contour graph and the noise certainly travels farther than the graph shows. He added that the graph just outlines areas which experience the most severe impact of noise.

Although overall operations on their airport's runways have clearly declined, noise complaints from area residents have certainly risen. Why? One resident said that the increase, particularly over the summer months, is the result of planes circling overhead prior to landing. He explained that the planes fly overhead for the pilots to communicate to each other while the flight tower is closed, and residents are more likely to be outside or have their windows open so the noise is more of a bother. He added that since takeoffs and landings are the primary activity being recorded, the impact of the planes circling the sky are not taken into account.

Another resident blamed the increase in complaints to the fact that the contour listed only landings on some larger planes, not including takeoffs, therefore omitting half of the activity of those planes. She stressed that the report was not entirely accurate and that management should be more careful when recording aircraft activity.

Young told residents that he understands why they don't like noise, and that he is not trying to deter them from calling in complaints by showing a decrease in operations. However, he told them that no other airport presents such reports or any operations reports to residents, nor are they required. In addition, he added that Republic is the only airport in the New York Metropolitan area in compliance with federal land use compatibility regulation as well as the only local airport with residential housing beyond the minimum distance required.

Even still, he told residents that he realizes noise continues to be a problem. Young said that to keep noise levels down, expectations of the airport include decreasing the volume of stage 2 aircraft, reducing night period activity, improving compliance with operators and issuing systematic bulletins to pilots asking them to operate with the least amount of noise possible.

"None of us like noise," Young said. "Operators don't, management doesn't, and certainly, neighbors don't."