Those who have for years been concerned with noise from aircrafts around nearby airports may soon be able to monitor air traffic around Port Authority airports due to a network being looked at by Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy and Congressman Joe Crowley of Queens.

At a press conference at LaGuardia Airport, McCarthy and Crowlry introduced the innovative web-system that will allow residents around airports to log on to any computer with Internet access and with a few clicks of a mouse, monitor the air traffic around a Port Authority Airport.

The system, operated by Megadata Corporation, provides a website by which a map of the area around an airport, from six miles to 90 miles in radius, would be shown with all flights, represented by airplane icons, in the area. By clicking on an airplane icon, users can obtain information such as the airline of the aircraft, its type, origin, destination and altitude. For security reasons, the flights are seen on a 10-minute delay.

The system, McCarthy feels, will help airports become better neighbors. By giving residents access to the air traffic, those accessing the website will be informed as to exactly what is happening is the airspace around their homes. "Air noise has been an issue in my district. Under this system, the residents most affected in my district will be able to track air traffic and understand the causes of airplane noise - all from their home computer. But it will also alert airport officials about pilot error or residential area miscalculations," McCarthy said.

McCarthy and Crowley are seeking to secure $240,000 in funding for the startup of the system. The officials believe it will empower communities to track airlines to ensure they are following Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Port Authority regulations for flight paths, altitude and flight patterns. "We're looking to give the people of our communities more transparency at the airport so that they can see actual flights coming in and out of the airport," said Crowley. "It gives a great deal more information immediately to our constituency to further empower them and also to help empower us as legislators in bringing our concerns of safety and quality to the powers that be at the FAA as well as the powers to be at the Port Authority."

Currently LAX airport and Los Angeles and Louisville International airports use the system. Marketing Director Ron Dunsky of Megadata believes the purpose of the system is not to make everyone an air traffic control expert, but for it to be used as an educational tool for those who live around airports. "In many cases, airplanes are doing what they are supposed to be doing and this is meant to clear up misconceptions. Los Angeles and Louisville [airports] have found that they have been getting fewer complaints and calls since they put this up," he said.