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Some valley residents are noticing more noise from airplanes leaving Burbank Airport. The historic flight paths changed recently and more changes are in store. And that is ramping up community concerns that will be heard by airport officials Thursday night. KPCC’s Sharon McNary has more.
Flight paths in and out of Southern California airports used to be broad, spread out a couple miles wide. But a recent FAA change narrowed the routes, so planes take off and land using the same nose-to-tail efficient track.
But some who live under those narrow flight tracks say they are experiencing more noise.
Studio City resident Suellen Wagner says it’s too much noise.
"The tower has been guiding these jets in a single file line. Studio City fan Studio City gets theirs first. So their lowest and loudest there and then it moves on just to Sherman Oaks and Encino," Wagner said.
She and others have been pressing the FAA to change two flight paths affecting homes, schools and parks in those areas.
Burbank Airport hired an outside consultant to assess the new flight paths. It goes public Thursday when the airport's operations committee reviews it in a meeting at the Buena Vista Library in Burbank.
The FAA will provide detailed information about current routes and the proposed route amendments, and FAA experts will be present to answer people’s questions, said spokesman Ian McGregor. The agency also will make public a draft environmental review of the proposed route changes, he said.
Those meetings are Oct 24 and 25 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Pickwick Gardens, 1001 W Riverside Dr, Burbank