Fly Friendly Initiatives

"Fly Friendly" is a voluntary good neighbor policy of the aviation community not to disturb people on the ground.  We have attempted to encourage the adoption of this policy for the past four years via the promotion of a distribution of aviation activity to all available airspace surrounding Hanscom Field, Bedford, Massachusetts and Nashua, New Hampshire as illustrated on the FAA’s July 13th RAPTOR data.

It is a voluntary policy as stated by Amy Corbett, FAA New England Administrator in a letter to Senator Kennedy:  Page 1 Page 2

September 2006 Status:

The airspace adjacent to the "Golf Ball" (MIT Haystack Observatory) and "Power Triangle" (power lines) continues to receive a disproportionate amount of noise pollution originating from GA activity. We have sent reminders to the following flight schools to request distribution of their noise:

President Robert Myers, Daniel Webster College, Nashua
    We have requested meetings to discuss this issue but President Myers has declined our requests.

President's Letter #1

Response #1 to President's Letter

President's Letter #2

Response #2 to President's Letter

Spring 2006 - As stated in President's Letter #2, DWC's operations were diverted to other areas, but since late August 2006 numerous flights are being directed to Groton. 

 Contacts:
    President Robert E. Myers,Jr., 20 University Ave, Nashua NH 03063  (603) 577-6570
    Stephen Brown, Director of Flight Operations, 20 University Ave, Nashua, NH 03063  (603) 577-6409

Mark Holzwarth, East Coast Aero Club, Bedford.

We met in April and in response, his flight instructors have been made aware of the impact of their noise on this community and have distributed their noise.  He had visited Ayer a few years ago and never realized how intrusive this noise was in this low ambient noise area.  We appreciate his efforts of being willing to meet with us and to reduce the noise at our homes.

Hanscom Aero Club (USAF)
    Lt. Col. Juan Gaud is actively working to re-instill their rotation schedule.

"Fly Friendly" Initatives

    1)  2002 -Noise sensitive map provided by FAA  Map

2)  Spring 2003 - Lt. Col. Gaud (Hanscom Aero Club - USAF) - implemented a policy to alter their practice areas by rotating activity north of Route 2 on odd-numbered months and south of Route 2 on even-numbered months.  Spring 2006 – increase in activity during all months.

     3)  Summer 2003 - Michael Goulian (Executive Flyers) - altered their practice area for dual flights (flight instructor and student). 

     4)   Summer 2004 - Fairfax O’Riley (ex-flight instructor ECAC) provided numerous “fly friendly” suggestions:

    WINGS program for pilot education

    Contract Tower Airports - Norwood and Beverly Airports are actively soliciting flight training

    Mapping all available space and create regional agreement for flight schools/individual pilots practice areas

    Petitions to FAA to open additional airspace for acrobatics (flight schools are much less restricted)

Unfortunately, Fairfax has pursued other avenues for his career and is unable to continue his leadership role to implement these fly  friendly proposals.  He had recommended other flight instructors (Jim Henry, Maurice Mourneau, Chris Rourke) to continue his work, an avenue we had pursued but have been unsuccessful.   Additionally, we emailed these recommendations to New England Free Skies Association, a pilot's activist organization.

5)  Summer 2004 – met with Peter Schmidt, Louise Anderson and Neville Hogan (New England Free Skies), a pilots activist organization who believes in the respectful use of the airspace.  They have legitimized our concerns and were hopeful to convince other pilots to be considerate to the property owners below.

6)   Spring 2005 - John Gagliardi (FAA) - "fly friendly" will be included at future safety seminars.

7)   Spring 2005 – John Williams (President of the Massachusetts Business Aviation Association) has recommended a meeting with various aviation personnel to discuss modifying the airspace classification.

8)   Spring 2005 - Stephen Till (IAC 35 President) has recommended creating a map illustrating noise complaint areas. <Details>

9)  2005 – New England Free Skies – we have continued to meet with this organization but we are unaware of any specific action plan/s that have been  implemented.  They talked of working with IAC 35 (above) to create a noise sensitive map, have talked to East Coast Aero Club, Daniel Webster College and Executive Flyers about our noise sensitive areas but unfortunately, they, as pilots, have not been able to convince the flight schools to seek alternate practice areas.  However, on a positive note, Louise Anderson was able to convince the Warbirds of Florida to practice elsewhere when they visited this summer in Fitchburg Airport where Louise is employed. (Note: in 2004, the warbirds were a constant source of noise for approximately two weeks while they were giving scenic tours of Groton). 

    Additionally, we asked Louise Anderson and Neville Hogan to set an example for other pilots and practice in their neighborhoods in order to distribute the noise. (note:  both live in airspace where flight training is legal)

                A sampling of N #'s:

Date Time N# Registration Information

            5/7/06            10:40    875DW            Daniel Webster College, 20 University Drive, Nashua, NH

          5/7/06            11:40    3572M             Plane Nonsense (East Coast Aero Club's registration), 227 Mariners Way, Bear, DE
          5/7/06            12:00    9182A             Plane Nonsense (East Coast Aero Club's registration), 227 Mariners Way, Bear, DE
              5/7/06            12:20    4990R             Hanscom Aero Club, 7 Robbins St, Hanscom
              5/7/06            12:55    53320             Airdialog, 131 Hartwell, Lexington (Mike Goulian - Executive Flyers)
          5/7/06            13:40    19833             TriStar Aviation, 31 Taschereau, Nashua, NH
              5/7/06            15:05    683DW            Daniel Webster College, 20 University Drive, Nashua, NH
          5/7/06            16:40    32146             Plane Nonsense (East Coast Aero Club's registration), 227 Mariners Way, Bear, DE

* Judgement based upon one location in Groton; may not be representative of  this airspace

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