Neighbors sound off about increased airplane noise

by Punyajith Ganepola

Recently North Cambridge residents have noticed an increase in air traffic over their homes, disturbing a quiet afternoon or waking them up at night.

“The flights over Cambridge come from departures off of runway 33L. The complaints started in the Spring of ’07. The noise comes at all times of the night,” said Peter Coff, the Cambridge representative to the Logan Airport Community Advisory Committee.

Upset residents should understand that Massport does not determine its own flight patterns for landings and takeoffs, said Richard P. Walsh, manager of media relations for Massport.

The Federal Aviation Administration decides the route a plane takes in relation to wind direction and what is most likely to result in a safe landing or take off, he said.

“It is inevitable that temporary circumstances will arise requiring some communities to sometimes handle more than their fair share of overflights. However, I expect Massport and the FAA to be as sensitive as possible to the needs of their neighbors and work to spread the burden of air traffic that those of us living near Logan experience”, said Rep. Michael E. Capuano, D, North Cambridge.

Massport is concerned with the inconvenience it puts surrounding neighborhoods through, so they use resident complaints to inform FAA decision makers about especially burdened neighborhoods, said Walsh.

Residents who would like to see a reduction in air traffic can either file a complaint on the airport’s Web site, flylogan.com, or call the noise abatement hotline: (617) 561-3333.