First ‘open and frank’ meeting on increased airplane noise held with FAA

By Jack Mayne Representatives of the recently formed Quiet Skies Coalition say they had a “productive” meeting that was “open and frank” with the Federal Aviation Administration last Friday (Nov. 4), as part of their efforts to stem the recently increased noise of turbo-prop airplanes taking off from Sea-Tac Airport and turning quickly at a low altitude over Burien. Quiet Skies President Larry Cripe, in a release Monday, said the meeting included three representatives from Burien, two from both the Port of Seattle and the FAA, plus a moderator hired by the City of Burien to conduct the meeting. Cripe was there as well as an unnamed “coalition supporter who is acting in an advisory position.” “It was an open and frank discussion about our concerns and a positive first step in developing a dialogue with all those in attendance,” Cripe wrote. “The FAA representative accepted our concerns and assured us that they would be reviewed and that by Thursday, Nov. 10, they would propose a follow on date to schedule the next meeting between the City, Port of Seattle, FAA, our coalition, and hopefully, a member of the Alaska Air Group.” Cripe said that because of the “detailed nature and broad scope of our questions,” all agreed it would take “a little time” for the FAA to effect “a comprehensive response.” He added that the Quiet Skies Coalition “agreed not to go public with our information until after the next meeting. “Rest assured, our expectations were made perfectly clear,” he wrote, and everyone agreed to invite Alaska Air Group “to the table so that they are included in all discussions going forward. “Alaska Air Group has made it clear from the onset that they want to be part of the solution and not the problem,” Cripe said, so he was “hoping Alaska will accept the invitation and join with us to curtail the new flight paths that were forced upon the residents of Burien. ” He said Burien representatives would notify them “as to when that meeting is scheduled.” Cripe noted the Quiet Skies website would hopefully “be active within a couple of days, at which time you will be able to donate securely online” to the coalition. At a public meeting in October, the group launched its public effort created to combat the increase of noisy flights over Burien. At that meeting, Cripe said he had began getting phone calls about the aviation noise after he told the Burien City Council about the increase a few weeks earlier. Then he and Burien resident, attorney John Parnass, decided to form a non-profit committee, Quiet Skies Coalition. He said that after some study and with his background as a retired airline pilot, that the FAA has done “something that is unjust.” Read our previous coverage of this issue here.]]>