You're a Noisy Lot in Perth...
Thread Starter
You're a Noisy Lot in Perth...
Man racks up 21,000 complaints in crusade against aircraft noise
Andrew Tillett and Geoffrey Thomas, The West Australian Updated October 17, 2012, 3:50 am
Man racks up 21,000 complaints in crusade against aircraft noise
A Canning Vale man makes an average of 70 complaints a day in his crusade against noisy planes.
Figures from air traffic regulator Airservices Australia show Kevin McNamara made more than 21,000 complaints - 40 per cent of the total - about aircraft noise in Perth in the past four years.
Mr McNamara said he hoped bombarding Airservices through its website over arrivals and depatures at Perth Airport would lead it to change flight paths or noise insulate affected homes.
He said yesterday his record was 800 complaints in a day and he often complained 50 times about a single flight
"They wish I will go away because I am stuffing up their statistics but their statistics don't mean a damn thing," he said. "They respond but they try to fob you off. Nothing gets done."
Now retired, Mr McNamara made his first noise complaint in 2004 but said the problem was worse since flight paths were changed in late 2008.
"It keeps me awake at night," he said. "You can be having a barbecue and all of a sudden you have six planes in half an hour and you can't think."
Airservices said 344 people made 53,731 complaints about aircraft noise in Perth since November 2008, including Mr McNamara's 21,411.
In recent months he intensified his efforts. In the past year he made 9708 complaints and in August alone was responsible for 2156 - about 70 a day.
Anti-aircraft noise campaigners said the volume of complaints reflected frustration with Airservices for failing to take concerns seriously.
Aircraft Noise Action Group spokesman Hugh Smith said the skies around Perth Airport were an "aerial sewer" because of revamped flight paths and air traffic growth.
Airservices and the Noise Ombudsman had visited Mr McNamara but could not resolve the issues.
Perth airspace is congested because of safety factors at three nearby airports plus Pearce RAAF base, which cannot be traversed on weekdays.
Andrew Tillett and Geoffrey Thomas, The West Australian Updated October 17, 2012, 3:50 am
Man racks up 21,000 complaints in crusade against aircraft noise
A Canning Vale man makes an average of 70 complaints a day in his crusade against noisy planes.
Figures from air traffic regulator Airservices Australia show Kevin McNamara made more than 21,000 complaints - 40 per cent of the total - about aircraft noise in Perth in the past four years.
Mr McNamara said he hoped bombarding Airservices through its website over arrivals and depatures at Perth Airport would lead it to change flight paths or noise insulate affected homes.
He said yesterday his record was 800 complaints in a day and he often complained 50 times about a single flight
"They wish I will go away because I am stuffing up their statistics but their statistics don't mean a damn thing," he said. "They respond but they try to fob you off. Nothing gets done."
Now retired, Mr McNamara made his first noise complaint in 2004 but said the problem was worse since flight paths were changed in late 2008.
"It keeps me awake at night," he said. "You can be having a barbecue and all of a sudden you have six planes in half an hour and you can't think."
Airservices said 344 people made 53,731 complaints about aircraft noise in Perth since November 2008, including Mr McNamara's 21,411.
In recent months he intensified his efforts. In the past year he made 9708 complaints and in August alone was responsible for 2156 - about 70 a day.
Anti-aircraft noise campaigners said the volume of complaints reflected frustration with Airservices for failing to take concerns seriously.
Aircraft Noise Action Group spokesman Hugh Smith said the skies around Perth Airport were an "aerial sewer" because of revamped flight paths and air traffic growth.
Airservices and the Noise Ombudsman had visited Mr McNamara but could not resolve the issues.
Perth airspace is congested because of safety factors at three nearby airports plus Pearce RAAF base, which cannot be traversed on weekdays.
Technology to reduce plane noise
Geoffrey Thomas Aviation Editor, The West Australian Updated October 17, 2012, 3:55 am
Within two years, planes may glide into Perth Airport and zigzag over parks and warehouses rather than houses as air traffic controllers harness the latest technology to cut noise for residents.
AirServices Australia confirmed yesterday two new technologies, Continuous Descent Approach and Required Navigation Performance, were being planned for Perth.
CDA is used in Europe for a continuous descent at idle thrust rather than a stepped approach, when pilots sometimes have to use thrust several times to maintain a constant altitude before stepping down gradually.
RNP uses satellites to guide planes on a precise and often curved approach with an accuracy of one metre to avoid houses.
Qantas' Boeing 737s already have RNP and the airline is certifying its A330s to the same capability.
Many overseas airlines operating to Perth are also equipped with, but not certified for, RNP.
However, AirServices needs to design new RNP approaches before Qantas can use the capability.
RNP was devised in the 1990s by Alaskan Airlines to enable its planes to get into airports in mountain areas in bad weather.
Qantas and Air New Zealand use RNP to get into the ski destination of Queenstown almost year round.
Though it is not possible to avoid all houses around Perth Airport, RNP significantly cuts noise impact. AirServices is also watching developments for steeper descents which may cut noise 20 per cent.
Geoffrey Thomas Aviation Editor, The West Australian Updated October 17, 2012, 3:55 am
Within two years, planes may glide into Perth Airport and zigzag over parks and warehouses rather than houses as air traffic controllers harness the latest technology to cut noise for residents.
AirServices Australia confirmed yesterday two new technologies, Continuous Descent Approach and Required Navigation Performance, were being planned for Perth.
CDA is used in Europe for a continuous descent at idle thrust rather than a stepped approach, when pilots sometimes have to use thrust several times to maintain a constant altitude before stepping down gradually.
RNP uses satellites to guide planes on a precise and often curved approach with an accuracy of one metre to avoid houses.
Qantas' Boeing 737s already have RNP and the airline is certifying its A330s to the same capability.
Many overseas airlines operating to Perth are also equipped with, but not certified for, RNP.
However, AirServices needs to design new RNP approaches before Qantas can use the capability.
RNP was devised in the 1990s by Alaskan Airlines to enable its planes to get into airports in mountain areas in bad weather.
Qantas and Air New Zealand use RNP to get into the ski destination of Queenstown almost year round.
Though it is not possible to avoid all houses around Perth Airport, RNP significantly cuts noise impact. AirServices is also watching developments for steeper descents which may cut noise 20 per cent.
RNP-AR approaches in Perth, hah!!! Good luck with that!
The recent ILS outage showed how many companies/types into Perth can't even conduct a regular GNSS approach.
BTW, I think it's the ability to curve the approaches down to 500' AGL (or lower) that offers the noise benefits.
The recent ILS outage showed how many companies/types into Perth can't even conduct a regular GNSS approach.
BTW, I think it's the ability to curve the approaches down to 500' AGL (or lower) that offers the noise benefits.
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 343
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
That guy needs to move house if he wants to complain like that. I am pretty sure the airport was there before he was living in that house irrespective of the flight path changes.
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 374
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
His ilk are under every flight path or within ten miles of it.
They think their life is being made uncomfortable and make heaps of noise about it to have someone else cop it when the big dangerous aeroplanes stop flying over their houses and go over the other people's.
I wonder if they feel any sort of compasssion for those who are told the council/government is buying their homes to make way for new roads. Those poeple have no say and if they fight they get less. Seen that with my own eyes.
Bet they couldn't give a bugger.
Well! guess what?...
They think their life is being made uncomfortable and make heaps of noise about it to have someone else cop it when the big dangerous aeroplanes stop flying over their houses and go over the other people's.
I wonder if they feel any sort of compasssion for those who are told the council/government is buying their homes to make way for new roads. Those poeple have no say and if they fight they get less. Seen that with my own eyes.
Bet they couldn't give a bugger.
Well! guess what?...
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Australia
Age: 51
Posts: 931
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This muppet should come live near me. 20 metres from a highway. 
Then he'll know what noise really is....nothing like a convoy of Jake brakes rolling down the slight incline at 3am..no curfew for those guys.
Council solution...plant tree's for noise cancelling...real solution, lift the speed limit back to 80 kph, where it works!
I'm happy to swap houses with him, i like airplane noise
Then he'll know what noise really is....nothing like a convoy of Jake brakes rolling down the slight incline at 3am..no curfew for those guys.
Council solution...plant tree's for noise cancelling...real solution, lift the speed limit back to 80 kph, where it works!
I'm happy to swap houses with him, i like airplane noise
In Zurich in 2008 they caught an irate resident firing a .22 at the overflying aircraft, so this Bozo is fairly harmless, in comparison.
You see people building up against a railway line and never complain about the train noise. You'd never build beside a harbour and tell the Harbourmaster to move his ships. Why is aviation always the bunny?
Bring back the 727 I say.
You see people building up against a railway line and never complain about the train noise. You'd never build beside a harbour and tell the Harbourmaster to move his ships. Why is aviation always the bunny?
Bring back the 727 I say.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Running up that hill
Posts: 308
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The irony is he has handed ASA a silver bullet to shoot down noise complaints.
"Is it true you had 53,731 noise complaints last year?"
"Yes, but 21,411 were from one person, [meaningful look, nudge nudge wink wink, know what I mean, this guys obviously a crank, big brush to tar all complaints with etc]"
I 'm glad I'm not the only one confused by this 'new' idea. I went though the ATC training college nearly 25 years ago and we were taught than that the goal of arrivals was to give unrestricted descent from top to landing (even if its not always possible, its always the aim).
"Is it true you had 53,731 noise complaints last year?"
"Yes, but 21,411 were from one person, [meaningful look, nudge nudge wink wink, know what I mean, this guys obviously a crank, big brush to tar all complaints with etc]"
Last time I looked at my engines on descent into Perth (or anywhere else for that matter) there were already at Idle.
Guest
Posts: n/a
"You can be having a barbecue and all of a sudden you have six planes in half an hour and you can't think."
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Sunny side up
Posts: 1,206
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
That guy needs to move house if he wants to complain like that. I am pretty sure the airport was there before he was living in that house irrespective of the flight path changes.
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: SoCal
Posts: 1,929
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
That's one plane every 5 minutes. My plan would be simple, if it's that hard to think, just turn your snags every time you hear a plane.
It may stretch his intelligence somewhat, though.....
...Would love to see a new waypoint "NMARA" appear somewhat overhead this blokes house or maybe do the old checkboard like they used to have into Hong Kong and require aircraft to overfly it?
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Sydney
Age: 43
Posts: 263
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The stupid thing is he says he wants to flood complaints to raise the issue, and in the same breath he dismisses anything they can use by saying their stats are useless (because of him). So his action not only makes it impossible for them to actually do anything because their stats are so skewed and biased, but he also ensures he is marked as a pain in the ass and thus less likely to be taken seriously.
I lived in Petersham for a few years nearly dead under the approach for 16R at YSSY (google earth says 4Km from threshold and 400m off centerline). Enough to rattle windows and sometimes stop conversation but really it wasn't that difficult to live with, although I did enjoy watching them come over from the back steps. It made me wonder why people so much further out at higher parts of the approach seemed to be more vocal about it.
I lived in Petersham for a few years nearly dead under the approach for 16R at YSSY (google earth says 4Km from threshold and 400m off centerline). Enough to rattle windows and sometimes stop conversation but really it wasn't that difficult to live with, although I did enjoy watching them come over from the back steps. It made me wonder why people so much further out at higher parts of the approach seemed to be more vocal about it.
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: The Burrow, N53:48:02 W1:48:57, The Tin Tent - EGBS, EGBO
Posts: 2,297
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Perth airspace is congested
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! I'm going to have go and have a nice little lie down to recover from that. He has no idea of what congestion actually is. He may like to spend a little time in the UK Therapy Centre located at Lat N51.28 Long W 0.27. I'm sure some of you long haul ladies and gentlemen would be happy to drop him off there. Literally should you feel so inclined.
You may like to see how a similar complaint about Manchester was dealt with some years ago by the denizens of JB.
Last edited by DX Wombat; 17th Oct 2012 at 11:00.
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: The Burrow, N53:48:02 W1:48:57, The Tin Tent - EGBS, EGBO
Posts: 2,297
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A little more information for you:
Aircraft movements: Heathrow - 1305 DAILY, 476,197 annually, Perth (Gvt figures) - 778 WEEKLY! 10,059 annually. The annual total for Perth is just over the weekly total for Heathrow.
Aircraft movements: Heathrow - 1305 DAILY, 476,197 annually, Perth (Gvt figures) - 778 WEEKLY! 10,059 annually. The annual total for Perth is just over the weekly total for Heathrow.
Last edited by DX Wombat; 17th Oct 2012 at 11:43.