Mr. Iler,

In my opinion, you have incorrectly labeled the Dash 8-400 as "excessively noisy". I could NOT find, in ICAO Annex 16, any limitation or restriction that renders the calculation methods being used by the TPA as inaccurate or illegal. The maximum allowable noise levels for operations at the TPA average out to 86.5 db while the Dash 8-400 operates at an average noise level of 85.03 db. A difference of 1.47 db which you acknowledged as - "(Remember that decibel measurements are logarithmic, and a small exceedance *(or deficit)* is therefore not insignificant.)"

The airport authority in Vienna calculates noise measurements the same way as the TPA. There is precedent in the methodolgy and there is nothing that prohibits this "averaging" so let's dispense with the "excessively noisy" argument and the Dash 8-400.

Now, if you want to talk about the Piaggio Avanti P180 - that is another matter altogether.

Secondly, the issue of whether or not the Dash8-400 is actually a STOL aircraft is ambiguous and irrelevant.
As Wikipedia points out, "There is no one accepted definition of STOL and many different definitions have been used by different authorities and nations at various times and for a myriad of regulatory purposes."

The Transport Canada (TC) definition is more likely to include the Dash 8-400 as STOL than exclude it based on the actual operating characteristics and history of the aircraft.

The TC definition states "An aircraft that, at some weight within its approved operating weight, is capable of operating from a STOL runway in compliance with the applicable STOL characteristics and airworthiness, operations, noise, and pollution standards" and ""aircraft" means any machine capable of deriving support in the atmosphere" IF we agree that the Tripartite agreement envisions the Island Airport as a STOL airport, this means the runways at the Island airport are STOL runways. Given the many thousands of safe flights operated by the Dash 8-400 on these STOL runways, it seems disingenuous to argue that the Dash8-400 does not meet STOL criteria.

I think these noise and STOL arguments that have been repeatedly promoted by CAIR do not stand up to any scrutiny and would explain why they have never been successfully used to curtail airport operations. In my opinion, If these issues were subjected to a legally binding determination, CAIR would lose two pillars of their arguments against the Island airport.

Kyle's main point is still very valid that ANYONE who moved near the airport could not reasonably ASSUME that the type and frequency of operations would NEVER change. While there are occasional breaches of curfew (almost none lately) and the engine maintenance procedures should be adjusted, the airport continues to attempt to operate within one of the strictest agreements in the world. In my opinion, the CAIR arguments regarding Dash 8 noise levels and STOL designation do not pass muster.

Take Care!
Joe