TPA refuses to post Airport noise complaints since March 2010
A CommunityAir press release, April 27. 2011:
Since shortly after Porter began flying from the Island Airport, the Toronto Port Authority, which operates the airport, has posted summaries of noise complaints and its responses on a monthly basis.
But nothing has been posted since March 2010. See www.torontoport.com/Airport_Nsummary.asp
“The TPA says it’s been working on new software. But that’s no excuse for failingto keep its reporting of complaints up-to-date.With ever-increasing numbers of flights to and from that Airport, current information as to how residents and others are experiencing their noise and pollutionis vital to appreciating their impact, and developing ways of addressing them” said Brian Iler, Chairof CommunityAIR
“Clearly, the TPA prefers to keep the complaints out of sight and out of mind. For people experiencing the Airport’s noise and pollution, the motivation to actually file a complaint diminishes every time it appears, as is certainly the case here –that the TPA is utterly unconcerned with how its Airport affects the communities it isin the midst of.”he added. “And with Air Canada now adding to the volume of flights, it will get even worse.”
This is a sample of complaints posted in March of 2010, and the TPA’ s (mostly inadequate) responses:
Complaint:2010-03-10 16:10:00
Small white craft, stubby body, twin engine, low wing, flying from west toeast over the house
Response: AFTNS was unable to track aircraft at time noted.
Complaint:2010-03-11 04:54:00
loud engine noise before5am
Response: AFTNS tracked a Medevac Fixed Wing aircraft arrive on runway 08 at timenoted.
Complaint:2010-03-12 06:42:00
Loud engine noise prior to 645am, loud sustained noise straddling 7:18am and 8:34am
Response: Airport Security was unable to identify any unusual noises at times noted in comment.
Complaint:2010-03-14 23:50:00
Excessiveairplane engine noise.
Response: AFTNS tracked a Medevac Fixed Wing aircraft depart on runway 08 at 23:38hours.
Complaint:2010-03-15 20:00:00
Noisy airplanes constantly circling over our house
Response: AFTNS tracked a Cessna C172 aircraft conducting circuit training during time noted. No flight over noise sensitive area.
Complaint:2010-03-18 06:45:00
Reallyloud engine noise at 645am. Again loud at 21 13 and 21 25
Response: AFTNS tracked a Q400 aircraft depart on runway 26 at 0645 hours; CessnaC152 aircraft conducting circuit training at 2113 hours; and a Q400 aircraftdepart on runway 26 at 2123 hours. Normal operations.
Complaint:2010-03-18 21:55:00
Excessive airplane noise. I can’t put my child to sleep with that kind of noise!
Response: AFTNS or security were unable to identify the cause of the noise noted incommented.
Complaint: 2010-03-19 16:50:00
Piper Aztec? overflownAlgonquin Island on approach.Can I hope for a polite notification to the pilot, in the hopes he will bemore observant of the noise sensitive zone next visit?
There have been the same number of itinerant overflights over the islandas normal, but it is a pain to record them and wait to send them in.
Looking forward to your reply
Response: AFTNS tracked a Piper PA27 aircraft fly close to the noise sensitive area butdid not fly over.
Complaint:2010-03-21 07:00:00
The amountof air traffic noise from Porter flights directly over my South Leaside neighbourhoodat certain times of the day (between 6:30-7:30am, 5pm -6:30 and around 10pm) is relentless and unbearable. The increase in air traffic noise and presence seems to correspond to the early March island airport expansion. Some of the planes fly so low it feels like I could throw a rock and hit the plane as it roars over my house.
It is unacceptable to have so much air traffic noise and low flying presence particularly in a neighbourhoodthat is nowhere near an airport.
I want to know why Porter is not flying over the lake water on their eastern destinations versus flying over north east Toronto, which is a heavily populated residential area. I will be submitting complaintsthrough my MP as will others in my neighbourhood.
Response: AFTNS tracked no aircraft activity from BBTCA in Leaside neighbourhood.Aircraft activity detected are from other airports, and aircraft well above 6000 ftAGL.
Complaint:2010-03-22 03:45:00
Awakened at 3:45 am by aircraft noises NOT helicopter aircraft. Clearly a fixed wing flying low over the city. I hear jets flying overhead constantly around midnight, endless helicopters sitting on hospital roofs, the circling sounds of flight school planes andi try not to complain but I am going to start now. This was a fixed wing aircraft at 3:45 am, louder than any helicopter i have heard.
Response: AFTNS tracked a Medevac Helicopter arrive on runway 08. No Medevac FixedWing aircraft at time noted.
Complaint: 2010-03-22 18:38:00
Once again a Porter aircraft flying at less than 800 feet over the our home at Lakeshore and Royal York Rd. scared the heck out of our family this evening. More than 6 kilometers from the island airport, far too low with no excuse but ignorance on the part of the pilot. Someone must take these guys to task, they have the whole of the lake to make their approaches and landings to the island airport, yet they choose to overfly residences previously protected from this outrageous noise.
Response: AFTNS tracked a Q400 aircraft arrive on runway 08, fly over residential area at 1600 ft AGL.
Complaint: 2010-03-24 07:00:00
Excessiveairplane engine noise
Response: AFTNS tracked a Q400 aircraft depart on runway 26 at 0707 hours.
Complaint: 2010-03-25 06:42:00
Definitelyairplane engine noise at an unacceptable hour.
Response: AFTNS tracked a Q400 aircraft depart on runway 26 at 0645 hours.
Complaint: 2010-03-25 08:00:00
Continuous excessively loud engine noise, primarily of airplanes idling, also taxiing, take off and landings for over half an hour...
Response: Although there were several landings and take-offs, there were no unusual airport activity note during time noted in comment.
Complaint: 2010-03-26 06:10:00
Once again this morning as on several occasions in the past I was awoken between 5Am to 6:15AM by the sound of areverse backup beeper on a large vehicle or emergency vehicle at the Bathurst ferry terminal. Please review this immediately as this is completely unnecessary and lasts for several minutes. My windows are less than 100m from your ferry.
Response: Comment noted.
Complaint: 2010-03-27 20:30:00
It was the Earth Hour at the Island Airport. There were limited lights and no airplanes during this hour. It was peaceful.
If the lights could be turned off during this hour, why does the lights at the Airport have to be on all night long every single night while the Airport is not in use?. If you want to conserve the energy, please consider turn them off at night. Thank you!
Response: Comment noted.
Complaint: 2010-03-28 10:31:00
Loud sustained engine noise spanning 10 minutes around 10:31am on aSunday morning. Is this necessary?
Response: AFTNS tracked two Cessna aircraft conducting circuit training at time noted.
No engine run up recorded.
Complaint: 2010-03-29 12:14:00
Loud engine noise at 1214am after midnight and again at 641am. Thisnoise generation is outside operating hours and is eating into my sleep onboth ends!
Response: AFTNS or security were unable to track/identify the noise commented on.
Complaint: 2010-03-31 06:41:00
Loud sustained plane engine noise from 641am leading to take-off at645am -why? I would think this is a straight forward problem that theTPA should be able to manage. We should only be hearing birds chirping(asthey had for 15 years+) to at the very earliest 645am sharp, when thefirst plane engine is supposed to be switched on for warm up.
Note that the community was never consulted regarding the TPAs imposed6:45 AM communal wake up time.
Response: AFTNS tracked a Q400 aircraft depart on runway 26 at 0645 hours.
Complaint: 2010-03-31 20:30:00
Excessive noise for a ten minute period resulting from taxiing, 2 take-offs, one landing. The noise was beyond loud, closer to deafening.
Response: AFTNS tracked a Q400 aircraft depart on runway 08 at 20:20 hours; a Q400 aircraft arrive on runway 08 at 20:34; and a Q400 aircraft depart on runway 08 at 20:36.
Since shortly after Porter began flying from the Island Airport, the Toronto Port Authority, which operates the airport, has posted summaries of noise complaints and its responses on a monthly basis.
But nothing has been posted since March 2010. See www.torontoport.com/Airport_Nsummary.asp
“The TPA says it’s been working on new software. But that’s no excuse for failingto keep its reporting of complaints up-to-date.With ever-increasing numbers of flights to and from that Airport, current information as to how residents and others are experiencing their noise and pollutionis vital to appreciating their impact, and developing ways of addressing them” said Brian Iler, Chairof CommunityAIR
“Clearly, the TPA prefers to keep the complaints out of sight and out of mind. For people experiencing the Airport’s noise and pollution, the motivation to actually file a complaint diminishes every time it appears, as is certainly the case here –that the TPA is utterly unconcerned with how its Airport affects the communities it isin the midst of.”he added. “And with Air Canada now adding to the volume of flights, it will get even worse.”
This is a sample of complaints posted in March of 2010, and the TPA’ s (mostly inadequate) responses:
Complaint:2010-03-10 16:10:00
Small white craft, stubby body, twin engine, low wing, flying from west toeast over the house
Response: AFTNS was unable to track aircraft at time noted.
Complaint:2010-03-11 04:54:00
loud engine noise before5am
Response: AFTNS tracked a Medevac Fixed Wing aircraft arrive on runway 08 at timenoted.
Complaint:2010-03-12 06:42:00
Loud engine noise prior to 645am, loud sustained noise straddling 7:18am and 8:34am
Response: Airport Security was unable to identify any unusual noises at times noted in comment.
Complaint:2010-03-14 23:50:00
Excessiveairplane engine noise.
Response: AFTNS tracked a Medevac Fixed Wing aircraft depart on runway 08 at 23:38hours.
Complaint:2010-03-15 20:00:00
Noisy airplanes constantly circling over our house
Response: AFTNS tracked a Cessna C172 aircraft conducting circuit training during time noted. No flight over noise sensitive area.
Complaint:2010-03-18 06:45:00
Reallyloud engine noise at 645am. Again loud at 21 13 and 21 25
Response: AFTNS tracked a Q400 aircraft depart on runway 26 at 0645 hours; CessnaC152 aircraft conducting circuit training at 2113 hours; and a Q400 aircraftdepart on runway 26 at 2123 hours. Normal operations.
Complaint:2010-03-18 21:55:00
Excessive airplane noise. I can’t put my child to sleep with that kind of noise!
Response: AFTNS or security were unable to identify the cause of the noise noted incommented.
Complaint: 2010-03-19 16:50:00
Piper Aztec? overflownAlgonquin Island on approach.Can I hope for a polite notification to the pilot, in the hopes he will bemore observant of the noise sensitive zone next visit?
There have been the same number of itinerant overflights over the islandas normal, but it is a pain to record them and wait to send them in.
Looking forward to your reply
Response: AFTNS tracked a Piper PA27 aircraft fly close to the noise sensitive area butdid not fly over.
Complaint:2010-03-21 07:00:00
The amountof air traffic noise from Porter flights directly over my South Leaside neighbourhoodat certain times of the day (between 6:30-7:30am, 5pm -6:30 and around 10pm) is relentless and unbearable. The increase in air traffic noise and presence seems to correspond to the early March island airport expansion. Some of the planes fly so low it feels like I could throw a rock and hit the plane as it roars over my house.
It is unacceptable to have so much air traffic noise and low flying presence particularly in a neighbourhoodthat is nowhere near an airport.
I want to know why Porter is not flying over the lake water on their eastern destinations versus flying over north east Toronto, which is a heavily populated residential area. I will be submitting complaintsthrough my MP as will others in my neighbourhood.
Response: AFTNS tracked no aircraft activity from BBTCA in Leaside neighbourhood.Aircraft activity detected are from other airports, and aircraft well above 6000 ftAGL.
Complaint:2010-03-22 03:45:00
Awakened at 3:45 am by aircraft noises NOT helicopter aircraft. Clearly a fixed wing flying low over the city. I hear jets flying overhead constantly around midnight, endless helicopters sitting on hospital roofs, the circling sounds of flight school planes andi try not to complain but I am going to start now. This was a fixed wing aircraft at 3:45 am, louder than any helicopter i have heard.
Response: AFTNS tracked a Medevac Helicopter arrive on runway 08. No Medevac FixedWing aircraft at time noted.
Complaint: 2010-03-22 18:38:00
Once again a Porter aircraft flying at less than 800 feet over the our home at Lakeshore and Royal York Rd. scared the heck out of our family this evening. More than 6 kilometers from the island airport, far too low with no excuse but ignorance on the part of the pilot. Someone must take these guys to task, they have the whole of the lake to make their approaches and landings to the island airport, yet they choose to overfly residences previously protected from this outrageous noise.
Response: AFTNS tracked a Q400 aircraft arrive on runway 08, fly over residential area at 1600 ft AGL.
Complaint: 2010-03-24 07:00:00
Excessiveairplane engine noise
Response: AFTNS tracked a Q400 aircraft depart on runway 26 at 0707 hours.
Complaint: 2010-03-25 06:42:00
Definitelyairplane engine noise at an unacceptable hour.
Response: AFTNS tracked a Q400 aircraft depart on runway 26 at 0645 hours.
Complaint: 2010-03-25 08:00:00
Continuous excessively loud engine noise, primarily of airplanes idling, also taxiing, take off and landings for over half an hour...
Response: Although there were several landings and take-offs, there were no unusual airport activity note during time noted in comment.
Complaint: 2010-03-26 06:10:00
Once again this morning as on several occasions in the past I was awoken between 5Am to 6:15AM by the sound of areverse backup beeper on a large vehicle or emergency vehicle at the Bathurst ferry terminal. Please review this immediately as this is completely unnecessary and lasts for several minutes. My windows are less than 100m from your ferry.
Response: Comment noted.
Complaint: 2010-03-27 20:30:00
It was the Earth Hour at the Island Airport. There were limited lights and no airplanes during this hour. It was peaceful.
If the lights could be turned off during this hour, why does the lights at the Airport have to be on all night long every single night while the Airport is not in use?. If you want to conserve the energy, please consider turn them off at night. Thank you!
Response: Comment noted.
Complaint: 2010-03-28 10:31:00
Loud sustained engine noise spanning 10 minutes around 10:31am on aSunday morning. Is this necessary?
Response: AFTNS tracked two Cessna aircraft conducting circuit training at time noted.
No engine run up recorded.
Complaint: 2010-03-29 12:14:00
Loud engine noise at 1214am after midnight and again at 641am. Thisnoise generation is outside operating hours and is eating into my sleep onboth ends!
Response: AFTNS or security were unable to track/identify the noise commented on.
Complaint: 2010-03-31 06:41:00
Loud sustained plane engine noise from 641am leading to take-off at645am -why? I would think this is a straight forward problem that theTPA should be able to manage. We should only be hearing birds chirping(asthey had for 15 years+) to at the very earliest 645am sharp, when thefirst plane engine is supposed to be switched on for warm up.
Note that the community was never consulted regarding the TPAs imposed6:45 AM communal wake up time.
Response: AFTNS tracked a Q400 aircraft depart on runway 26 at 0645 hours.
Complaint: 2010-03-31 20:30:00
Excessive noise for a ten minute period resulting from taxiing, 2 take-offs, one landing. The noise was beyond loud, closer to deafening.
Response: AFTNS tracked a Q400 aircraft depart on runway 08 at 20:20 hours; a Q400 aircraft arrive on runway 08 at 20:34; and a Q400 aircraft depart on runway 08 at 20:36.
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