East Mesa Residents Raise Concerns Over Falcon Field Airport
For many living in east Mesa, the constant roar of aircraft engines from Falcon Field Airport has become an unending source of frustration. Alongside the noise, there are growing worries about possible health implications from the aircraft operations.
The source of this discontent is the substantial number of flight schools operating out of Falcon Field. Residents have voiced their concerns through a petition, where they highlight how “the relentless stream of low-flying training aircraft” is diminishing their quality of life and affecting property values. Additionally, there is unease about the lead content in the aviation fuel used by these training flights and its potential environmental impact.
Recent airport data indicates that more than 424,000 flights have taken to the skies, contributing to the issues faced by the community.
The city of Mesa has addressed these concerns, explaining that Falcon Field must operate around the clock and cannot implement specific restrictions, such as quiet hours, due to federal regulations. The city has committed to ongoing community engagement to address these issues.
Amidst these concerns, the city is also evaluating a new landing fee proposal slated for discussion in February.
City of Mesa’s Official Response
The city released a statement explaining, “The FAA maintains absolute pre-emptive jurisdiction over airspace management, take-off and landing procedures, and permitted aircraft noise levels. A document with more detailed information about federal authority over local airspace is included for your reference. As a federally obligated public airport, Falcon Field must remain open 24/7 and cannot impose mandatory quiet hours, minimum altitudes, take-off or landing procedures, aircraft spacing requirements or changes to traffic patterns. Additionally, the City cannot impose access restrictions that discriminate against any type of airport user such as flight training schools.”
The city acknowledges the challenges posed by aircraft noise and has implemented strategies to balance the needs of the community with those of the airport users. The Fly Friendly program is one such initiative aimed at reducing noise pollution, which the city actively promotes among airport tenants. Mesa officials maintain regular communication with residents who report noise issues and share this information with airport tenants to minimize impact on noise-sensitive areas. Furthermore, the city has organized several community meetings to address these concerns and plans to hold more in the future.
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