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Wednesday February 22, 2012
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January 21, 2012
New FAA regulations make Aurora Airport safer, quieter
Last month new Federal Aviation Administration rules went into effect at the state’s third-busiest airport that will keep aircraft away from homes and help pilots know exactly where to fly when in the area.
Over the course of several months, Positive Aurora Airport Management has worked with not only the Oregon Department of Aviation and the FAA to create official departure procedures for aircraft leaving the Aurora State Airport. The new route for taking off from the airport will make sure that pilots avoid any of the surrounding cities and were designed to create less noise over residential areas.
“One of the biggest complaints we have heard from airport neighbors has been the sound,” said Bruce Bennett, owner of Aurora Aviation and chairman of the PAAM Safety Committee. “With these new procedures now pilots are required when using an Standard Instrument Departure to follow the route outlined by the FAA.”
Previously a suggested departure route was listed on the back of the airport diagram chart but not charted or named specifically, Bennett said. The old route had pilots travel west, even if they were headed east, or even had them fly north over Charbonneau and Wilsonville. The new route avoids northbound traffic.
PAAM, a group that is made up of airport neighbors, business owners and local community representatives, worked on the new procedures since 2010. The new rules went into effect Dec. 15.
The new procedures also improve safety, reducing congestion to the west of the airport and allow pilots to save fuel by getting eastbound aircraft on course quicker, he said.
The rules are in place for pilots using their instruments, normally in cloudy or rainy weather. Under visual flight rules, where pilots don’t need to use their instruments, there are no concrete departure rules.
“With the construction of the tower that should be completed sometime in 2012, we will have air traffic controllers keeping aircraft from the local communities,” Bennett said. “This new procedure is a interim measure that will help until the ATCT is built.”
The Aurora State Airport has been in operation since 1943 and recently went through a master plan update that will lead to an expansion of the runway and the control tower.
Over the course of several months, Positive Aurora Airport Management has worked with not only the Oregon Department of Aviation and the FAA to create official departure procedures for aircraft leaving the Aurora State Airport. The new route for taking off from the airport will make sure that pilots avoid any of the surrounding cities and were designed to create less noise over residential areas.
“One of the biggest complaints we have heard from airport neighbors has been the sound,” said Bruce Bennett, owner of Aurora Aviation and chairman of the PAAM Safety Committee. “With these new procedures now pilots are required when using an Standard Instrument Departure to follow the route outlined by the FAA.”
Previously a suggested departure route was listed on the back of the airport diagram chart but not charted or named specifically, Bennett said. The old route had pilots travel west, even if they were headed east, or even had them fly north over Charbonneau and Wilsonville. The new route avoids northbound traffic.
PAAM, a group that is made up of airport neighbors, business owners and local community representatives, worked on the new procedures since 2010. The new rules went into effect Dec. 15.
The new procedures also improve safety, reducing congestion to the west of the airport and allow pilots to save fuel by getting eastbound aircraft on course quicker, he said.
The rules are in place for pilots using their instruments, normally in cloudy or rainy weather. Under visual flight rules, where pilots don’t need to use their instruments, there are no concrete departure rules.
“With the construction of the tower that should be completed sometime in 2012, we will have air traffic controllers keeping aircraft from the local communities,” Bennett said. “This new procedure is a interim measure that will help until the ATCT is built.”
The Aurora State Airport has been in operation since 1943 and recently went through a master plan update that will lead to an expansion of the runway and the control tower.
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