Livin under Flight Paths (San Antonio, Austin: apartment, hotel, houses)

[metalfish]

I was wondering how people deal with Airplanes flying over thier house? I have that problem and feel like I am about to go out of my mind. Im not just talking about hearing an airplane flying by( that doesnt bother me) but I mean when it goes directly over your house and the house almost trembles. I hear you get used to it but Im not believing it.

[sapphire]

I feel your pain....I used to live near Blanco and Wurzbach Parkway and I could not get used to it at all. Granted, I lived in an apartment, but still--I was on the lower level of a 3 story building, and the noise was unbearably loud. You could not continue a phone conversation for the approximately 2 minutes it took for the plane to get far enough away. I knew I would never buy a home over there--yes, the Blanco Road area is extremely nice, but for me, it was not nice enough to put up with the constant noise.

[ShaneSA]

I have friends who have a great house in Northwoods and when take off is over thier house, it's SCARY. I can't believe anyone would buy a house and put up with that for the price of those houses. They had to know it before they bought it. I realize the airport was there first and jets didn't fly commercial when they built those houses, but the building continues. Is the address that important?

[doss1]

This was one of the small reasons the Austin airport was shut down and moved further out of town. Many smaller general aviation airports have been closing downs because of the noise issue and complaints.

[metalfish]

Well I actually live near an airforce base not an airport. I dotn know if that makes a differance with how loud the planes are. Its so annoying Id literally board up my window in my bedroom but im not sure it would make much of a differance.

[Bo]

It takes some getting used to. I grew up being able to watch the flight path of an airport out my window. At one of my houses since then, I could see one end of a runway from my front window. I feel for the people who live so close to the flight path that it disrupts their lives, but I live far enough away from it that the noise is just occasional and I can still enjoy watching aircraft on final approach.

[JAL71]

I live near Lackland, and hear planes all day most days. I am not phased much at all. My kids love it. We are prior Army though. We are used to living with loud explosions from training fields, Blackhawks, Chinooks, etc. flying low

[ged_782]

Originally Posted by ShaneSA

I have friends who have a great house in Northwoods and when take off is over thier house, it's SCARY. I can't believe anyone would buy a house and put up with that for the price of those houses. They had to know it before they bought it. I realize the airport was there first and jets didn't fly commercial when they built those houses, but the building continues. Is the address that important?

The majority of the departures from SAT take off over Northwood. I don't live in Northwood proper, but I am close enough to be familiar with the problem. Actually, it shouldn't be as bad as it used to be, since quieter engines are being used on new aircraft, and have been phased in on older ones. I can see/hear them taking off, but I'm far enough away to where the noise has never been that bad. But it is still pretty loud directly under the flight path.

I believe it wasn't until the 1960s that the runways at San Antonio International were upgraded to allow passenger jets to land/take-off. By that time, Northwood had been substantially built-out. The migration to the use of jets by airlines, increased use of air travel as a mode of transportation, and population growth in San Antonio all contibuted to an increasing noise problem in some san antonio neighborhoods.

There is a program that will allow homeowners in certain designated zones to receive subsidized acoustical treatment to their homes in the form of insulation, windows, door, etc. This helps, but the problem still exists when you step outside. I suppose, as one of the posters said, you just get used to it.

[majormadmax]

Originally Posted by TexasNick

This was one of the small reasons the Austin airport was shut down and moved further out of town. Many smaller general aviation airports have been closing downs because of the noise issue and complaints.

Well, that at Bergstrom AFB closed presenting the city with the opportunity to move the airport there. Actually, the city had been trying to get the Air Force to dual-share the facilities at Bergstrom; but the USAF rejected the offer at least three times.

That said, most of the old Air Force base was taken down once the base closed, buldings, trees, everything. Only a few structures remained, such as the old 12AF HQ (now a hotel) and the runway.

And Kelly Field, where those military planes are from, has been operational since 1916. How long have you lived in your house?

Cheers! M2

[doss1]

Originally Posted by majormadmax

Well, that at Bergstrom AFB closed presenting the city with the opportunity to move the airport there. Actually, the city had been trying to get the Air Force to dual-share the facilities at Bergstrom; but the USAF rejected the offer at least three times.

That said, most of the old Air Force base was taken down once the base closed, buldings, trees, everything. Only a few structures remained, such as the old 12AF HQ (now a hotel) and the runway.

And Kelly Field, where those military planes are from, has been operational since 1916. How long have you lived in your house?

Cheers! M2

Didn't Bergstrom close down around early 2000? I was at UT when it closed, but maybe I have my facts wrong. I do remember reading in the paper about noise issues. Who knows.

Hey I am not complaining about the noise issues...I love it. I fly a little Piper Cub and would love to have more GA airports I can land into (especially grass strips!) . They say about one GA airport closes every day due to funding, noise, development, etc.