Vernon Airport Helicopters

[outtawind]

I have read many times the noise complaints about the skydiving operations at Vernon airport. I am surprised that I do not read much about the Helicopter operators here in town.

These operators, claiming they are 'creating jobs', run training touch-and-go sessions for hours at a time. They seem to ignore that in doing so they repeatedly circle over entire neighborhoods, at low altitude... every few minutes. The noise is so invasive that it literally shakes the windows of your home... I am in the Bella-Vista / Tronson area - it is ridiculous.

YES, we live near an airport. YES - I 100% support its use as an "airport"... but I do NOT support its use as a training center equivalent to an air-base. The traffic from their training sessions is far in excess of anything envisioned when the area was zoned as an airport.

The sound of aircraft coming and going is expected and welcomed - the sound of low-altitude helicopters circling over our houses every three minutes - for hours at end over the course of a single day - is NOT. These operators create jobs only for themselves and hundreds of us must suffer this noise.

[OKkayak]

People need to train, thats life.

I've been living by that airport for many, many, many years and the noise has never bothered me.

[Ingevan22]

I'm on the other side of the lake from Outtawind, and this morning I measured the decibel level inside my house as yet another noisy chopper flew overhead - it peaked at 70 decibels, with all windows/doors closed.

I am wondering, if those are the Kingfisher helis at Predator Ridge, that they promised wouldn't fly over any houses? They must have been referring to "houses at PR", not down here in old Vernon? Every morning now, 8:30 to 9:00am, and every afternoon, shaking my house and windows. I work from home and could not even conduct a conversation over the phone, it was so loud.

Airport traffic has increased over the years, and that has indeed been noticed by residents who live on the hills above, and yes OKKayak it's true that those hillside residents suffer more noise over longer periods of time, than those who live closer to the airport at ground level.

[outtawind]

People need to train, thats life.

I've been living by that airport for many, many, many years and the noise has never bothered me.

No one is disputing whether people need to train. it is 'where' they are training that is the problem.

Our house is not in a reasonable flight path to and from the airport... it is far away from the aligned runway. Perhaps they could follow the flight path and not circle repeatedly at low altitude over the houses?

They are only ~200m above when they circle directly over the neighborhood... they could fly a bit higher and not make the same pass 10 times in a row - this would help tremendously.

[OKkayak]

People need to train, thats life.

I've been living by that airport for many, many, many years and the noise has never bothered me.

No one is disputing whether people need to train. it is 'where' they are training that is the problem.

Our house is not in a reasonable flight path to and from the airport... it is far away from the aligned runway. Perhaps they could follow the flight path and not circle repeatedly at low altitude over the houses?

They are only ~200m above when they circle directly over the neighborhood... they could fly a bit higher and not make the same pass 10 times in a row - this would help tremendously.

Helicopters use different flight paths than fixed wing to avoid potential conflicts between the two. Its kinda hard for fixed wing aircraft to use the runway if you put a helicopter on the same approach thats practicing auto-rotations.

[Chyren]

Suggestion: If YOU have a problem with their business practices than I suggest that instead of posting about it in a forum you drive over to the company's office and speak to their management. I'm sure they'll be reasonable and understanding or at the very least explain why they do what they do.

[skydawg]

Suggestion: If YOU have a problem with their business practices than I suggest that instead of posting about it in a forum you drive over to the company's office and speak to their management. I'm sure they'll be reasonable and understanding or at the very least explain why they do what they do.

But that might resolve the issue and remove the reason to complain. Cant have that.

[outtawind]

Suggestion: If YOU have a problem with their business practices than I suggest that instead of posting about it in a forum you drive over to the company's office and speak to their management. I'm sure they'll be reasonable and understanding or at the very least explain why they do what they do.

But that might resolve the issue and remove the reason to complain. Cant have that.

that approach seemed to take the community nowhere with the skydivers... skydawg.

[Ingevan22]

Skydawg & Chyren, what makes you so sure that the folks commenting here, did not already contact the City of Vernon, the Airport, or the businesses involved, to not merely complain, but to suggest possible solutions, for the past many years already?

Maybe it's time for a chat with Transport Canada - https://www.tc.gc.ca/en/services/aviation/operating-airports-aerodromes/managing-noise.html - to request that the airport set up "a noise management committee that includes air operators, airport tenants, civic representatives and citizen representatives".

[Chyren]

...because they would have told us they went to the City and got nowhere...

[Ingevan22]

Um... I got nowhere raising concerns & suggesting possible solutions.

So I suppose it is time to do something different, such as gather support for a Noise Management committee, so residents can voice their concerns in a slightly more productive manner and also, hear from those affected businesses and city officials, in hopes of developing a mutually agreeable plan to mitigate airport noise.

[outtawind]

Chyren - you are correct, did not go to them (yet). Wanted to explore whether others also noticed the problem.

Very obviously the idea of approaching the businesses directly was already considered. The issue there is that clearly they do not care. You will never convince anyone on the planet that a helicopter operator is unaware of how noisy the machine is.

.... "What?... really?... this thing makes noise?..."

It's a matter of being respectful, flying repeatedly over your neighbors homes does not show this inclination. Better to go through official channels than to start an uproar with someone who already shows they don't really care. BTW... fun fact... the Bombardier "Q400"... the "Q" stands for "Quiet"... they are also, not quiet.

[gman313]

bunch of whiners bitching while legitimate business follow transport Canada rules and generates revenue. y'all weak. get a job, contribute.

[common_sense_guy]

I'm on the other side of the lake from Outtawind, and this morning I measured the decibel level inside my house as yet another noisy chopper flew overhead - it peaked at 70 decibels, with all windows/doors closed.

I am wondering, if those are the Kingfisher helis at Predator Ridge, that they promised wouldn't fly over any houses? They must have been referring to "houses at PR", not down here in old Vernon? Every morning now, 8:30 to 9:00am, and every afternoon, shaking my house and windows. I work from home and could not even conduct a conversation over the phone, it was so loud.

Airport traffic has increased over the years, and that has indeed been noticed by residents who live on the hills above, and yes OKKayak it's true that those hillside residents suffer more noise over longer periods of time, than those who live closer to the airport at ground level.

I cannot believe people still complain in this situation. They move to an area near an airport and were you expecting that traffic would go down over time. And yes you speak of 70 decibels. Did you realize 70 decibels is considered a normal conversation and 80 decibels is what the old style ringtones come in at.. come on people go find something better to complain about

[OKkayak]

NIMBY checklist:

1) Buy property near or around an airport.
2) Complain about the noise to the City.
3) City tells you to stop wasting their time as no laws/bylaws are being broken.
4) Go to social media and complain.