Phoenix neighborhoods impacted by FAA flight path changes

In September 2014, the FAA changed some of its flight paths over Phoenix, AZ, dramatically increasing noise level complaints in several historic neighborhoods. However, the city of Phoenix, along with a coalition of neighborhood groups, successfully sued the FAA and soon the flight paths will be revised again.

The changes in 2014 were made as part of a national FAA program meant to improve safety and efficiency, but the city of Phoenix claimed in their suit that the FAA broke the law when it failed to alert Aviation Department authorities about the new paths, and a federal court agreed. Although the FAA claims that they spoke to the Aviation Department two years before the changes were put in place, the court ruled that their efforts were insufficient, that they only spoke to “low level” staffers and did not complete adequate community outreach. The city of Phoenix disciplined four of its own employees in 2015 for having knowledge of the flight path changes, but failing to share that knowledge with city leadership.

The FAA have scheduled three public workshops in and around Phoenix to discuss the proposed changes. However, none of the meetings will occur in the affected historic neighborhoods who have been fighting the FAA for the past three years over the noise levels from the new flight paths, a fact which disappointed Brent Kleinman, of the Encanto-Palmcroft Historic Preservation Association. “The residents are now at a point where they see the finish line,” he said. “We want to make sure we’re helping push in the right direction to get to the results that we want to get to.” The FAA is organizing the public workshops, however, according to the Assistant Aviation Director Deborah Ostreicher, the Aviation Department is going to request at least one meeting be held in one of those historic neighborhoods.

The change in the flight paths will create peaceful, quiet skies over the historic neighborhoods, however it will create new problems for other neighborhoods. Ostreicher recently told a council subcommittee: “As the flight paths go back to almost exactly the way that they were before, there are neighborhoods to the west that are going to be impacted again…There are also some serious concerns in the north valley.”

At the FAA Airspace Workshops there will be information about the proposed flight path changes and representatives available to answer questions. The two steps of the proposed changes are:

  1. Reverting back to the flight paths from before September 2014 “to the extent practicable” for the FAA.

  2. It may be possible for the FAA to propose alternative routes, based on feedback from the public.

For anyone wishing to attend, the FAA Airspace Workshops will take place:

Feb. 6 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Maryvale High School Cafeteria
3415 N. 59th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85033

Feb. 7 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Cesar Chavez High School Cafeteria
3921 W. Baseline Road, Laveen Village, AZ 85339

Feb. 8 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Horizon High School Cafeteria
5601 E. Greenway Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85254