City manager: Phoenix has lost confidence in FAA
Apr 29, 2015, 5:00 AM | Updated: 5:00 am
PHOENIX — Phoenix city leaders are continuing to fight the FAA over noisy flight path changes out of Sky Harbor airport.
In a letter recently sent to top officials with the FAA, Phoenix City Manager Ed Zuercher said the city has lost confidence in the administration.
“The city cannot participate in a (review) process that cannot deliver meaningful analysis,” Zuercher stated in his letter. “FAA has provided no satisfactory reasons why the City’s proposed (flight path) alternatives cannot work and should not be implemented.”
Zuercher said Phoenix leaders are ready and willing to work with the FAA to find a better alternative to the current flight paths but claims the administration’s evaluation of the current noise levels is flawed.
“With deep regret the city of Phoenix has conclude that the FAA structured PBN (Performance Based Navigation) working groups so that it would not provide the noise relief which Administrator Huerta promised,” he said.
Performance Based Navigation is an FAA program being implemented at airports nationwide which led to the changes in flight paths at Sky Harbor Airport.
Zuercher claimed community representatives have been shut out from important flight path meetings and urged FAA leaders to act quickly to repair the situation.
“We stand ready to work constructively but we need the FAA to do the same,” he said.
According to the FAA, the deadline for submitting Metroplex comments has been extended 15 days to May 12. https://t.co/lZm8ULpy78
— PHX Sky Harbor (@PHXSkyHarbor) April 28, 2015
