Just a few thoughts on recent letters about noise and in particular about light aircraft noise.  Mary F.  and William S.  don’t like the noise that aircraft cause over their property.  I would remind them that the airport has been here for 75 years and was here when they bought their property.  If some new facility started next door to them that generated noise or smell after they moved in they might have a valid complaint.  Mary F. says she was assured that she would have peace and quiet.  Who assured her?   Perhaps  the person selling them the property.   I moved here from Spokane 27 years ago.  I was aware of the airport and knew  that since the home I was buying  was about a mile off the end of one of the runways I would have aircraft noise.  I also understood that the area would be growing and that with that growth there would be more aircraft, noise, traffic. etc.  I am reminded of attending a city council meeting about 10 years ago regarding the light industrial area.  A resident said he had moved here five years before and didn’t want anyone else moving here or any more growth.  Oh, the hypocrisy!   There are places in this country where you can find the real peace and  quiet William S. and Mary F. seem to desire.  The sand hills country in Nebraska, the northern tier of counties in Montana, and the upper peninsula of Michigan come to mind.  However, when we pick a spot to live there are tradeoffs.  We compromise privacy for convenience.  I grew up on a 20 acre property in Michigan  that was quite remote and fairly quiet.  However, the nearest doctor was  22 miles away and  buying a bottle of soda was a 5 mile trip. 

     Pat M. makes some interesting comments about civility and manners.  She has a point, though I think that she is looking at the past through rose colored glasses. I am 70 and as I remember it people smoked EVERYWHERE.  My doctor even smoked while he was giving me an exam.  My parents did not smoke, but they still were expected to have ashtrays for guests to use to smell up our house.  I agree that In many ways our manners, etc. have gone downhill.  However, tolerance for the differences in the behavior of others has also gone downhill.  We seem to wear our feelings on our sleeves and expect others to conform to our beliefs and not do or say anything that we disagree with.

For full disclosure here, while not a pilot, I did serve on the Airport Board  and the City Council for a number of years.

-Joe Polowski