Flight patterns bothersome?
To the editor:
There are several commercial flight schools operating from Page Field in Fort Myers. Many locals have noticed that these student pilots, accompanied by their instructor pilots, prefer to overfly the Cape Coral area. They reportedly like the canals and the easy orientation.
If you’re not pleased with these noisy, frequently low overflights, there is a mechanism to register your disapproval. It’s a straightforward 2-step process. The existing mandates call for a minimum of 1,000 feet elevation from existing structures in highly populated areas. The Southeast and Southwest quadrants of town (and possibly others) are considered highly populated areas. Exemptions exist for landings and take-offs, of course.
If you would like to register a complaint about these overflights:
1) Please file an “Aircraft Overflight Comment Form” with the Lee County Port Authority. The online portal for this is planenoise.com/lcpa/. You’ll need the date and time of day of the overflight. For the airport drop down, select “Page Field” (they operate most of the local small trainer aircraft).
For operation type, select “Overflight.” If prompted for “Response Requested” select “Yes.” When done, review, and press “Submit.'” The Noise & Airspace Project Coordinator for the county will investigate and report back by email the estimated altitude. If it’s below 1,000 ft and you’re in a highly populated area, you have the green light for proceeding to step #2.
2) File an “FAA Noise Complaint and Inquiry Response.”
The online portal for this is ancir.faa.gov.
You might also mention, in the comment block, that this overflight has been investigated on (date) by the Lee County authorities. “The aircraft at the time and date mentioned was at an estimated altitude of xxx feet.”
Many of the fields are the same as in Step 1. The form goes quickly. Expect a 2-3 month turnaround time. But you will be in the queue. And receive a response.
Currently, the FAA seems to selectively monitor activity in the Cape Coral area. However, if sufficient people register their displeasure with these occurrences, they may be encouraged to act.
David Foster
Cape Coral