Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-11-25
Plane Talk

"Briefing on Airport Take
OFFS" lists six procedures
concerning northbound and
southbound take-offs which
are supposed to reduce the
noise nuisance Of aircraft
flying in and out of National
Airport. This and other at
tempts to reduce the noise
will be fruitless for this rea-
son: When National Airport
was built 20 years ago the
most commonly used mode
of airline transportation was
the dos. 1t made a little
noise but not enough to stir
UP a lot of people. Since
then, monumental strides
have been made in airline
transportation. The planes
have not only grown larger
but they have grown in num-
bers. Today we have the
DC-4, DC-6, OCT, the Lock-
heed Constellation, all Of
which are four-engined trans
port planes. and other twin
engined planes like the Mar
tin series and the Convairs.
The result is more noise.
To reduce the noise over
Georgetown in the north and
Alexandria in the south.
pilots have been instructed
to follow the Potomac River,
However, the noise still
hasn't abated and there are
no signs that it will be re-
duced, because the planes are
getting bigger and more
powerful. The noise Is here
to stay, regardless of which
area the planes use on take
off or landing and what at
'tempts are made to quell it.
On top of this, jet airliners
are scheduled to go into OPP
Grafton with the airlines late
In 1858. Yet, National Air
port has been found insult
able to handle jet transports,
according to the Civil Aero
nautics Administration. OBJ
viously, If Washington wants
to participate in the market
for jet travel another airport
large enough for jet trans
ports is urgently needed.
Air traffic at Washington
National Airport has been
congested for years. The noise
nuisance is just part of this
problem. A practical solution
toward relieving the problem
of congestion was given by
the CAA which has repeat
edly recommended construc-
ton Of an airport at Burke.
Va. The CAA has used sound
judgment in selecting the
Burke area as a site for an
other airport. No doubt they
have recognized the fact that
future airports must be con-
structed to handle jet trans
ports and also the fact that
the site chosen should be
about Is miles from large
metropolitan areas where
noise from the big planes will
not be a nuisance to sur
rounding communities. This
holds true not only for WASH
ington. D. c., but also other
sections Of the country where
airfields must either be en-
larged or another constructed
to handle the huge airliners.
The noise itself becomes q
problem only when people
themselves move too close
to an airport. Unfortunately,
however, politics has entered
the airport controversy caus-
ing a stalemate in the selec-
ton Of a site. With all this,
the CAA has stood pat in
its choice for a site. More
power to them for this. Yet.
no action has been taken by
the administration to carry
out the CAA's recommended
tons.
Charles F. Mcclure.
Roger Flynn of the WASH
ington Airport Survey states
that 1t has never been proved
that there have been any
dangerous low-flying air
planes over Washington and
vicinity.
I live on the Virginia side
Of the Potomac. one-half mile
west Of Chain Bridge, and
have been much annoyed and
disturbed by the noise Of low
flying planes. most Of which
fly over or near my house,
lower than the Washington
Monument which is SIS IT
high.
From my windows I can
see planes crossing on the
opposite side Of the river, fly
ing so low that they are OPP
posite my eye level. The
rlanes are sonetineS In close