Hundreds of Calgarians voiced their concerns over air traffic noise in the months following the Calgary International Airport’s addition of a second runway.
On Thursday, the airport’s neighbours to the south received a reprieve from the unwanted rumblings, but communities to the north fear their complaints fell on deaf ears.
The airport is changing its flight patterns to accommodate those living nearby.
Since the new runway opened almost a year ago, 1,500 residents have complained about the noise during takeoff.
Transport Canada officials have approved a plan which would prohibit planes from changing direction until they have reached a specific altitude, a move which will reduce noise. An adjustment to the flight path will see aircraft flying over industrial areas instead of residential neighbourhoods.
"There is a transport Canada requirement for aircraft to depart away from each other and that depart was around 15 degrees originally,” said Jody Moseley of the Calgary Airport Authority. “What we've been able to do is work with our stakeholders and make the change to 10 degrees.”
The changes apply to southbound aircraft departing from the Calgary International Airport on the new runway.
For residents of communities north of the airport, including Skyview Ranch, the flight pattern adjustments will have no impact on the noise concerns they experience on a daily basis.
Ela Hamarai says the aircraft overhead has been a constant nuisance for her family.
“It's really bad when we're trying to have family time,” said Hamarai, a resident of Skyview Ranch. “It's disturbing, very disturbing.”
Ward 3 councillor Jim Stevenson says he has been working with the Calgary Airport Authority. He believes Transport Canada will be swayed and flight pattern changes, similar to those recently announced for the south, will be implemented to reduce neighbourhood noise for the airport’s neighbours to the north.
With files from CTV's Kathy Le
