Update: September 13, 2020

FAA RESPONDS TO TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS

In May, the Task Force passed nearly every recommendation that we had advocated for, most unanimously or within one vote and sent them to the FAA.

On September 1, in its response, the FAA REJECTED nearly every Task Force recommendation, claiming “not operationally feasible” and “no further action.” Read the FAA Response  letter here.

For Van Nuys Airport, it claimed the only solution was their August 2019 proposal requiring Performance Based Navigation (PBN) waypoints in the foothills and Santa Monica Mountains on both sides of the 405 freeway (Encino to the west and Sherman Oaks to the east) which SOEQS, other advocates, and residents found to be unsuitable for our communities.

The current and proposed flight paths at both VNY and BUR have been an unnecessary and egregious assault on our communities, and this summary rejection by the FAA of Task Force recommendations to remedy it, is now an assault on the hard work of the advocacy groups, as well as the Task Force voting and non-voting members that supported change and a more equitable solution of dispersion. The Task Force convened for 7 months, heard testimony from residents and from advocacy groups that had engaged experts.

SOEQS is working on a rebuttal to the FAA. More to come soon.

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