Magnolia Woods - Sherman Oaks Residents Association

"Van Noise" Airport Dos and Don'ts

Here's how to handle it...and how NOT to!

DO NOT call the airport directly. They have no internal processes for handling complaints.

DO use the Board of Airport Commissioners online form at http://www.lawa.org/vny/noiseForm/complaint.asp or call the Community Response Line at 800 560-0010. Please note that complaints are limited to five per month per household.

DO call outgoing Mayor James Hahn, who supported the expansion of the Van Nuys airport, and can still be contacted with noise reports either by phone at 213-978-0600 or email at mayorhahn@mayor.lacity.org.

DO likewise bug incoming mayor Villaraigosa at mayor.transition@lacity.org

Please reference these demands when calling either of the mayors about airport noise:

• Demand that growth of the Van Nuys Airport be limited
• Demand that older, noisy “Stage 2” jets be phased out
• Establish and enforce penalties for excessive noise
• Impose a curfew on media helicopters (no helicopters between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. )

DO visit http://www.lawa.org/vny/welcomeVNY.cfm, the Van Nuys page of the Los Angeles World Airport’s web site for other information about noise abatement

DO particularly report violations of the existing curfew. The existing curfew specifies that no aircraft may take off between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. except:

• helicopters
• military, government, law enforcement, fire or rescue operations, or a medical or life saving emergency
• aircraft whose noise levels are equal to or less than 74 decibels
• Stage 3 jets, which may still take off until 11 p.m.

DO NOT expect satisfaction. These people have a name for community members who call, write, and show up at meetings. That word is “activist.” Once a community member is labeled an activist, which equates to a crackpot, they feel they have no more responsibility to pay attention to them.

Links

BOAC online complaint form
LAWA's information page for the Van Noise airport