There is a plan in the works to reduce jet noise over South Portland.
The plan calls for a new flight pattern, which would require updating aircraft technology.
Brandy LaPointe, who lives near Willard Beach in South Portland, said the noise is at its worst when jets come in for a landing.
“It’s quite loud,” LaPointe said. “I mean, you can hear it at night if they’re right over the house with all the windows and doors closed.”
Several people in South Portland said the noise seems to be getting better. Airport officials said one reason for that is they try to land planes on the west side of the runway, but when planes land on the east side, over water, pilots only fly over homes at night or when visibility is low.
“So at night, when it’s noisiest, you can’t fly the harbor visual approach,” Airport Director Paul Bradbury said. “So if you have to land 2-9 due to the wind, you’re going to be coming runway heading directly over South Portland.”
Bradbury submitted a new approach plan to the Federal Aviation Administration that would require aircraft to follow a precise path over Portland Harbor and the Fore River, even at night, but he said it’s only a possibility at this point.
“Higher precision. Only 21 percent of our fleet can currently fly it. Hoping that the FAA will be able to develop an RNP that would then move approaches over the water,” Bradbury said.
He said the airport has received hundreds of noise complaints this year, mostly from the same 35 people.
LaPointe isn’t one of them, but she said she’d love to see jets stop flying over her home.
“The noise is bothersome at night,” LaPointe said. “It’s just starting to get spring and summer, and that’s when I notice it more.”
The jetport, its noise advisory committee and concerned residents met with the FAA at South Portland City Hall to talk about the new landing approach.