|
96 South Main Street, Nephi, Utah 84648 - Voice: 435 623-0525 - FAX: 435 623-4735 News for April 16, 2025 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
By Myrna Trauntvein The city has received complaints about an airplane that is making a lot of noise at the city airport. Seth Atkinson, city administrator, said that it was an aerobatics plane that was doing some practicing of tricks as seen in air shows. There were other planes that landed and took off from the airport that were also noisy but the complaints seemed to center around the aerobatics plan for the most part. “They must stay in an aerobatics box,” said Atkinson. “They fly just above the airport and not around the city.” The aerobatic box is the area in which aerobatic competitions take place. It is a block of air 1,000 meters (3,281 feet) long by 1,000 meters wide. The upper and lower limits of the box are set based on the competition category a competitor is flying in. The aerobatic box is an imaginary cube in the sky where competition flights take place. On the ground there are markers the competitor can see. Participants announce their APA (Aerobatic Practice Areas) usage on CTAF (Common Traffic Advisory Frequency), then monitor the frequency and scan for traffic while maneuvering. The pilot in question usually practices for about 30 minutes during the day. Aerobatic airplanes are, by definition, a large engine bolted into a small, light airframe. A very large power to weight ratio is needed and that makes them noisy. Nephi’s airport is an FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) facility. FAA is a U.S. government agency responsible for regulating and overseeing civil aviation, including airport safety, air traffic control, and the development of the National Airspace System. “We are a public airport,” said Atkinson. “We are a true public airport.” Pubic airports are owned and operated by a city, county, state or federal agency. Any plane can land at a public airport that does not have commercial service. In the U.S. there are generally three kinds of airports: public, private and military. Skip Worwood, council member, asked if there were a danger to the public from the aerobatic plane. Since the plane flies directly above the airport, said Atkinson, there is no danger to residents. That was one reason, also, that the airport was zoned so that it was not a residential area. “We have 50,000 planes use our airport annually,” said Atkinson. It seemed that those complaining were more concerned about the time of day. It was most noticeable when the pilot practiced earlier in the morning at 7 or 7:30 a.m. “Actually, watching him is pretty amazing,” said Atkinson. Imagine loops, rolls, spins, dives and climbs. The city could also talk to the pilot about the times of his practice, said Atkinson. Donald Ball, resident, said one solution might be to offer a performance, perhaps at the county fair or at the Ute Stampede. If residents could see a show they might appreciate the need for the pilot to practice. Atkinson said that was a very good idea. He said that no one complained at the Oregon International Air Show Hillsboro where his in-laws and his family watched the Blue Angels perform. That airshow has benefited local charities since 1988.
| ||
