Superior working on flight patterns

Effort is to reduce noise, air traffic

The Superior Board of Trustees discussed potential flight patterns for Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport pilots to reduce the amount of noise created during touch-and-go flights.

Trustee Jason Serbu presented a proposed change to daytime touch-and-go flight routes during the Monday meeting, but the board would not support the proposed flight patterns without the guarantee that the new route would also place a cap on the amount of planes that could fly the extended route. Touch-and-go flights are short flights done without coming to a complete stop done to get pilots more practice taking off and landing.

At Rocky Mountain, flights go upwind, traveling northwest to reach the altitude required for the crosswind leg where they turn and head southeast. The downwind leg runs parallel to the runway at RMMA before turning northwest again to land at the runway, take off again and repeat the pattern.

Trustee Neal Shah said during the daytime, Superior experiences an average of eight to 10 touch-and-go flights per hour.

Homes in the southern portion of the Rock Creek neighborhood are located under crosswind leg, which Serbu said is the loudest portion of the flight. And while flight patterns vary, a large amount fly over Rock Creek.

Serbu said it is difficult for pilots to reach the required altitude to begin the turn of the touch and go before reaching Rock Creek, due to fluctuations in temperature and air density. The turn is loud as pilots have to pick up altitude quickly to achieve the turn.

He proposed that the touch-and-go flights begin the crosswind leg over the open space outside of the town and move the downwind leg further south, outside Superior airspace.

By changing the route, the turn can be achieved at a higher elevation which will decrease the noise and the climb to reach altitude to turn can be slowed, which is safer for pilots.

Trustees Jenn Kaaoush and Shah were concerned a larger route could mean more touch-and-go flights.

“The airport is not going away, it’s not shutting down, it’s not going to stop. So finding some way to mitigate this is the right direction,” Kaaoush said.

The board suggested making the proposed route temporary as an experiment to see if it does help alleviate noise and air traffic. The board did not want to endorse the route only to have to later backtrack its support in case the new route actually allows for a higher number of touch-and-go flights.

Mayor Mark Lacis said the problem ultimately boils down to the volume of air traffic over Superior. He was also concerned the new route could possibly allow for more trips over Superior, which could make the noise problem worse. Lacis stated the town should continue work towards a solution to decrease air traffic over the town.

The next RMMA Community Noise Roundtable is 6 p.m. March 7. More information is available at jeffco.us/4235/cnr-meetings.