Residents of areas under controversial new approach paths to San Francisco International Airport have been awaiting the outcome of meetings aimed at relieving the constant noise from aircraft. But will the decision made last week simply relocate the problem to other neighborhoods?

The problems started in March 2015 when significant amounts of inbound traffic to the airport were rerouted along new paths as part of the FAA's NextGen system. Aimed at addressing delays and growing emissions from aircraft, NextGen was introduced into metropolitan areas with a lot of air traffic and saw new approach paths that allow aircraft to reduce engine use, but as a result, fly over some areas at a lower altitude than previously.

Ever since the flight paths for arrivals at San Francisco changed, residents in newly affected areas have been increasingly vocal about how their peace has been shattered by hundreds of jet aircraft passing low overhead every day, where once they had near constant quiet. Residents in areas such as Palo Alto, underneath a common inbound navigation point, report pictures of the walls shaking and a constant rumbling from aircraft engines.

Image: Quiet Skies NorCal

A series of meetings were held in October and November where residents and their neighborhood noise committees had the opportunity to put their arguments forward and give testimony over how their lives have been affected. A key to the meetings was finding a solution whereby residents could be appeased while retaining the purpose of the NextGen plan and the demands placed on SFO by aircraft traffic.

Residents under the new flightpaths proposed reverting to the old routes, however residents who now have quieter lives were resisting going back to their old ways. In fact, all cities and residential areas proposed as recipients of alternative flight paths have been resistant to the point of feuding with each other at meetings.

One popular proposal was to move the Palo Alto SERFR approach path a few miles west, close to that used prior to March 2015, known as the DAVYJ arrival. However, the NextGen system still calls for lower altitudes and would therefore potentially cause more noise for residents than last time the route was used.

A final meeting held Nov. 17 saw a vote on which of the proposals would be adopted. The result was an 8-4 vote in favor of the DAVYJ arrival being reinstated, rerouting aircraft back over the San Lorenzo Valley ridge line.

Presiding over the meeting was Supervisor John Leopold, who set precedents for aircraft flying higher and using waypoints that would see aircraft descending at lower engine power settings — thus reducing noise on the ground — and a reduction in the use of air brakes, which creates a particularly noticeable whining sound on some aircraft.

The changes will take effect after January 2018, and the FAA has been tasked with continuing the search for a perfect approach path to the airport that takes in the needs of residents on the peninsula and surrounding cities.