I wish to address some misconceptions fostered by the editorial, ``Airport noise challenge could backfire'' (Opinion, Nov. 24). The article asserts, ``If the curfew is upheld by the court, then the neighbors will press the city to do a better job of enforcing it -- and there's plenty of room for improvement.'' Additionally, the article incorrectly states that San Jose had about 800 curfew violations last year (quoting City Councilman David Pandori).
The Airport's Noise Control Program, adopted by City Council Resolution No. 57211 on Feb. 7, places time-of-day restrictions on the scheduling of Stage 3 (quiet technology) transport category jet operations between the hours of 11:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m., and Stage 2 (older technology) transport category jet operations between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. However, the time-of-day operating restrictions known as the ``curfew'' do not prohibit all nighttime operations. The following categories of jet aircraft operations are exempted from the time-of-day restrictions, and are not ``violations'' of the curfew:
Weather, air traffic control and mechanical delays of scheduled operations.
Non-transport category Stage 3 jet operations (``business jets'').
Emergency and law enforcement aircraft operations.
Military and government aircraft operations
The Airport's Aircraft Noise Monitoring Center utilizes an $800,000-plus Aircraft Noise and Operations Monitoring System to closely monitor compliance with the curfew. All nighttime jet arrivals and departures at the airport are identified and both exempted operations and non-compliant operations are documented in detail in the airport's Monthly Noise Reports. These reports are distributed to the city council and airport commission.
In 1996, the airport had a total of 134,700 jet aircraft operations (arrivals and departures). Of those, 878 took place during the curfew. A total of 836 were exempt from the curfew, and the rest were found to be in non-compliance. Each of these non-compliant operations was investigated by airport staff and the city attorney, and actions taken to ensure they would not recur.
San Jose International Airport has closely monitored compliance with the Noise Control Program, and continues to scrutinize its operations with an intense focus on all of its nighttime operations. The airport strives to continually lessen its noise impacts.
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