SMF “SOUTH-FLOW” DEPARTURE – WHERE THINGS STAND TODAY

October 10, 2020

Residents of West Natomas continue, depending on changes in prevailing wind direction, to be plagued by low altitude departures from SMF despite a downturn generally in airport activity. County Airport officials acknowledge that the lull in air traffic and associated impacts are temporary. Accordingly, achieving improved noise abatement and lessening the risks to residents directly underneath the NextGen flight path concentrations are still desirable goals being sought by a number of affected residents. Earlier this year, City officials retained outside counsel to assist in obtaining these objectives. Following from this were attempts to collaborate with the Airport on obtaining relief, with limited success. For example, the County indicated it was not agreeable to the City and County jointly approaching the FAA to request a more southerly departure path. On the other hand, the airport did in July request the FAA to analyze flight path dispersion along the SMF departure procedures implemented by the FAA in 2015, via the FAA’s Instrument Flight Procedure (IFP) Gateway. Receipt was automatically confirmed by the IFP Gateway the same day. Airport officials reportedly monitor the IFP Gateway for progress. However, the airport continues to reiterate, to the general dismay of most of those adversely affected, that it has yet to identify “an alternative procedure that would meet [the Airport’s interpretation of] the FAA requirements to not adversely impact safety or efficiency or move noise onto other communities/residents.”

Meanwhile, efforts to engage directly with the FAA were taken by City but the FAA continued to refuse to meet to discuss the identified issues. Consequently the City has filed a lawsuit against the FAA. As the matter is in active litigation, it is not possible at this point to provide additional information on this particular case.

Ellery Kuhn

[email protected]

(916) 891-2119