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Neighborhoods press for airport noise reporting; AOPA warns of preemption limits
Summary
Residents and officials from Danvers and Wenham told the Joint Committee on Transportation that repeated flight‑training touch‑and‑go maneuvers at Beverly Regional Airport are producing disruptive noise and asked the state to collect and publish noise reports and help implement a good‑neighbor policy.
Residents and officials from the Danvers area told the Joint Committee on Transportation that persistent touch‑and‑go training by student pilots at Beverly Regional Airport is producing disruptive noise in nearby neighborhoods, and they asked the committee to require the Massachusetts Office of Aeronautics to collect and publish noise report data and help the airport implement a good‑neighbor policy.
Why it matters: The proposal would increase transparency about aircraft operations at a regional airport and could change how flight schools and airports manage training patterns; however, aviation representatives said federal law constrains what state or municipal government can require of pilots.
Representative Sally Kearns (Thirteenth Essex District) said neighbors report repeated “touch and go” maneuvers that can “stop a conversation” and that many residents no longer file online noise reports because they feel the data disappear into a "black hole." Kearns said H.3713 would require Mass Aeronautics to collect counts including touch‑and‑go maneuvers, post reports on the agency’s website, and help Beverly Airport develop a good‑neighbor program to educate student pilots about noise‑sensitive times and areas.
She added context about airport governance: Beverly Regional is legally an entity of the city of Beverly, she said, but the airport operates as an enterprise fund and receives limited direct city funding; the FAA governs airspace and flight operations while Mass Aeronautics retains a role in outreach and planning. Kearns said Beverly Airport has discussed expansion plans including a large hangar, which she said would increase private‑jet traffic.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), represented by Eastern Regional Manager Sean Collins, told the committee that AOPA supports voluntary “fly neighborly” programs, but warned state or municipal flight restrictions are preempted by federal law — citing the Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990. Collins noted airports can already collect and publish complaint data and urged compatible land‑use planning to reduce noise conflicts rather than imposing measures that would conflict with federal preemption.
Committee members pressed for clarity about who governs the airport. Witnesses described a Beverly Airport Commission with seats appointed by Beverly and Danvers and noted the commission hires an airport manager. Kearns said Danvers appoints two members to the commission and Wenham has historically held one seat.
No formal action was taken. The committee accepted written testimony and asked staff to collect additional background on airport governance, complaint handling and any existing good‑neighbor programs.
