Westminster resident asks Jefferson County to press FAA on low-altitude training at RMMA

A Westminster resident told the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners that repetitive training operations at RMMA expose nearby neighborhoods to safety risks and asked the county to engage the Federal Aviation Administration to raise the minimum pattern altitude and tighten voluntary noise-abatement practices.

Carolyn Vartman (public comment) said RMMA's proximity to residential areas, schools and reservoirs creates safety and wildlife-strike risks when aircraft conduct low-altitude training circuits and "touch-and-go" patterns. "RMMA is completely enclosed in by residential areas, schools, and sensitive land uses," Vartman said. She described FAA guidance that generally requires 1,000 feet over congested areas and noted an FAA inspector…