Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Noise Abatement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Pilots and residents press Longmont airport board for clearer noise‑abatement steps after near‑miss
Summary
Pilots and residents urged Longmont’s Airport Advisory Board to improve noise‑abatement communication, collect flight data and pursue stronger traffic controls after a pilot described a near‑midair incident; staff outlined planned outreach to flight instructors under Colorado’s House Bill 1235.
Pilots and residents at the Dec. 12 Longmont Airport Advisory Board meeting urged clearer noise‑abatement guidance and better traffic management after a pilot reported a near‑midair incident during approach.
John Grunsfeld, who identified himself as a Longmont pilot and business owner, told the board: "I had a near midair coming into the pattern." He recommended the airport make its noise‑abatement procedures far easier to find — both in the airport flight directory and in the ADIS/airport broadcasts — and suggested limiting touch‑and‑go practice "from dusk to dawn." Grunsfeld also proposed the airport collect ADS‑B data (commercial or subscription services) to identify repeat offenders and better target outreach.
At the same meeting, resident Scott Stewart argued the airport should follow FAA self‑sustainability guidance when setting fees, saying airports "must maintain a fee and rental structure" that recovers operating costs. Stewart suggested expanding fee revenue rather than relying primarily on hangar owners.
Airport manager Levi responded that the division of aeronautics and the city are moving forward on a formal noise‑abatement program. He said staff is organizing flight‑instructor meetings with neighboring airports — Rocky Mountain Metropolitan and Centennial — to coordinate mitigation and education for local flight schools. Levi noted Rocky Mountain Metropolitan had already started instructor meetings and had agreed to include Longmont in future communications.
Levi also described planned website and ADIS messaging changes to make noise‑abatement steps easier for pilots to find. "We're pulling frequently asked questions from our complaint log and making that the first place the public goes," he said, adding that the city web team was scheduled to implement changes the following week.
Board members asked whether the Division of Aeronautics would provide public education; Levi said the division’s role under House Bill 1235 was mainly to identify which airports require formal programs and that outreach might be better led by aviation organizations such as EAA or AOPA. Council member McCoy and others said having a state or regional voice at public forums would lend more weight to the message.
The discussion also touched on possible technical solutions: Grunsfeld urged the airport to consider acquiring an ADS‑B receiver or subscribing to ADS‑B Exchange to collect flight tracks, and he suggested exploring a portable or remote tower to improve traffic control. Levi said a remote tower is expensive but that the FAA could fund such requests if pursued.
The meeting concluded with no formal policy votes on noise abatement; staff said next steps include the instructor‑meeting schedule, website updates and tracking complaints via the complaint log. The board directed no regulatory changes at the meeting.
