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Resident urges Hendersonville to press FAA and BNA on increased aircraft noise tied to NextGen arrivals
Summary
A Hendersonville resident told the General Committee that aircraft noise and concentrated arrival tracks—attributed in the comment to FAA NextGen RNAV procedures—have increased over parts of the city; the committee agreed to pursue further information and outreach to aviation authorities and state representatives.
A Hendersonville resident raised extended public comment on Jan. 13 about a noticeable increase in low-flying and frequent aircraft over the 37075 ZIP code and Indian Lake Peninsula, and urged the city to engage federal and airport authorities.
The speaker, identified in the meeting as Ward Hawkins, said that throughout 2025 and into 2026 the "volume and frequency of low flying aircraft" increased, and that "it is now common to observe 10 or more aircraft within a 30 minute period on landing approach." He attributed the change to FAA NextGen RNAV arrival procedures (identified in the comment as the Ryman 3 arrival) that concentrate arriving aircraft into narrower corridors, causing repetitive overflights.
Hawkins requested that the city formally acknowledge the issue and establish sustained communication with aviation authorities, including Nashville International Airport (BNA) and the Federal Aviation Administration, and with representatives of affected communities. He said the goal was to "better understand how these flight path decisions are made, explore available mitigation options, and advocate for approaches that reduce or better manage aircraft noise impacts."
Committee members said they have received complaints since spring 2025, noted social-media reporting of increased noise, and discussed prior contacts with Representative John Rose's office and an invitation to a staffer who did not attend. Staff indicated they would look into the issue and that the city could pursue advocacy or investigation. Members cautioned that they were not calling for limits on air traffic or runway changes that would compromise safety.
The transcript records the resident's account and committee members' agreement to investigate and engage representatives and aviation authorities; the statements about flight procedures and noise impacts are claims by the speaker and were not independently verified within the meeting record.
