Flight Test Prep Academy

Open Letter to the Community

Dear Residents,

We are pleased to introduce you to our flight school, where we are dedicated to providing outstanding flight training with a commitment to efficiency and environmental responsibility. We understand that living near an airport can raise concerns about noise and pollution, and we want to assure you that we take these issues very seriously. Our training programs are designed to minimize our impact on the surrounding area, resulting in fewer flights, less noise, and reduced pollution.

Reducing Environmental Impact

One of the key concerns regarding aviation pollution is the use of tetra-ethyl lead in aviation fuel. This additive, used as an octane booster, has historically been essential to prevent power fluctuations and detonation during flight—a critical safety concern. However, the aviation industry is evolving, and the future of aviation fuel is unleaded. UL94 and G100UL are new fuels developed to remove tetra-ethyl lead, with G100UL being a complete replacement for the traditional 100LL fuel.

When airplanes burn fuel, tetra-ethyl lead is converted to lead chloride and lead bromide, which can have environmental impacts. It is important to note that while lead naturally occurs in the environment in amounts ranging from 50ppm to 400ppm (1), the EPA has identified lead as a hazard to human health if ingested. Our commitment to transitioning to unleaded fuels demonstrates our dedication to reducing this environmental hazard.

There is a significant commitment by the City of Long Beach to move away from leaded fuel, as evidenced by funding for Long Beach based aircraft to have access to unleaded fuel. We are taking advantage of this by utilizing the STC (Supplemental Type Certificate) funding. After thorough research and evaluating our options we have determined G100UL to be the better option for fuel. Therefore, we plan to utilize this STC for G100UL, ensuring a safer and more environmentally friendly option.

Addressing Noise Concerns

We are also mindful of the noise produced by our aircraft. Different airplanes have different noise footprints, and human responses to these noises vary. Some people may enjoy the sound, others may be conditioned to it, and others may be highly annoyed by airport noise (2). Studies indicate that approximately 18% of the population is highly annoyed by airport noise, but this varies depending on factors such as age, gender, education, homeownership, economic dependency on the airport, and individual noise sensitivity.

Our training program's efficiency means fewer flights over neighborhoods, translating to less noise pollution. We understand that noise can impact daily activities, and we strive to minimize our flights' frequency and duration to lessen this impact. We believe that by reducing our flight hours and implementing quieter, more efficient training methods, we can create a more harmonious environment for everyone. Different aircraft also produce different kinds of noises. Tone as much as loudness influence the amount of annoyance.(3)

Our Commitment to the Community

We are committed to being good neighbors and addressing the concerns of our community. Our efforts to transition to unleaded fuels and reduce noise pollution demonstrate our dedication to this goal. We believe that living near an airport can be acceptable and even beneficial when proactive measures are taken to mitigate potential negative impacts.

Examples of Noise and Pollution Mitigation

1. Night Cross-Country Flights: Our night cross-country flights are conducted according to FAA regulations, which require 10 landings at night. To minimize the impact on local neighborhoods, we conduct most of our night landings at airports along the cross-country route. These include multiple landings at airports that are far less densely populated than Long Beach. This reduces the number of nighttime flights over residential areas, thus decreasing noise pollution during the night. 

2. Simulator Training: We incorporate advanced flight simulators into our training programs. This allows students to gain valuable experience and training hours without the need to be in the air. By utilizing simulators, we significantly reduce the number of actual flights required, which in turn reduces noise and pollution over our neighborhoods.

3. Efficient Flight Scheduling: We carefully plan and schedule our flights to avoid peak hours and high-density residential areas whenever possible. By optimizing our flight paths and timing, we minimize the disruption to local communities, reducing both noise and environmental impact.

Engagement with Long Beach Airport Association

We actively participate in Long Beach Airport Association (LBAA) meetings, where we detail our mitigation strategies for being good neighbors. These meetings provide a platform for us to share our ongoing efforts to reduce noise and pollution, gather feedback from the community, and collaborate on further improvements. Our involvement in LBAA ensures that we remain transparent and responsive to the concerns of our neighbors. 

We appreciate your understanding and support as we continue to improve our practices and contribute positively to our community. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Together, we can create a safer, quieter, and cleaner environment for everyone.

Sincerely,

Thomas Sutfin

Owner

Flight Test Prep Academy

1. https://www.epa.gov/lead/learn-about-lead#:~:text=While%20natural%20levels%20of%20lead,near%20mining%20and%20smelting%20sites.

2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412020320134

3. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19920005562/downloads/19920005562.pdf