Growing up in Flushing Queens may have desensitized me to this issue of aircraft noise. On second thought, I am convinced of it.
Today, sitting in my yard I barely notice the planes flying by, with the exception of the occasional interest in seeing if I can catch the landing gear coming down in preparation for landing. Back then, sitting in my yard in Flushing as a child I remember the planes flying so low that you could not hear a conversation across the patio table.
When indoors while watching the Mets game I was interrupted twice by the planes flying overhead; once when they flew over my house and again when I would hear it on the television while Ralph Kiner had to wait for it to pass over the stadium.
However, I can certainly understand the the attention to the issue. But I must say that an issue that I haven’t heard addressed is one of air pollution. Can anyone tell us what affect the noxious exhaust fumes that are settling on our communities have on us?
I urge our elected officials and members of the Aircraft Safety and Noise Abatement Committee to focus some attention to the issue of air pollution as well as noise pollution. Moreover, I think that we should demand that an independent Air Quality Controll group be hired to sample the air for carbon monoxide levels particularly related to jet fuel.
I realize that forcing the agencies in charge to equitably split the runway approach paths will decrease both noise and air pollution in our communities, but I believe that the issue of air quality should be at the forefront.
Andy Negretti
New Hyde Park