When College Park residents go to the polls on Election Day, they’ll see an unusual question on the ballot. The non-binding resolution asks whether city officials should urge Congress and the Federal Aviation Administration to reassess how they assess noise levels around Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Some residents say they’ve noticed more air traffic lately, and that the planes seem louder than before. They can thank precision. New protocols and procedures, part of a long-term program known as Next Gen, mean air traffic controllers don’t need to separate planes as much as they once did.
That allows more aircraft to take off and land, and keeps those planes directly over the most efficient route. That’s a huge step forward for most stakeholders, but not such good news for those who happen to live directly underneath that narrow approach.
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