ONCC votes to implement Interim Runway Rotation Plan
that will impact Elmhurst Residents
Elmhurst, IL — On Friday, December 8, 2017 the O’Hare Noise Compatibility Commission (ONCC) met to vote on a 2.5 year Interim Fly Quiet Plan. The ONCC Ad Hoc Fly Quiet Committee presented a recommended Runway Rotation Plan (RRP).
The ONCC Ad Hoc Committee chose RRP A as their recommendation to ONCC after reviewing several options. The recommended option is essentially the same runway rotation plan that was followed by the Fly Quiet Test #3.
Elmhurst Officials strongly opposed this recommended plan, due to the fact that it will have a negative impact on areas of Elmhurst. Elmhurst submitted an alternative proposal, which was discarded by the ONNC Ad Hoc Fly Quiet Committee.
Elmhurst City Manager, Jim Grabowski states, “We feel that our alternative proposal for the Interim Runway Rotation Plan demonstrated a fair balance of nighttime flights for all communities surrounding the airport, with 37% use of 4R/22L. The “Option A” plan does not represent a fair balance of nighttime flights. Runway 4R/22L is proposed to be used 50% of the time, which directly impacts the residents of Elmhurst. There are three other parallel runways that can be better utilized to balance runway rotation.”
The City of Elmhurst further analyzed RRP A’s nighttime flight operation impacts per cycle by runway and community. The results demonstrated the disparate impacts, which RRP A has on the communities underneath the flight patterns of runways 4R/22L and 4L/22R. https://www.elmhurst.org/DocumentCenter/View/14980
“Runway Rotation Option A impacts more people than the alternate options. If the purpose of the Fly Quiet Plan is to study possibilities that limit the number of individuals affected by airplane noise, Option A is simply not the right choice.”
The ONCC ultimately chose Option A as the 2.5 year Interim Runway Rotation Plan which will be sent to the FAA for their review process.
Elmhurst Mayor Steve Morley states, “We are extremely disappointed with the ONCC’s decision and the process that got them to this vote. Our hope is that the FAA understands that Option A will impact more individuals than any other flight pattern and refuses this plan.”
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