Local News in Brief : Airport Plan Opposed

A Los Angeles County Grand Jury committee has issued a report opposing a “share-the-noise” proposal to route more aircraft to the east over the three cities that own Burbank Airport.

The report, presented to the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority, noted that 85% of aircraft takeoffs are to the south, concentrating noise over San Fernando Valley communities southwest and west of the airport. But it discounted the “share” plan, demanded by homeowner groups, under which the airport would try to persuade the Federal Aviation Administration and airline pilots--who have the final say--to take off at least half the time toward the east.

Airport opponents were quick to criticize the report, prepared by the grand jury’s five-member government operations committee, as a whitewash, saying they were not given a chance to meet with the panel.