Jet Noise Can Mute Jobs Plea

We find it disturbing, yet not surprising, that the Board of Airport Commissioners is using the results of a recent study to cover up the real truth behind the increased noise from Van Nuys Airport (“Study Says Airport Adds $1 Billion a Year to Economy,” Times Valley Edition, Nov. 7).

We are well aware that the airport is good for our local economy.

What troubles us is that the airport commissioners and airport management still refuse to admit that over the years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of jets based at Van Nuys Airport, which jumped from 18 in 1980 to a current count of 100.

This increase, together with the added use of helicopters, is the reason for the dramatic increase in noise and noise complaints.

Yet it is obvious that the commissioners have not changed their attitude toward the impacted residents and that their only concern is still money and jobs .

To use such a report as an obvious attempt to counter the barrage of noise complaints from nearby residents is no less ludicrous than someone preparing a similar study to brag about how many dollars and how many jobs are generated each year by doctors, nurses, hospitals, hospices, funeral homes and cemeteries because of the sadly incurable disease called AIDS.

DON SCHULTZ

Van Nuys

Schultz wrote as president of Ban Airport Noise .