WHAT IS AN FBO AND FULL SERVICE FBO?
An “FBO” stands for “fixed base operator”, and is a privately owned aviation supporting business located at an Airport, such as a fuel provider, an aircraft maintenance facility, a flight school, or any other aviation related business. A full service FBO provides both maintenance services as well as aircraft fueling services.
WHY ARE THERE CONCERNS OF EXPANSION?
At present LVK is home to one FBO (Five Rivers Aviation). As explained on their website LVK offers some unique advantages compared to other bay area airports. Once expansion is approved and a new FBO is allowed it will not be legally possible to put a cap on number of flights, type of equipment or hours of flying by this FBO. Thus what is 6 flights/week in Phase 1 can morph to any number of flights once hangars, fuel and maintenance facilities are built.
DOES THE PETITION AND LACG CALL FOR TO SHUT DOWN SMALL PLANE OPERATIONS?
The answer is an emphatic "No". LACG would like the airport to thrive but only as a small plane regional airport. The second part of the petition was necessary as current noise abatement measures are failing and many residents are unable to voice their concerns as proper tools do not exist. We are thus requesting a community outreach program wherein pilots and affected residents of Pleasanton, Dublin and Livermore can figure out a mutually acceptable solution for noise abatement.
WHY ARE YOU REQUESTING A NOISE STUDY IN YOUR PETITION?
It is recommended that a noise study be conducted of affected areas every two years. It has been six years since the noise study has been conducted. A lot a has changed in that time and there has been plenty of residential development and schools built in the area.
WHAT CAN BE DONE TO STOP THE EXPANSION?
At present only the airport commission has approved the project. This project has to go to the Livermore planning commission and then to the Livermore city council.
It is important that our elected council members understand how this would impact the residents of Livermore, Dublin and Pleasanton. Please make your voice heard by attending council meetings of your respective cities, emailing your council members and council members in Livermore, singing the petition and if possible volunteering to spread the word. Once this project is approved LVK can easily morph into a large jet airport over a period of time.
KAISER SAYS ONLY 6 FLIGHTS PER WEEK AND IT WILL FOLLOW NOISE ABATEMENT PROCEDURES. THAT DOESN'T SOUND BAD. WHY SHOULD I WORRY?
Once an FBO is approved, by FAA law no limits can be placed on number of flights or time of flights. Many other operators can easily come in and add hundreds of flights and nothing can be done about this. The noise abatement process is completely voluntary. So at any given point Kaiser or other operators can choose to not follow this and there is nothing anyone can do about it. This decision is not about "now" but something we all have to live with for our lifetimes.
SHOULD I BE HEARING PLANE NOISE NEAR MY HOUSE?
That depends on the location of your residence with respect to the airport. If your home lies in the APA (Airport protection area) then greater noise is expected than If your home lies in AIA (Airport influence area). Check out this document which provides greater detail.
Note that FAA says that planes have to be 1000 ft or higher if they are over residential neighborhoods. The caveat to this is they don't need to do so if they are taking off or landing. This is where the map showing residential areas to avoid comes into play. If the map is followed most of the noise issues can be circumvented.
HOW CAN I COMPLAIN IF I HEAR EXCESSIVE NOISE OR OTHER CONCERNS
The Livermore airport has a noise complaint line. Complaints can be submitted by calling 925-960-8219. To submit a complaint online Click here
THEY SAY BOEING 737S ARE QUIETER. WHY SHOULD WE WORRY?
The key word is "quieter". Quieter than what is the question that needs to be answered? Compared to a stage 2 jet or an old MD80 this statement is likely true but remember that the 737s tested at noise levels at 89 DBs.
This is much higher than both state, city and CEQA limits. Once these are approved because LVK is a public use airport nothing can be done to penalize people who do not follow voluntary guidelines. If someone decides to fly hundreds of 737s over our homes and schools at 89DBs all day long it is 100% legal.
WHY ARE THERE CONCERNS OF SAFETY?
The airport meeting minutes speak for themselves. The most recent one was the plane crash on Isabel avenue. However if you look at the meeting minutes there have been safety issues consistently through 2020. We have been just fortunate that no one has been hurt. The last thing we need is something going wrong with a 737 in a densely populated area when the flight path is over our homes and schools. If they airport is unable to control small planes from flying all over our neighborhood why should we trust that they will handle a 737 safely and away from our neighborhood?
I WAS TOLD BOEING 737S ARE ALREADY ALLOWED TO FLY INTO LIVERMORE. WHY IS THIS ANY DIFFERENT?
Currently Boeing 737s can indeed fly into Livermore. Livermore acts like a reliever airport (one that can used for flight diversions, emergencies etc) but without facilities what can be done at the airport is limited. However once the hangar, maintenance facilities, fuel service etc are built there is no limit to how many large jets can fly into Livermore.