In Egelsbach the exposure to aircraft noise is increasing immensely. Local residents speak of an unbearable ordeal. This is also known in the town hall, but the community has only limited influence.
Egelsbach – The other day Gerhard Walter was jogging again in the Koberstädter Wald, but it wasn’t fun for him. The blame is the “unbearable aircraft noise”, which has been “more and more of a torture” for weeks and which is causing the quality of life in Egelsbach to “sink to almost zero”, as the Egelsbacher put it in a letter to the editorial team. On Saturday two weeks ago, Walter said he had counted “hundreds of noisy small airplanes”, which “every minute until late at night” had “loudly cluttered and littered the Egelsbach citizens”.
Walter is pissed off. “With what right are these noisy polluters allowed to deprive the residents of Egelsbach of their quality of life?” He asks. And what will the staple carving village have to face once the corona pandemic has been overcome? “What will happen when millions of air travelers set off again after feeling locked in?” Asks Walter. “Will we then only leave the house with earmuffs on to go jogging? Or is it really only left for us Egelsbachers to move out? “
A look at the statistics: More single-engine machines in the sky over Egelsbach
The topic also regularly lands on the desk of Mayor Tobias Wilbrand (Greens). “At the moment I get constant feedback,” reports the town hall chief, who has therefore rummaged through the numbers. When looking at the statistics, one can initially assume that complaints about an increase in aircraft noise are unfounded, says the mayor: Egelsbach Airport registered an increase in aircraft movements of less than one percent in 2020 compared to the previous year.
In the case of large aircraft over 5.7 tons, the number of flight movements actually decreased significantly in the past year – by more than a quarter. This is mainly due to the fact that business aviation suffered major losses as a result of the pandemic. In the so-called “Foxtrot class” – single-engine machines between two and 5.7 tons – there was, however, a significant increase, by more than 50 percent. An increase of just over ten percent was also recorded for helicopters.
Overall, there were actually significantly more flight movements over Egelsbach in the second half of the year, according to Wilbrand. “If you take into account the fact that hardly any flights took place in the first lockdown in March and April, an increase of just under one percent is a sure indicator of significantly more flight movements in the following months.” This is also borne out by the statistics: it has been there since May given five months in which more than 8,000 aircraft movements per month were counted. And between May and September flight movements increased by up to almost 30 percent compared to the same month last year. Since October, however, the figures have leveled off at the previous year’s level.
Egelsbach’s mayor suspects three reasons for increased aircraft noise
The mayor suspects three reasons for the changes: “Firstly, pilots have to prove a certain number of flying hours in order to receive their licenses. There was certainly a certain catch-up effect here in the summer. ”Second, working from home and short-time working would give many people more time for such leisure activities and, due to the restrictions,“ have a greater need for freedom and carefree ”. Some people probably associate this feeling with flying. ”Thirdly, the fact that vacations and excursions are currently very difficult has led to some people discovering flying as an alternative.
Another important factor, however, is the changed departure route “Amtix short” at Frankfurt Airport, which applies to aircraft that take off from the west runway in the southeast direction. Together with Erzhausen and Messel, the municipality had spoken out against shifting the route to the north, citing the already high pollution caused by the Egelsbach airfield. But according to Wilbrand, the responsible aircraft noise commission had nevertheless spoken out in favor of the relocation. “We resisted it for a long time, but they didn’t want to listen to our suggestions.” The trial run of “Amtix short” has been running since November.
Increase in aircraft noise in Egelsbach: “Amtix short” also plays a role
“Allegedly Egelsbach should only be slightly affected,” reports Wilbrand. “The Bavarians see it differently.” In the southern district there is now a “high level of exposure to aircraft noise,” says Wilbrand. “It is to be feared that this burden will increase even further if normal operations at the Rhein-Main airport are returned.” The town hall chief announced that he would support Erzhausen in the legal battle against the final relocation of “Amtix short”.
Overall, however, the community’s hands are largely tied when it comes to aircraft noise. At the airport there is only limited influence as long as the contractually fixed upper limit of 100,000 aircraft movements per year is not exceeded, said Wilbrand. In the past few years there have always been around 75,000 movements.
Nevertheless, Wilbrand wants to ensure that noise pollution remains within limits: “I think it is questionable that the leisure activities of a few are becoming a burden on health and well-being.” The flight schools should also rely more on simulators for training. At the end of last year, Wilbrand presented his suggestions in a virtual round with the regional council, airfield management and owners. Concrete changes have not yet been decided. (By Manuel Schubert)
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