It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s another plane.

Story by Brittany Nunn

Several East Dallas neighbors are concerned about increased air-traffic noise over their homes within the last year, saying that the Federal Aviation Administration has changed the flight patterns of planes leaving Love Field.

However, Mark Duebner, the director of aviation with the City of Dallas, says there has been no recent change in the patterns over East Dallas.

“That’s not to say that I’m disagreeing with the residents in the White Rock Lake area who believe it’s noisier,” he says, “but

I can only provide the numbers and show them what we see as far as activity.”

Earlier this year, the number of airplanes flying out of the Lemmon Avenue runway increased for a few months when the airport was opening its new terminal, and that did affect East Dallas, he says. However, he says that shift in traffic has subsided almost back to normal, and the commercial traffic is once again going to and from both the Denton and Lemmon runways.

Still, neighbor Mary Guenveur says there has been a noticeable change in the amount of airplane noise over her home.

“You cannot deny there’s an increase, because too many people have noticed it,” she says. “Something has changed. You cannot walk out on my front porch and be there for 30 minutes without hearing at least two very low-flying airplanes back-toback, and it is so loud.”

READ MORE ONLINE Search “flight patterns” on lakewood.advocatemag.com for a more in-depth look at Love Field’s air traffic, and leave a comment or answer our poll.

WHAT NEIGHBORS ARE SAYING ON LAKEWOOD.ADVOCATEMAG.COM

“I have emailed through the Love Field website numerous times about this. They responded that it would be passed on to the proper department but have never given me a direct connection. It is definitely much worse. More traffic. Lower and louder takeoffs/landings and at very early and late hours. It is extremely noticeable. Thank you for addressing this topic.”

RAF

“Haven’t noticed it at all. It seems like they approach a little lower when the cloud deck is low, maybe it’s a seasonal thing.”

Bob Loblaw

“Noise? From Love Field? Really?? People have forgotten what REAL airplane noise was — I just wonder what it was like 40 years ago when Love Field was still the major airport with jets from at least two (much louder) generations ago! Some people REALLY need more things to do IMHO.”

Glenn

“When wind blows from north (prevailing wind is from south) airplanes are directed over Lakewood and White Rock Lake to land at Love Field coming in from the south into the wind, thus more traffic. Need to see traffic patterns with separate colors. Larger volume of higher-flying planes (red) obscure colors of low flying planes (green and yellow). Low flying planes are the problem over Lakewood with north wind and coming in from southeast destinations with south wind. Can shine a strong flashlight on underbelly of planes and light them up they fly so low over White Rock/Lakewood.”

— Golly

“Talk about first-world problems. News flash: you live in one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country. There will be airplanes overhead. Or maybe all this whining really is a call for the FAA to divert air traffic more toward south Dallas, where those poorer people won’t care as much since their properties are worth less. White Americans can be so obnoxious sometimes ...”

No, Not Planes

48 percent of readers answered “yes” to the question, “Do you think there has been a recent increase in air traffic noise in East Dallas?” Thirty percent said “no,” another 18 percent, “Couldn’t care less,” and 4 percent chose “other.”

Contrary to neighbors’ concerns, the number of aircraft operating from the Lemmon runway, which diverts traffic toward East Dallas, has decreased over the past three years, according to data provided by Mark Duebner, City of Dallas aviation director.