Sounding Off:

Regarding the new satellite-based navigation system at John Wayne Airport (“Satellite system worries neighbors,” Sept. 26), I don’t see how implementing a GPS-controlled air traffic “lane” would raise noise levels, as the Airport Working Group fears. Limiting aircraft to a designated controlled traffic lane would mean that fewer planes would be fanning the coastline, therefore limiting departure noise to a smaller footprint and fewer residents.

The Airport Working Group should instead focus its attention on the airport facility itself and the serious, ever-growing adverse noise and air pollution impacts being generated to the Santa Ana Heights community in north Newport Beach.

In the past 13 years, noise levels generated at the airport facility have greatly increased. Commercial aircraft are being parked at the end of the runway above Bristol Street north to gun their engines while performing tests.

Santa Ana Heights residents are less than three-eighths of a mile from the end of the runway.

These tests can go on for more than 90 minutes at a time, and in recent months, up to five commercial aircraft are scheduled for engine testing from early morning to late night, every day.

Then there is the issue of full-throttle departures. Many of the aircraft flying out of JWA should be banned outright or excessively fined for generating excessive noise from outdated engines.

And what used to be a standard throttle cutback procedure shortly after takeoff for all commercial aircraft has all but been abandoned except for a couple of airlines.

With increased terminal capacity, the airport operator is going to press for more flights and more passenger capacity. We must not let that happen.

Those living “inches” from the airport now are slowly being desensitized, like the frog who is boiled alive.

We are shouldering far more negative impacts than we should, and it is time to stand united and demand change and improvements from the airport operator and owner in the same way residents living in the Compton Cancer Corridor did.

The airport can implement many viable solutions. Ban engine run-up testing or build an adequate sound wall along the entire southern airport property to lessen the noise impacts to the surrounding community.

Restrict any allowed engine testing to 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ban or severely fine airlines maintaining a fleet of outdated, louder engines. Perform a feasibility study of implementing white sound technology on select residents’ homes to greatly cancel out overhead departure noise.

Reach a settlement agreement with the Santa Ana Heights residents to reduce their property tax and utilities cost for excessive inconvenience and negative impacts to their quality of life. If the airport owner adheres to further airport expansion, then the Santa Ana Heights residents must demand a new buyout agreement.

The year 2015 and the end of the current settlement agreement is closer than you think.

Don’t think for a minute that the airport owner will tend to your best interests without a fight.

RUSS NIEWIAROWSKI is a resident of Newport Beach.