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Mesa Flight Path
updated: Mar 06, 2013, 8:23 AM

By Edhat Subscriber

Have any other Mesa dwellers noticed that suddenly we're in the flight path for the SB Airport? Since Monday, March 4, I've counted over 3 dozen planes flying directly over our house (perpendicular to Cliff Drive). Does anyone know what's going on and why suddenly the planes are approaching their landing so close to town?

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 381827P	2013-03-06 08:29 AM
Ive wondered the same thing. Flying very low over Eings park the other day.
COMMENT 381829	2013-03-06 08:31 AM
Always have been. They just have been coming in low lately because of the cloud ceiling.
COMMENT 381831	2013-03-06 08:35 AM
I was at Oliver & Cliff all day yesterday and Monday with windows open and didn't hear a thing.
COMMENT 381832	2013-03-06 08:35 AM
On the 4th almost all the arrivals were from the west on 7 and I noticed on my way in to work this morning a FedEx plane was landing that way again too. So that would exclude all of those from coming close to the Mesa. If you look at flightaware, the ones landing on 25 are scattered between the flight route you describe and their 'normal' route somewhat over east goleta before making the left for landing.
COMMENT 381834	2013-03-06 08:36 AM
They are just dumping they're fuel that's all no need for concern
COMMENT 381838	2013-03-06 08:49 AM
This is NOT a new thing, confirmed. The approach and take off path changes depending on wind and weather conditions. Sometimes it diverts the planes over the Mesa.
COMMENT 381843	2013-03-06 08:56 AM
Share the love.
COMMENT 381845	2013-03-06 08:59 AM
Weather depending flight path changes
COMMENT 381846	2013-03-06 09:02 AM
There does seem like a lot more air traffic though. I live in the foothills and at times, there are large jets landing within 10 minutes apart. I have a pretty cool view as they come in straight toward me from the ocean before making a sharp turn towards the airport. It appears from my vantage point that Hope Ranch is getting most of the overhead traffic.
COMMENT 381855	2013-03-06 09:19 AM
Please call 967-1900 and tell them of the "event". The only way it is corrected is if this phone number gets the call, otherwise they are unaware of the "activity". PLEASE CALL IT IN 967-1900
COMMENT 381863	2013-03-06 09:35 AM
Dont forget to call Jenny at 867-5309 too.
COMMENT 381864P	2013-03-06 09:35 AM
This is normal and most of the larger aircraft and almost all of the commercial flights use runways 7 or 25 which is why they would be over the Mesa occasionallly. I live in the path of the 15's and very often have aircraft over my house. The people who work at the Tower are very nice and unless you see something dangerous please don't bother them with what is normal. Calling the number listed above will not correct these normal "events". Nor will calling the FBO's and Flight Schools.
LIZBETH	2013-03-06 09:43 AM
863 - ouch! now it's stuck in my head
COMMENT 381884	2013-03-06 10:23 AM
Oh, you poor things, being in the flight path of your own airport. The City of Goleta called; it would like an invitation to your pity party. #firstworldproblems
COMMENT 381895	2013-03-06 10:38 AM
884, I guess you don't care about someone else's concerns. Remind us of this if you ever write in to share something you are concerned about. If Edhatters hadn't raised their voices about the helicopters landing at the hospital, I wonder if they would have reduced the flight activity to the levels that we're currently seeing (hearing).
COMMENT 381929	2013-03-06 11:19 AM
This is my unpaid subscriber version of clicking 'agree' on 884. Thanks.
COMMENT 381930	2013-03-06 11:20 AM
Isn't 967-1900 just the City of SB Airport Dept? What do they have to do with flight paths of incoming and outbound planes?
COMMENT 381931P	2013-03-06 11:23 AM
884 - right on!
COMMENT 381935	2013-03-06 11:47 AM
Too bad we don't have 747s and 777s coming in and out every few minutes.
COMMENT 381940	2013-03-06 11:56 AM
i just read the cruise ships will be tying up at the mesa steps.
COMMENT 381945	2013-03-06 12:01 PM
884 for president!
COMMENT 381951	2013-03-06 12:11 PM
967-1900 is the airport noise complaint line. Here is what I've been told by the airport: In clear weather pilots landing to the west are requested to fly a "noise abatement" approach that keeps them off shore until Moore Mesa. If you make a noise complaint and the flight path is verified as not following the noise abatement approach, then the airport will send a letter to the pilot reminding them of the noise abatement approach. At all times the pilot can fly any approach they want or the tower allows, so noise complaints have no real teeth. I make maybe one complaint a year when it is crystal clear and yet some pilot overflys my house for no good reason. I don't expect the corp. jet pilots or general aviation to care, but I hope that a pilot that frequently flys into SBA will think again about using a quieter approach if called out about it, especially when his employer is obvious to those making the complaint.
ROGER DODGER	2013-03-06 12:16 PM
Not in my Backyard...heeheehee
COMMENT 381959	2013-03-06 12:25 PM
864 - Calling does help as Chuck talks to the tower and also the pilots and explains the "recommended" flight path to avoid "noise events" in residential areas. Call the hotline - 967-1900, they are very nice and informative and thank you everytime.
COMMENT 381960	2013-03-06 12:39 PM
Safety always takes priority. Nobody likes those crashing sounds.
COMMENT 381999	2013-03-06 02:01 PM
Gonna have to agree with 884 on this one.
COMMENT 382009P	2013-03-06 02:30 PM
I think 884 could have made their point in a constructive way.
YPYETR	2013-03-06 02:47 PM
I have been watching them for years on my breaks at Raytheon. The altered path PROBABLY has something to do with the new class off aircraft coming into SBA. Their path was a line of site from the airport to over the harbor for years, generally speaking and weather permitting.
COMMENT 382025	2013-03-06 03:01 PM
They are supposed to maintain 1000 feet above land which translates to 1400 feet from sea level on alta mesa. I have called the number so many times over the years that I have given up.
COMMENT 382028P	2013-03-06 03:08 PM
I'm just curious, but how exactly to you all expect airplanes to come down out of the sky? They have to land at some point you know. Sorry, but NO pity here. I lived for 2 years off Walnut St. and they would so close to the ground by that point that I could see the pilots! Yeah, it was loud as heck sometimes but you get used to it.
COMMENT 382128	2013-03-06 06:40 PM
I live in the Goleta Ghetto (aka Ellwood Loop) - the jet noise used to bug me....then 9-11 came...the silence that night was deafening...I promised myself then and there to never complain about the noise again. The jets mean life...people coming to visit, people going on vacation, people on business...living their lives and moving forward.
DAT WUT SHE SED	2013-03-06 07:29 PM
They fly over the Mesa every night. One always looks like it's going to fly into my living room every night.
COMMENT 382152	2013-03-06 08:40 PM
DAT WUT, you might want to take down your blinking christmas lights :)
COMMENT 382171P	2013-03-07 12:33 AM
Well, I don't like it.
MADMAX	2013-03-07 07:17 AM
The only difference of late is Frontier/US Air is flying a Airbus A319 into the airport. Larger than a regional jet is and slightly noisier than RJ's. ATC has NOT been allowing pilots to do anything differently lately. I fly 200 days a year and there have been no changes in operational procedures whatsoever.
COMMENT 382240	2013-03-07 09:20 AM
Karen Ramsdell has been lobbying for years, using our money to advertise, to enlarge the airport. She wants lots more traffic, much less GA, and she'd love to have jumbo jets scheduled here. Empire building. No one seems to mind until they realize the impact on daily quality of life. How about some uproar the next time she transparently wants to lengthen the runways for "safety", making it easier to next lengthen the actual runways (for larger jets). The move by the airlines to more regional jets has saved us in the last few years, but they may start going to larger ones when the newer models become more efficient. Beware Santa Barbara. Pay attention. Speak up; speak out.
COMMENT 382284P	2013-03-07 10:48 AM
240 do a little research before blasting Karen Ramsdell. Karen is not spendng "your" money. This was federal money given to improve many airports across the US. It was a used it or lose it thing. So why not? As for lengthening runways and making improvements that you are not liking perhaps you should attend one of the Public Workshops being held. The Airport Commission and Master Plan Board folks are there to answer your questions and get input. I think one is coming up in a few months and they do announce them on KEYT or on the airport website. So please folks before you speak up or speak out, give the process a chance. MADMAX is correct other than the Airbus nothing has changed around here. And I'm here 300+ days a year.

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