Airport considers new path for departing flights

Monday, March 9, 1998 | 8:48 a.m.

The proposed Steamboat Departure Procedure would move planes slightly eastward when they take off to the south. They would fly over more commercial areas and away from residential neighborhoods.

Reno Air pilots tested the route in August and October.

"It made a huge difference," said South Hills resident Peg O'Malley. "It really cut the noise while they were using it."

The Airport Noise Advisory Panel was to meet tonight to take public comments on the proposal.

But officials add that any proposal would have to pass muster with the Federal Aviation Administration, which has some concerns, said Dan Simich, operations director for the Washoe County Airport Authority.

For one thing, small private planes approach the airport from the east side of the valley, and the FAA wants to ensure those plane's don't cross paths with jets using the new departure route.

Secondly, the new route may complicate pilots' emergency plans in the event of an engine failure.

"If you add another procedure, that's one more thing for pilots to do," Simich said.

Even if the route is approved, the decision on whether to use it will be left up to pilots, he said.

"A pilot can overrule it because of wind, high load, a hot day, lots of turbulence or he doesn't want to upset the passengers by adding turns," Simich said. "It's really going to be at the pilot's discretion as it is with anything."