Neighbors oppose instrument system at NLV Airport

Dan Kulin

Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2002 | 9:02 a.m.

A neighborhood association and environmental group have formally opposed the installation of a system at the North Las Vegas Airport that helps pilots land in bad weather, saying the potential 20 percent increase in flights would significantly add to the noise in the area.

While an instrument landing system at the airport would probably be needed only a few times a year for bad weather, a Federal Aviation Administration report says the system would be used often for training.

That use could lead to 50,000 more takeoffs and landings annually, the draft FAA report says, compared with about 220,000 projected takeoffs and landing this year.

The FAA received six comments on its draft environmental assessment report on the proposal, four of which did not raise objections. The draft report concluded the addition of the system would have no significant impact on the area.

If the final environmental assessment report comes to the same conclusion, and the report is approved by the FAA's regional administrator, installation of the system can begin.

FAA spokesman Jerry Snyder said Monday he "did not see anything that would stop the project" among the comments. He expects the final report to confirm the draft report's conclusion, but characterized his assessment as an "educated guess."

Northwest Area Residents Association President Paul Von Rueden wrote that he disagrees with the FAA's conclusion that no significant impact would come with the increased flights expected to accompany installation of the system.

"We would like to suggest that the (instrument landing system) be located at the Henderson airport, since it would be far less likely to impact as many homes if any at all," the association's letter to the FAA says. The group represents about 700 homeowners north of the airport.

County officials ruled out the Henderson airport because of air space problems with McCarran International Airport.

The association's letter did not raise any new issues.

A letter from Nevada Environmental Coalition President Robert Hall said the FAA did not adequately assess the effect additional flights would have on noise and air quality. Also the FAA did not try hard enough to get public comment, he said.

Installation of the instrument landing system would include construction of a 50-foot antenna near a runway and could begin in April, North Las Vegas Airport Manager Duane Busch has said. The $500,000 system could be operating by September.

The system works by relaying information about an approaching plane's alignment with the runway into the cockpit, which enables the pilot to land the plane when visibility is poor.