Letter: New flight plan would benefit many residents

Sunday, Jan. 22, 2006 | 10:01 a.m.

I read Jeff German's Jan. 15 column about Rep. Shelley Berkley's efforts regarding the flight path issue. I think maybe other officials have not involved themselves in this issue because they realize they have been elected to represent all of the people, not just the residents of the Lakes and Summerlin.

I live in the southwest valley where the majority of the departing planes now fly over. Several years ago when we first were looking at buying our house, a majority of the planes departed with a right turn to the north. Then, a change was made to the current procedure where most of the planes now depart with a left turn to the south, right over the southwest valley.

Returning the right turn into the procedure again will relieve us here in the southwest of some of the traffic we now have. This is a relief we welcome. Not implementing the return of the right turn departure leaves the southwest unfairly with most of the departing traffic.

The media seems to have overlooked the fact that this change is good for the people of the southwest and is only looking at it as a bad thing for the people in the northwest.

Everyone in the valley benefits from tourism. It's only fair that other parts of the valley share in accommodating the air traffic. The southwest is one of the fastest growing areas of the valley and will soon be as densely populated as Summerlin and other northwest areas.

I do hope that the other representatives and senators stay out of this issue because they represent us here in the southwest as much as they represent those in the northwest.

It's a shame we have to pit neighborhoods against neighborhoods, however there is no reason one area of the valley should have the burden of all of the air traffic.

Kathy House

Las Vegas