For residents living in parts of central Phoenix and Laveen, aircraft noise coming in and out of Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport has been the new normal since the Federal Aviation Administration changed the flight paths in 2014.
Many residents have been filing noise complaints using a smartphone app that was launched earlier this month. As a result, the number of complaints has more than doubled compared to last year.
The app, which was launched by the city’s aviation department, is yet another tool in the arsenal of residents who want to express their anger to federal officials. But what makes the app different than say, the phone or a website, is that in a few steps, a resident can file complaint after complaint — and it can be about a singular event: Like an airplane roaring overhead.
"That might seem ridiculous but that is actually valuable data to us because it gives us some sense of how emotional was the reaction of this particular flight on this particular day this particular moment," said Jordan Feld, who is with the city's aviation department.
He said his agency has received almost 4,000 complaints through the app. Another 1,000 complaints have been filed via phone or the Website. Last year at this time, Feld said they were around the 2,000 mark.
