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US Appeals Court To Hear Oral Arguments In FAA Flight Path Lawsuit

More than two years have passed since the Federal Aviation Administration changed the flight paths in and out of Sky Harbor.

Since then, the City of Phoenix and some of its historic neighborhoods have sued the FAA. It’s been a slow process, but things are moving forward.

When the FAA implemented its satellite based navigation system, called Next Gen, it was supposed to improve safety and efficiency by altering arrival and departure procedures. 

Instead, the changes led to increased noise levels for residents living in central Phoenix and other parts of the Valley. Residents and the city wanted the FAA to revert back to the original flight paths, so they each sued.

The U.S. Court of Appeals has now scheduled oral arguments for March 17. The court will hear both lawsuits.

KJZZ senior field correspondent Kathy Ritchie has 20 years of experience reporting and writing stories for national and local media outlets — nearly a decade of it has been spent in public media.