Calgary flight path changes unveiled for public input

Proposed changes to some flight paths coming into the Calgary airport were introduced by Nav Canadaat a public meeting Wednesday, but one resident says the volume of flights and the noise are already too much.

• MORE CALGARY NEWS |Calgary's 12th Street S.E. bridge replacement unveiled
• MORE CALGARY NEWS |Last person standing: What it's like when the axe falls in your office

A Nav Canada official says the Required Navigation Performance (RNP) flight paths have a number of benefits such as fuel savings but some communities could see an increase in air traffic.

"They are in neighbourhoods that already see traffic today," said Michelle Bishop, director of government and public affairs.

"The difference that people in those areas might see, (is) they might see a little bit more traffic but they might notice that the planes that are coming in tend to be a little bit quieter than the ones that were there previously."

• Nav Canada holds information sessions about proposed changes to YYC flight paths

A Signal Hill resident, however, says the current volume of flights can already be loud and disruptive so she's not looking forward to any increases.

"It is continuous," Mary Nieman said.

"You can't even stay in your garden and go out and have a cup of coffee in the summer anymore because the planes are so loud you can'thear each other."

Bishop calls RNP kind of like asouped-upGPS system that would knock 18 to 20 kilometres off a flight saving up to 200 litres of fuel.

Only certain aircraft canaccommodatethe technology, about 10 per cent currently, but the hope is to increase that to 25 per cent of flights coming in to the airport over time,Bishop said.

Wednesday's open house at Ambrose University is the first of 8 to be held through Jan. 19.