Residents push back against flight noise coming from Hollywood Burbank, Van Nuys airports

BURBANK, Calif. (KABC) -- The Federal Aviation Administration changed patterns for departing flights from Hollywood Burbank and Van Nuys airports more than two years ago.

Since then, San Fernando Valley residents have been complaining about noise.

They hoped a joint task force meeting Wednesday would begin to solve the problem.

One resident, Christine Kim, let the FAA and other elected officials know what life is like in her community, having recorded planes flying over her home. She calls the noise an "assault."

"That was eight planes in 24 minutes over Stone Canyon," Kim said during the meeting.

"Nobody should have to live in this situation. You've taken away the livability of our homes," Kim added.

She was one of more than 70 people speaking at the first meeting of the joint task force formed by Hollywood Burbank and Van Nuys airports to try to come up with solutions to noise complaints.

More than 200 people attended the meeting.

At Elizabeth Gindroz's Studio City house, aircraft overhead interrupt playtime with her daughter.

Gindroz and others blames the increased noise on the FAA changing flight paths.

The FAA says the switch to a satellite-based air traffic control system would improve airspace efficiency, reduce flight delays and save fuel. Burbank Hollywood Airport says it's not clear if that's to blame, but an analyst will look into it.

"The analysis portion will let us know what, if anything, has changed and why those changes have occurred," said Patrick Lammerding, a spokesman of the task force said.

Many residents called on the FAA to go back to the way it was.

The FAA says it has not ruled out the possibility of change and remains open to ideas.

"We are very much interested in listening to them," said Raquel Girvin, regional administrator for the FAA's Western-Pacific Region. "We will work with them in terms of looking at the feasibility of what they propose."