Burbank airport noise complaints continue as officials search for solutions

BURBANK, Calif. (KABC) -- As local residents continue to complain of increased airplane noise from Hollywood Burbank Airport, aviation officials are seeking to address, and in some cases dispute, those claims.

Officials on Tuesday gave a tour of the Hollywood Burbank Airport's air traffic control tower as a task force continued to search for solutions to noise complaints.

Some local residents say they noticed the increased noise about two years ago, when the FAA changed some of its patterns and procedures for departing flights.

"The chaos started in November 2017. It is nothing short of hell," said Ben Marsh, who lives in Studio City. "It started without any forewarning, and it has been an unrelenting barrage of low-flying jets."

The Federal Aviation Administration says the number of planes in the air has increased not only in Burbank but also nationwide. But the agency says the way it handles aircraft in the immediate vicinity of BUR has not changed.

"The aircraft being used now - they're quieter, more efficient and they perform better," said airport spokesman Patrick Lammerding.

Several homeowners say they have heard more noise, more frequently in the last two years.

Lisa Carloss of UpRoar L.A. said, "It's not just the rumble of a jet. It at times is the rumble of a jet every 60 seconds."

The FAA says the switch to a satellite-based air-traffic control system would improve airspace efficiency, reduce flight delays and save fuel.

"We have not changed how we handle aircraft in the immediate airport environment," said FAA spokesman Ian Gregor. "That's, I think, a community misconception that we really want to clear up."