Lexington Minuteman
Thursday, March 14, 2002

Planes get away with everything

To the editor:

The people in Chelmsford, Ayer, Townsend and Harvard are very upset and rightfully so. Their quality of life is being diminished by low-flying airplanes and by planes that are doing stunts over their homes. They are experiencing the same torture that we in Lincoln, Bedford, Lexington and Concord have endured since Massport aggressively expanded Hanscom. Flights over these rural towns are a spillover from the astonishingly busy Hanscom Field. Hanscom is the second busiest airport in New England. Enough is enough!

Because of local and state noise regulations, you cannot drive your car without a muffler, or ride a snowmobile into a populated area, or drive a power boat at full throttle too close to the coastline. But we have no control over aircraft noise, so an airplane can go anywhere, generating as much noise as its engines are capable of, and the people on the ground are powerless to do anything about it. Furthermore, if your car, snowmobile, or boat needs repairs, you have to pay the sales tax on the parts; but, thanks to a recently passed state law, there is no more sales tax on aircraft parts costing tens of thousands of dollars. And at Hanscom, there are no landing fees. Who says that there's no such thing as a free lunch?

We need to take back our towns. We cannot remain silent anymore. Flying is a privilege, not a right. Responsible limits need to be set at Hanscom — limits that are sensitive to the needs of residents and that are respectful of our towns’ rich history. Massport, commercial airlines, corporate jet owners, and private pilots must realize that these are residential areas where people have chosen to live because they value the quiet of nature. And if you fly from Hanscom, you need to know that there is a cost, and you are not the one who is paying it.

Patrick Mehr
Town Meeting member
Woodcliffe Road, Lexington

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