Excessive South Whidbey aircraft flybys leave Island residents retracted indoors for Island tranquility
WHIDBEY ISLAND, WA – Out of the clear blue sky, little more than a year ago near the start of 2016, a large number of aircraft of all sorts and variety (mostly small) started flying low over the northern portion of South Whidbey near ‘Sandy Point,’ This happened once before a few years back but lasted only the summer – no more than six months or so.
From virtually no flyby’s on the south end of ‘The Island’ for several years in a row since 2000, to averaging 30 plus planes a day (Dec 2016-May 2017) for the last 16 months straight is a buzz-kill to say the least. The acoustic engine noise is relentless, making it impossible to go outside or open a window without being relentlessly buzzed by low flying aircraft.
Particularly on days plane counts exceeds 80, representing a plane every 7 minutes on average over the course of a twelve hour day (figuring average flyby time is at least a couple minutes) for a heart-pounding total 2hrs-40min (160 minutes) buzz time on the heaviest traffic days.
How the hell, have local residents, mostly persnickety Jews in million dollar homes, not already complained on an Island touted for its serenity and quietude. What does this do to real estate values – similar to living next to an airport?
Palpably uncharacteristic understates this scenario. Whereby South Whidbey Island, home to generally fastidious Jews, is now producing audible airplane noise at unrelenting acoustic levels comparable to small airports, which multiple studies claim living next to can take up to 20-years off your life through the damage it causes the heart, not to mention the psychological well-being of children.
- Living Near an Airport Could be Bad for Your Heart
- Exposure to aircraft noise may increase risk of hospitalization for heart problems
- Airport Noise Can Seriously Affect The Health And Psychological Well-Being Of Children
- Health Effects of Airport Noise and Pollution
- Health Consequences of Aircraft Noise
- Health effects from Noise – Wikipedia
How is it then, thirty-planes-a-day-average, flying low overhead on South Whidbey, all day, cannot be heard?
Are south end residents just plane deaf?
Below are documented flybys over the last 11 months that began around mid December of 2016 over South Whidbey Island near Sandy Point:
Date/flybys
April 30, 2017 / 30
April 29, 2017 /40
April 28, 2017 /50
April 27, 2017 /10
April 26, 2017 /25
April 25, 2017 /20
April 24, 2017 /35
April 23, 2017 /20
April 22, 2017 /15
April 21, 2017 /60
April 20, 2017 /20
April 19, 2017 /25
April 18, 2017 /20
April 17, 2017 /20
April 16, 2017 /55
April 15, 2017 /50
April 14, 2017 /40
April 13, 2017 /50
April 12, 2017 /35
April 11, 2017 /35
April 10, 2017 /20
April 09, 2017 /45
April 08, 2017 /35
April 07, 2017 /15
April 06, 2017 /35
April 05, 2017 /20
April 04, 2017 /25
April 03, 2017 /25
April 02, 2017 /35
April 01, 2017 /35
March 31, 2017 /55
March 30, 2017 /45
March 29, 2017 /15
March 28, 2017 /20
March 27, 2017 /30
March 26, 2017 /20
March 25, 2017 /40
March 24, 2017 /25
March 23, 2017 /40
March 22, 2017 /20
March 21, 2017 /40
March 20, 2017 /20
March 19, 2017 /35
March 18, 2017 /60
March 17, 2017 /15
March 16, 2017 /50
March 15, 2017 /25
March 14, 2017 /25
March 13, 2017 /15
March 12, 2017 /50
March 11, 2017 /15
March 10, 2017 /25
March 09, 2017 /35
March 08, 2017 /35
March 07, 2017 /15
March 06, 2017 /35
March 05, 2017 /15
March 04, 2017 /25
March 03, 2017 /30
March 02, 2017 /55
March 01, 2017 /40
February 28, 2017 /35
February 27, 2017 /*
February 26, 2017 /20
February 25, 2017 /30
February 24, 2017 /60
February 23, 2017 /45
February 22, 2017 /40
February 21, 2017 /45
February 2 0, 2017 /40
February 19, 2017 /35
February 18, 2017 /50
February 17, 2017 /55
February 16, 2017 /60
February 15, 2017 /*
February 14, 2017 /65
February 13, 2017 /55
February 12, 2017 /70
February 11, 2017 /85
February 10, 2017 /40
February 09, 2017 /30
February 08, 2017 /15
February 07, 2017 /20
February 06, 2017 /15
February 05, 2017 /25
February 04, 2017 /25
February 03, 2017 /20
February 02, 2017 /35
February 01, 2017 /20
January 31, 2017 /70
January 30, 2017 /45
January 29, 2017 /20
January 28, 2017 /15
January 27, 2017 /60
January 26, 2017 /50
January 25, 2017 /35
January 24 2017 /45
January 23, 2017 /50
January 22, 2017 /35
January 21, 2017 /55
January 20, 2017 /25
January 19, 2017 /15
January 18, 2017 /30
January 17, 2017 /45
January 16, 2017 /35
January 15, 2017 /65
January 14, 2017 /35
January 13, 2017 /55
January 12, 2017 /60
January 11, 2017 /65
January 10, 2017 /60
January 09, 2017 /25
January 08, 2017 /15
January 07, 2017 /25
January 06, 2017 /20
January 05, 2017 /45
January 04, 2017 /35
January 03, 2017 /15
January 02, 2017 /65
January 01, 2017 /15
December 31, 2016 /10
December 30, 2016 /45
December 29, 2016 /10
December 28, 2016 /50
December 27, 2016 /25
December 26, 2016 /45
December 25, 2016 /10
December 24, 2016 /15
December 23, 2016 /15
December 22, 2016 /20
December 21, 2016 /50
December 20, 2016 /20
December 19, 2016 /20
December 18, 2016 /20
December 17, 2016 /20
December 16, 2016 /25
December 15, 2016 /20
December 14, 2016 /*
December 13, 2016 /*
December 12, 2016 /*
December 11, 2016 /*
December 10, 2016 /*
December 09, 2016 /*
December 08, 2016 /*
December 07, 2016 /*
December 06, 2016 /*
December 05, 2016 /*
December 04, 2016 /*
December 03, 2016 /*
December 02, 2016 /*
December 01, 2016 /15
November 30, 2016 /15
November 29, 2016 /*
November 28, 2016 /40
November 27, 2016 /*
November 26, 2016 /*
November 25, 2016 /*
November 24, 2016 /*
November 23, 2016 /*
November 22, 2016 /40
November 21, 2016 /*
November 20, 2016 /*
November 19, 2016 /*
November 18, 2016 /*
November 17, 2016 /35
November 16, 2016 /*
November 15, 2016 /*
November 14, 2016 /*
November 13, 2016 /*
November 12, 2016 /*
November 11, 2016 /*
November 10, 2016 /10
November 09, 2016 /5
November 08, 2016 /15
November 07, 2016 /15
November 06, 2016 /*
November 05, 2016 /*
November 04, 2016 /*
November 03, 2016 /*
November 02, 2016 /
November 01, 2016 /15
October 31, 2016 /*
October 30, 2016 /50
October 29, 2016 /30
October 28, 2016 /35
October 27, 2016 /30
October 26, 2016 /*
October 25, 2016 /*
October 24, 2016 /15
October 23, 2016 /30
October 22, 2016 /50
October 21, 2016 /15
October 20, 2016 /20
October 19, 2016 /20
October 18, 2016 /30
October 17, 2016 /15
October 16, 2016 /20
October 15, 2016 /30
October 14, 2016 /25
October 13, 2016 /30
October 12, 2016 /25
October 11, 2016 /35
October 10, 2016 /25
October 09, 2016 /35
October 08, 2016 /50
October 07, 2016 /40
October 06, 2016 /35
October 05, 2016 /20
October 04, 2016 /45
October 03, 2016 /65
October 02, 2016 /20
October 01, 2016 /20
September 30, 2016 /15
September 29, 2016 /10
September 28, 2016 /15
September 27, 2016 /45
September 26, 2016 /15
September 25, 2016 /10
September 24, 2016 /45
September 23, 2016 /40
September 22, 2016 /35
September 21, 2016 /40
September 20, 2016 /30
September 19, 2016 /25
September 18, 2016 /20
September 17, 2016 /30
September 16, 2016 /45
September 15, 2016 /35
September 14, 2016 /30
September 13, 2016 /20
September 12, 2016 /30
September 11, 2016 /40
September 10, 2016 /35
September 09, 2016 /40
September 08, 2016 /50
September 07, 2016 /10
September 06, 2016 /35
September 05, 2016 /70
September 04, 2016 /80
September 03, 2016 /40
September 02, 2016 /40
September 01, 2016 /55
August 31, 2016 /5
August 30, 2016 /10
August 29, 2016 /30
August 28, 2016 /25
August 27, 2016 /30
August 26, 2016 /20
August 25, 2016 /20
August 24, 2016 /80
August 23, 2016 /60
August 22, 2016 /60
August 21, 2016 /70
August 20, 2016 /50
August 19, 2016 /60
August 18, 2016 /70
August 17, 2016 /80
August 16, 2016 /40
August 15, 2016 /50
August 14, 2016 /60
August 13, 2016 /50
August 12, 2016 /60
August 11, 2016 /40
August 10, 2016 /80
August 09, 2016 /40
August 08, 2016 /80
August 07, 2016 /60
August 06, 2016 /80
August 05, 2016 /50
August 04, 2016 /80
August 03, 2016 /25
August 02, 2016 /50
August 01, 2016 /60
July 31, 2016 /40
July 30, 2016 /50
July 29, 2016 /50
July 28, 2016 /50
July 27, 2016 /80
July 26, 2016 /20
July25, 2016 /50
July 24, 2016 /70
July 23, 2016 /80
July 22, 2016 /80
July 21, 2016 /70
July 20, 2016 /80
July 19, 2016 /45
July 18, 2016 /20
July 17, 2016 /40
July 16, 2016 /*
July 15, 2016 /70
July 14, 2016 /10
July 13, 2016 /40
July 12, 2016 /50
July 11, 2016 /20
July 10, 2016 /55
July 09, 2016 /65
July 08, 2016 /*
July 07, 2016 /60
July 06, 2016 /60
July 05, 2016 /25
July 04, 2016 /20
July 03, 2016 /35
July 02, 2016 /25
July 01, 2016 /20
June 30, 2016 /45
June 29, 2016 /45
June 28, 2016 /10
June 27, 2016 /40
June 26, 2016 /10
June 15, 2016 /25
June 24, 2016 /25
June 23, 2016 /35
June 22, 2016 /85
June 21, 2016 /30
June 20, 2016 /25
June 19, 2016 /85
June 18, 2016 /30
June 17, 2016 /30
June 16, 2016 /80
June 15, 2016 /50
June 14, 2016 /15
June 13, 2016 /10
June 12, 2016 /75
June 11, 2016 /30
June 10, 2016 /30
June 09, 2016 /*
June 08, 2016 /*
June 07, 2016 /*
June 06, 2016 /*
June 05, 2016 /*
June 04, 2016 /*
June 03, 2016 /*
June 02, 2016 /*
June 01, 2016 /*
Start of documented flybys which began around mid December of 2016 (rounded).
* Days not recorded
A Man for All Seasons
I had a plane(s) flying circles around my hood-Skatchet Head/Cultus Bay area, all day long for a year or more. I had a 24 hour, 2 year long headache of varying intensity during that time period as well. Single engine Cessna types. As soon as one would leave, another would come on station. Low passes by military choppers not uncommon.
Even neighborhood folks were commenting on incredible amounts of air traffic. Around Dec-March of the year of 2016/2017 an inordinate amount NAS planes were overhead on extreme south end for a few months. The 5 year 24/7 ringing/tones in my ears STOPPED in that time period. What was strange is that we have the occasional pass of an NAS jet every so often, but not all day/night long! Been living here since 04′ & have never seen that much air traffic. It toned down around late Feb/March of 2017.
A Chinook made a 150-175 foot pass directly over home @ the beginning of my targeting ordeal in 2012…Plenty of other smaller helo’s as well.