Avella Will Meet with FAA to Discuss Airplane Noise in Bayside

State Sen. Tony Avella said he is in the process of setting up a meeting with the Federal Aviation Administration to discuss a new route from LaGuardia Airport that has been disturbing Bayside residents.

The senator said his office began receiving complaints from residents who live on Bell Boulevard, Northern Boulevard and 43rd Avenue earlier this month.

“The FAA is testing a new departure procedure, which is accounting for the noise,” Avella, D-Bayside, said. “If they think it’s fine, then there will be this noise permanently. I know that on the weekend, the FAA has different departures, so every once in a while you’ll get an over-flight. But the complaints have been that this is going on every day.”

The senator said the FAA has agreed to meet with him to discuss the route.

Susan Seinfeld, district manager for , said the route was being tested for six months. The board has also been receiving complaints from Bayside residents in recent weeks.

The FAA could not be reached for comment.

"The flight plan they put into effect 10 years ago came down Northern Boulevard and took a left over Little Neck Bay," said Frank Skala, a CB 11 member and president of the East Bayside Homeowners Association. "Now, they appear to be making a left turn over the Clearview Expressway. It is much more audible to people here now."

Avella said one of his concerns about the route is that northeast Queens had not been notified about it.

“Nobody knows they are considering this,” he said. “Where’s the outreach? They told me they expected public comments while this test is going on. But if nobody knows about it, then how can they complain?”