Noise Pollution

So far as I can tell, airplane noise isn't a big complaint in Berkeley. In normal weather, flights coming into the Oakland Airport approach from the south, which puts a major portion of their approach over the Bay. When it's stormy weather, flights approach from the north, which has them coming over Berkeley and Oakland.

It is really only during rainy weather that airplane noise is a problem. During the rain, planes are routed over the Berkeley, Kensington, El Cerrito hills. Apparently this route is safer for the plane when there is low visibility due to cloud cover.

My understanding is that the planes are only routed over Berkeley when it is overcast and/ or raining. The noise has never been a problem for me personally,

but I am definitely uncomfortable with the idea of jet fuel in the atmosphere and the possible environmental and health impact. I have been wondering if the Berkeley/ Kensington area residents have a say in this and if we could prevent the FAA from forcing this on us. I would be interested to hear what other people think. Thanks!

I've lived in Southwest Berkeley for almost two years now, and I've never noticed the plane noise as you've described. 

I've lived in southeast Berkeley more than 30 years and have not ever noticed airplane noise. When I look up at the sky I sometimes see tiny silver airliners way, way up there, much too far away to hear.  Have never seen small planes over Berkeley.  I do hear helicopters occasionally. Many times over the years I've flown in and out of the Bay Area. Inbound planes to both Oakland and SFO approach from the south, not over the East Bay.  Outbound planes head west toward the Pacific first, and then circle back once they reach cruising heights.  So I'm not sure where your information is coming from. 

I'm sure you will get plenty of feedback on this from specific Berkeley neighbors but the answer is it depends.  Where is the house?  What is the elevation?  What is the weather (flight patterns shift in storms)?  And which airport is the troublemaker?  

There is also the follow-up question: Where isn't there significant airplane noise now?

Several East Bay communities have recently submitted (or are very close to submitting) formal requests to the FAA to review specific flight path changes proposed in light of the recent NextGen implementation in Northern California Metroplex (SFO, OAK, SJC, and SAC).  These recommendations are the product of much coordination between various community action groups (such as CLASS in Alameda) and city councils, as well as support from Rep. Lee.  Cities involved include Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, San Leandro, Hayward, and others.

The FAA Regional Director has, from what I can gather, been open to suggestions on certain changes but the new flight paths impacting Oakland and Berkeley most will, unfortunately, be most difficult to alter.   

Some reading on the various proposals can be found here but I'm not certain they are the latest and greatest: http://www.classalameda.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Proposals-Presen…

I've noticed more of a problem in the last month or so. I was assuming it was because of the rains/low cloud cover. I'm interested to see what other posters know. Overall it doesn't really impact our life, though I've been debating about whether I should close the bedroom window at night.

I have a 21-month old who notices every single plane and drops everything to point at them, and I can say that the frequency or sound of the planes has never bothered me.

Funny. We lived in North Berkeley for 14 years, and I never really noticed airplane noise and considered it a rather peaceful neighborhood.  My in-laws used to visit from a bucolic little town on Long Island, my mother from a small college town in the South, and a brother from Minnesota, and each one of them used to say, "Man, how do you stand the airplane noise around here?  It sounds as if they are going to land on your house!" So, yeah......Scary what we humans can get used to.

We live on the crest of the hill near the intersection of Euclid and Grizzly Peak, and, yes, it has gotten noisier of late.  It's not that noticeable except for the occasional early morning flight that makes you hope it's not going to crash into anything since it sounds so close. My understanding is that flight patterns have changed, and we're sharing the burden with folks who have had more flights going over them in the past.  Can't say that I feel unfairly treated.  We all get the benefits of airplanes, and the burdens need to be spread out as well.