What are our current issues with the way that air traffic is regulated in our area?

No 1 - Noise
Not just the quality of life, but the real health concerns for the thousands and thousands of people who are located directly under the flight paths for these airports. There are millions in health care costs associated with airport noise. This is well documented in NIH studies. Generally, at least 30% of health care costs are paid for with public funds. That makes this a public health issue, as well as an economic one.

No 2 - Lead in AV Gas
These small General Aviation planes fly over our homes, schools, and communities spreading lead dust on our kids! The NIH has ruled that there is no safe level of lead. That is why lead has been banned in gas since 1970s. Yet it is still used every day for piston-engine planes across the US. This is a real concern - a recently released study has shown elevated blood levels from children living near an airport.

No 3 - Safety
With a number of accidents happening in densely populated areas across the Denver Metro region just in 2021, it is increasingly clear that safety is an issue, not only for the pilots, but for whomever or whatever happens to be in their way when they experience an in-air emergency. When flight paths are concentrated above residential areas, the risks increase greatly for people who are living in those areas.

But of course, it's more complicated than that.

Please explore our website to learn more about some of the issues affecting our communities from traffic in the skies above us.

What People are Saying

"If we don’t protect the rights of people and other creatures to quiet skies, there will be none of either."

"The noise is so bad my kids hold their ears and wince when loud jets fly over. It is very intrusive and unacceptable."

"FAA is not doing their job to protect thousands of residence having to listen to small prop planes, that are old, loud, slow, and low over our homes. Recipe for a disaster, unless something changes to allow cities, and residents to gave more control."

"First plane this morning at 5:26, second plane at 5:41 …"

"I live underneath all of these airplanes and it has gotten awful! The noise pollution goes on from before dawn to after midnight!!"

"We are exposed to too many toxins in the soil and water. Let's not add more than necessary to the air we breathe."

"I moved away from my beautiful home in Boulder due to this non stop airplane noise that did not exist when I purchased my home. The noise and lead air pollution from AvGas is a health hazard and will eventually have a negative effect on home values. Wake up Boulder!!!"

“This is a very real problem. Dangerous to health. How can we protect ourselves from being carpet-bombed by lead?”

“This is a case of the FEW seriously endangering the many. PRECISELY why we have the rule of law. Small planes need to be made much quieter, we need to ban unleaded gas, and we need rules about when and where they can fly.”

“I live under non-stop, low-flying, noisy, single-engine aircraft activity that spews lead on my community. Rocky Mountain Metro Airport is the responsible culprit with its excessive training traffic. We no longer use leaded gasoline in cars because of its polluting effects, so let’s go the next step and protect humans from documented, dangerous effects of avgas.”

“Lead is dangerous. It should not be sprayed from the sky on communities neighboring airports.”

“Lead poisoning is a concern in Centennial, Colorado, as we live near the second busiest general aviation airport in the country.”

“Please put this as a front burner concern!!! GA has morphed with unfettered growth vitally impacting my home everyday with noise, air and lead pollution.” 

“This is urgent!!!!”

"We cannot enjoy walking the trails, sitting on the porch and enjoy our beautiful backyard , or opening our windows to get fresh air because they planes are extremely noisy and can be pretty dangerous as they fly pretty low where we live. We left Moab, Utah to come and start our retirement in this peaceful and beautiful part of CO but had no idea it was going to be noisier than the tourist town of Moab. If we knew it was this bad we would have stayed in Moab and not pay so much more for our new home. There is no pleasure or sanity in living in Superior just because of the airport activities."

"I live in the flight path. I don't want to install air conditioning because of energy usage. I am in a quandary because I lose sleep due to airplane noise and it is too hot to close the windows. I miss hearing birds in the morning."

"I want my child and myself to live in a safe place."

"This needs addressing!"

"The noise pollution is significant and detracts from our quality of life."

"I live in Centennial, CO and am plagued by Centennial Airport, so I know exactly what the people in this area are going through. No one should have to deal with the insanity of these GA airports."

“Over 25 years ago, leaded automotive gasoline was banned. Even though the danger of lead has been clear for decades, actually centuries, the FAA failed to act. So, the EPA was tasked with managing this issue 10 years ago. Yet, it also failed to act. It is beyond comprehension why general aviation is allowed to spew lead, carbon, particulates and noise in this day and age of undeniable climate change and environmental inequities. Now general aviation is booming, and the combustion-engine polluting, mainly recreational desires of a few supersede everything and everyone else. The situation is a disgrace. The FAA and EPA should be ashamed."

“Lead pollution from aviation fuel is an increasing problem from Rocky Mountain Municipal Airport. They have greatly expanded the number of flights in the past two years with plans to continue expanding. There are numerous schools in the area and many families with young children who are being exposed to lead-borne pollution on a regular basis. Lead is also a source of serious health effects on birds especially eagles which have nesting spots in the area. Lead free fuel is available and should be mandated to avoid serious health effects.”

“Constant low flying air traffic over my neighborhood from before dawn until well after dark. Very concerning!”

“A complete ban on unleaded fuel is decades overdue. The lobbying dollars of the 400 aviation associations in the U.S. as well as the protection that the FAA provides to the aviation industry, are the reasons that it took 25 years after the ban on unleaded gas for automobiles to develop a suitable unleaded fuel option for piston aircraft. It will take decades more for widespread use unless it is made mandatory.”