Editor,

As I confessed to my friend Heidi Hoelting in a phone message today, I am one of those small airplane pilots who is guilty of making noise as I fly in and out of Langley Airpark on Crawford Road. I am a flight instructor who has taught folks to fly from our local airport for over a decade and fly frequently myself. I pointed out to her that the rest of the Federal Aviation Administration regulations on required altitudes partially cited in her letter states “…except when an aircraft is maneuvering to land or take off.” I admit that, depending on the wind, I sometimes fly over her house at less that 1000 feet when I am taking off or landing.

I must also admit that when I hear airplane noise overhead on South Whidbey I also hear the sound of cash registers making money for us merchants. Over more than 10 years of having a shop in Langley, on multiple occasions I have delivered purchases to customers who chose to fly to Langley rather than wait in a ferry line. We also keep “courtesy bicycles” at the airport to facilitate folks coming into Langley or Bayview. More importantly, Gary and Beth Smith’s wonderful Mukilteo Coffee Roasters cafe has become a favorite flying destination for small airplane pilots from all over the region; they can fly to our airport, park their plane and walk 100 yards for a meal. If there is an increase in summertime airplane noise here, that means there is an increase in merchants’ income.

Sorry about the noise.

FRED LUNDAHL

Langley