The County of San Mateo, which owns San Carlos Airport (KSQL) and Half Moon Bay Airport (KHAF) in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, has launched its Friendly Approach Program.
The new program is designed to inform the community about aircraft noise management efforts, while engaging with pilots about how they can minimize their aircraft noise footprint, according to county officials.
A new website, FlySMCFriendly.com, highlights the important contributions of both airports, as well as the airports’ efforts to minimize impacts on neighboring communities, officials noted.
The website includes informational videos for pilots and the public, noise comment statistics and reports, frequently asked questions, a portal to an online noise comment form, and the airport’s noise comment hotline.
The site also shares stories, via a community newsletter, of those who benefit from the airports’ operations, including through flight training and other aviation careers, public safety response, and the on-airport events and activities open to the community.
“We are proud of the San Carlos and Half Moon Bay airports’ contributions to our Bay Area communities and economy, but we also recognize that people perceive aircraft movement and noise in a variety of ways,” said Interim Deputy Director of Public Works Gretchen Kelly. “The Friendly Approach Program is a warm and welcoming community resource which, via the FlySMCFriendly.com website, explains the airports’ operations, developments, activities, and reasons for specific aircraft flights, while also providing a forum for our bayside and coastal residents to share their feedback, both positive and constructive.”
KSQL contributes several million dollars annually to the local economy and local school districts, creates 300 jobs, and welcomes 100,000 visitors each year to the on-site Hiller Aviation Museum, county officials noted.
KHAF provides first-responder access to the coast, and is a destination for both recreational pilots and other visitors to the coastline and many other nearby attractions.
Both airports support a variety of emergency, public safety, and public-utility aircraft and helicopters, either as a home base, or for fueling, maintenance, and other essential needs. They are also home to flight training centers that support the Bay Area’s thriving aviation industry, officials noted.
For more information: FlySMCFriendly.com
