BURBANK AIRPORT BOARD OKS NOISE STUDY; FEDERALLY REQUIRED PART 161 REVIEW COULD BRING MANDATORY CURFEW ON NIGHT FLIGHTS.

Byline: Lee Condon Daily News Staff Writer

In another step toward ending the stalemate over the expansion of Burbank Airport, airport commissioners voted unanimously Monday to start a study that could lead to imposition of anti-noise measures, which may include a mandatory curfew on night flights.

The airport will now begin preparing the Part 161 study, which identifies ways to reduce noise from planes.

Work would begin in about 10 weeks, take a year to complete and cost about $1 million. No airport has completed the Part 161 process since it was instituted in 1990, making it unclear whether the FAA will use the study to impose a curfew.

But before work starts, officials must still resolve what role the city of Burbank will play in funding the study. And they must sort out whether individual airlines will act to avoid a federally imposed curfew by agreeing themselves to adopt a voluntary ban on flights between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. now in place.

Airport Executive Director Thomas Greer said he hoped the airport's six commercial airlines would weigh in on the curfew question before the vote.

An official of the Air Transport Association, which represents five of the six airlines, said the industry opposes the curfew.

Representatives at four of six airlines last week told the Daily News they were considering Greer's request. But Monday, officials at Southwest and United airlines said they would defer to the industry trade group.

``Because this is an industry issue we refer these matters to the ATA,'' said Kristin Nelson, a spokeswoman for Southwest Airlines, the airport's largest carrier.

Nelson said ATA officials are crafting an official response to Greer's request and said she expects it to be complete sometime next week.

Burbank officials, who have made a mandatory curfew their top condition for dropping opposition to airport expansion, last week offered to contribute $250,000 toward the cost of the study - but would not commit to accepting its findings.

On Monday, airport commissioners voted to defer Burbank's offer to subcommittees.

``If we embark on a lengthy, complicated and expensive study, we'd like the city of Burbank to agree to abide by the results of the study,'' said Gerald Briggs, an airport commissioner from Burbank.

``If it doesn't come out the way they want it to (and) they won't abide by it, then what have we accomplished?''

Burbank Mayor David Golonski said Burbank will not give up its right to fight for a curfew, even if the study leads the the Federal Aviation Administration to conclude a curfew is not warranted.

``We would never abdicate control to a federal agency,'' Golonski said. But he also told commissioners that his city supports a relocated and expanded passenger terminal - with curfews - and wants the study process to move forward quickly.

Golonski said he was ``disappointed'' that the commissioners did not accept Burbank's offer of financial help toward the study.

``We hoped our offer would be welcome and accepted,'' Golonski said.