COMPLAINTS AIRED; VAN NUYS AIRPORT CRITICS SOUND OFF.

Byline: Lisa Van Proyen Staff Writer

Hundreds of neighbors living around Van Nuys Airport gathered at a town hall meeting Saturday to air years-old complaints about roaring jets and helicopter noise.

Residents at the three-hour listening session with Federal Aviation Administration officials said they hoped their words did not fall on deaf ears.

``I got the sense that they were willing to listen and taking notes. They had the whole FAA staff there,'' said Gerald Silver, president of Homeowners of Encino.

About 200 people whose homes are near the busiest general aviation airport in the world showed up at Reseda High School's gym Saturday morning to speak with William Withycombe, the FAA's regional administrator for the Western-Pacific Division.

The complaints ranged from the barrage of daily low-flying helicopters to older jets so noisy that they drown out phone conversations inside homes.

The common complaint targeted the numerous media helicopters that depart the airport in pre-dawn hours for traffic reports.

``In my house, many miles away from the airport, I don't need an alarm clock because I've got the helicopters to wake me up everyday,'' said Tony Lucente, president of the Studio City Residents Association.

FAA officials assured residents that they are working on solutions.

The FAA recently formed a Southern California Noise Abatement task force to work with the Van Nuys citizens on curtailing excessive aircraft noise.

Some of the proposed solutions include imposing higher minimum altitude levels for helicopters to fly at, developing a new jet departure path over fewer homes, and approving a code to better track helicopter operators who are not following flight rules.

``We are interested in creating the best environment that we can for the community,'' Withycombe said.

Other proposals at the meeting included shifting air traffic to the airport in Palmdale and creating a media pool in which one reporter would cover traffic news in one helicopter.

And many residents said they want the older, noisier aircraft phased out of the airport.

But Jim Stewart, a member of the Van Nuys Airport Citizens Advisory Council, was one of the few to argue that in eliminating the noisy aircraft, the San Fernando Valley will suffer economically.

``To ban them from Van Nuys and no where else would hurt us. . . . It'll put business elsewhere. This is just one more thing to say to businesses: `We don't want you in Los Angeles,' '' Stewart said, saying he was speaking for himself and not the full advisory council.

Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Woodland Hills, organized the meeting to gain the FAA's support on proposals to alleviate noise.

``It will be very tough to pass legislation because we will be up against a free-skies type of movement and we will need support,'' Sherman said after the meeting. ``We want a balance that favors the residents as much as the industry.''

Those residents who want to report an aircraft noise complaint in Van Nuys can do so by calling a 24-hour recorded line at [phone].

FAA officials also urged residents to contact their office at [phone].

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PHOTO State Sen. Tom Hayden, D-Los Angeles, speaks at Saturday's town hall meeting on noise at Van Nuys Airport. About 200 attended.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News