HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-11-16-HFAC-min
Hanscom Field Advisory Commission
Minutes – 16 November 2021
Prepared by Massport Staff
Video of HFAC Meeting can be found on the BEDFORD TV YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpGZoHgJ7H08Lcm7aj90Gfw
• Call to Order: HFAC Chairman Christopher Eliot called the meeting to order at 7:01pm
• Announcements:
o Chairman Eliot recording HFAC Meeting; welcomed all to 16 Nov meeting pursuant to Chapter 20 of Acts of 2021
• Suggested to Chairman Eliot that he start each meeting with a brief description of the purpose of HFAC
o HFAC is advisory commission; can only request information, provide constructive criticism, address concerns
o Doesn’t approve anything except the minutes, while trying to provide forum for education and exchange of
information to help people affected by Hanscom Field
• Chairman Eliot is hoping the Airnoise inventor will come and speak at the February HFAC meeting
• Michael Lynch sent Chairman Eliot Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initiatives
o First is $100 million project to help develop technologies that reduce fuel use emissions and noise
o Second is $4.3 billion for new and ongoing funding opportunities to support sustainable aviation fuel projects
• Many Lexington residents raised questions about regional military exercise on 28 October
• FAA approved avgas developed by General Aviation Modifications Inc. (GAMI) for certain piston engine models
o Thomas Hirsch added there are still some requirements before it is able to be used in aircraft
• Minutes: The November 2021 Meeting Minutes were reviewed for approval
• The November 2021 Meeting Minutes were approved unanimously pending the following amendments:
o Margaret Coppe asked to add the names of the State Representatives in the Announcements section
o Change “less” to “more” Cargo or Scheduled Commercial Passenger Services section
• Monthly Noise Reports: Amber Goodspeed presented the October Report and noted that:
In October 2021 as compared to October 2020:
• 7am - 11pm operations increased 24.5% in October 2021
• Singles (including touch and goes) increased 8.9% in October 2021, Turbo activity increased 50.0%
• Jet operations increased 65.0% in October 2021
• Helicopter activity increased 4.1% in October 2021
• Night Operations (11pm-7am) increased from 170 in October 2020 to 233 in October 2021
• Calendar year to date operations are down 5.2% in 2021 compared to 2019
• Margaret Coppe asked about the difference between MobileVue and PublicVue; both are online reporting
• Amber Goodspeed noted in 2020 was lowest in terms of operations and noise ever recorded by Massport
• Amber Goodspeed confirmed for Thomas Hirsch that all noise monitors are new and reporting 100% of time
• Capital Programs and Third Party Development Reports: Amber Goodspeed presented the Capital Programs and
Third Party Development reports and noted that:
• Ross Aviation Notice of Intent (NOI) was issued by the Concord Natural Resources Commission in November
• Responses to North Airfield RFP questions were posted to Bid Express and bid close date moved to 09 December
• Taxiway November rehabilitation project completed; Massport did not receive complainants about the project
• Agenda Items: Topics discussed on published agenda:
• Discussion of ESPR Chapter 6: Regional Transportation
o Chairman Eliot summarized Chapter 6 discusses impact of Hanscom Field on the local ground transportation
network. Hanscom Field traffic flows are substantially non-peak hours and the volume is low compared with
other sources. Generally, Hanscom Field contributes less than 10% of automobile traffic in the area.
o Emily Mitchell noted very little about proposed traffic that would result from the North Airfield project in 2017
ESPR but expecting there to be more emphasis in the 2022 ESPR
o Margaret Coppe would like to see impact of new reconstruction for 2A bridge that goes across 128 included
• No substantive changes to Zoom protocols post Covid
• Citizen Comments: Citizens commented on and/or asked about the following topics:
• Heather Patterson thought it odd to receive noise complaint reports stating she should be expecting the noise from
aircraft because she lives within 300 meters of the airport
• Chris Boles questioned analysis for the increase of noise complaints by querying the participation in flight schools
and national trend for single engine piston aircraft and personal flying for recreational purposes
o Amber Goodspeed posted the link for the annual FAA study showing trends for General Aviation
• Jenifer Boles had two comments on the North Airfield project
o 30 acres planned for development was used for affordable housing from 1961 to 2009
o Areas on airfield where crystal and bedrock that underlies the airfield comes to surface; protects the groundwater
• Cargo or Scheduled Commercial Passenger Services
• Amber Goodspeed responded there were no requests for scheduled passenger or cargo operations
• Emily Mitchell asked additional question, “To the best of your knowledge, have there been any new carriers
offering on demand charter service on a regular basis?”
o Amber Goodspeed stated not to her knowledge, but on demand charter is not required to request permission and
regularly operates at Hanscom Field
• Thomas Hirsch asked about report of the enplanements
o Amber Goodspeed stated enplanement reporting is voluntary and 2021 data will not be available till late 2022
o Amber Goodspeed defined an enplanement as a passenger originating a flight at Hanscom Field.
• Margaret Coppe asked about required enplanement numbers to garner FAA funding
• Other Business: The proposed date for the next HFAC meeting is 21 December 2021 at 7:00 p.m.
o Potential presentation of Annual Noise Report by Massport in December HFAC meeting
o Discussion of Chapter 7 of the ESPR will take place during the January HFAC meeting
• Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 7:57 p.m.
Attendees: Christopher Eliot, Margaret Coppe, Mark Giddings, Thomas Hirsch, Emily Mitchell, Amber Goodspeed,
Michael Vatalaro, Mark Wimmer, Kay Cory Aubrey, Chris Boles, Jennifer Boles, Lexie Marshall, Heather Patterson,
Mike Rosenberg and Devan Wiebe.