HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-12-21-HFAC-min
Hanscom Field Advisory Commission
Minutes – 21 December 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 7:03pm
• Announcements:
• Chairman Eliot recording HFAC Meeting; welcomed all to 21 Dec meeting pursuant to Chapter 20 of Acts of 2021
• Chairman Eliot started meeting with a brief description of the purpose of HFAC
o HFAC purpose is primarily information sharing to people near Hanscom Field
• Chairman Eliot gave link to track Santa
• Chairman Eliot confirmed the Airnoise inventor will speak at the February HFAC meeting
• Barbara Katzenberg asked for EXP explanation; Amber Goodspeed explained EXP is average noise exposure
modeling tool from flight tracks that measures the changes in noise exposure
o Thomas Hirsch added values are not acoustic decibels but calculated values
• Minutes: The November 2021 Meeting Minutes were reviewed for approval
• The November 2021 Meeting Minutes were approved unanimously pending the following amendments:
o Barbara Katzenberg pointed out that it should state “October” instead of “November in the Minutes section
o Margaret Coppe asked to add answer to question in Cargo or Scheduled Commercial Passenger Services section
• 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?”
o Amber Goodspeed stated there has not been any interest as far as she was aware; no one is required to ask
Massport for permission to run general aviation services since Hanscom Field is general aviation airport
• Emily Mitchell also asked about Connect Air headquartered at Hanscom Field; do not fly in or out of BED
• Monthly Noise Reports: Amber Goodspeed presented the November Report and noted that:
In November 2021 as compared to November 2020:
• 7am - 11pm operations increased 18.3% in November 2021
• Singles (including touch and goes) increased 0.4% in November 2021
• Turbo activity increased 48.0% in November 2021
• Jet operations increased 63.1% in November 2021
• Helicopter activity increased 5.3% in November 2021
• Night Operations (11pm-7am) increased from 123 in November 2020 to 208 in November 2021
• Calendar year to date operations are down 4.0% in 2021 compared to 2019
• Margaret Coppe would like to see a percentage change shown for Night Activity added
• Emily Mitchell highlighted that even if discount residents making bulk of complaints, she is still alarmed at total
• Barbara Katzenberg requested a footnote to explain EXP added to report
o Thomas Hirsch posted in the chat a cut and pasted excerpt from the ESPR as an example
• Capital Programs and Third Party Development Reports: Amber Goodspeed presented the Capital Programs and
Third Party Development reports and noted that:
• Bid close date was 20 December for the North Airfield RFP; proposals under review through January
• Working on appraisals for the land swap around the former Navy hangar; expected to be completed in winter 2022
• Bid documents for construction of relocated T-Hangars in 2022 have been issued; permitting is in progress
o Emily Mitchell queried about general timeline; Amber Goodspeed would inquire
• Pavement maintenance will be performed on Taxiway R during the summer of 2022; not full rehabilitation
o Emily Mitchell requested to see map view of Taxiway R; asked about crack sealing operations and trucks
• Agenda Items: Topics discussed on published agenda:
• No substantive changes to Zoom protocols post Covid
o Emily Mitchell informed that the State is still allowing virtual meetings through 1 April; expectation is to extend
• Citizen Comments: Citizens commented on and/or asked about the following topics:
• Heather McCoy asked for follow-up on reporting daytime noise complaints to aircraft operators
o Amber Goodspeed added that Massport does not forward daytime noise reports
• Other Business: The proposed date for the next HFAC meeting is 18 January 2021 at 7:00 p.m.
• Potential presentation of Annual Noise Report by Massport in January HFAC meeting
• Discussion of Chapter 7: Noise of the ESPR will take place during the January HFAC meeting
• Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 7:49 p.m.
Attendees: Christopher Eliot, Margaret Coppe, Barbara Katzenberg, Thomas Hirsch, Emily Mitchell, Amber Goodspeed,
Michael Vatalaro, Mark Wimmer, Patty Dahlgren, Lexie Marshall, Amy McCoy, Mike Rosenberg and Devan Wiebe