Letter to the Editor: FAA Safety Concerns Require Immediate Help From Elected Officials

Dear Editor,

Serious concerns exist because of increased landings on two runways at
JFK, 22L and 22R, the percentage of these arrivals having risen from
14 percent to 33 percent of all JFK arrivals over the past few years.

One of the FAA's standard excuses for using JFK runway 22L for
arrivals is southern winds over 4 knots per hour.  This is understandable since tailwinds and crosswinds create very, very serious safety issues.  However, several concerned citizens have been monitoring JFK wind conditions and runway selection for the months of July and August. It is very apparent that the FAA is ignoring wind conditions and jeopardizing safety by using 22L for arrivals when the wind conditions would mandate using a different runway!

In addition, another citizen has been monitoring audio transmissions between
pilots and the JFK tower and, shockingly, pilots are routinely complaining about being forced to use 22L even though the prevailing wind conditions would mandate using a different runway!

It is very apparent that the JFK tower is putting so called "operational efficiency"otherwise known as "cramming as many planes as possible per hour into JFK "ahead of SAFETY and this is unacceptable to us and should be unacceptable to our elected officials.

We desperately need the help of our elected officials.  Even though there is not much time left between now and November, immediate action on the part of these officials can make the difference.

Ray Gaudio

East Williston Representative, Town-Village Aircraft Safety and Noise Abatement Committee