Panel suggests ways to lower D-M jet noise

There is no silver bullet that will quiet the roaring jet airplanes from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, but a local committee has come up with 24 recommendations that may help.

The Military Community Compatibility Committee, known as the MC3, found that while there is no single solution to the noise pollution problem, there are measures that could reduce noise and improve base relations with nearby neighborhoods.

Chances of all the recommendations being accepted are remote, said Bruce Dusenberry, an MC3 member and president of the base support group, DM-50.

The recommendations are not limited to what the base can do to reduce noise. They also present solutions that would be implemented by local, state and federal agencies, he said.

At the top of the list is a recommendation to increase the altitude that the A-10 Thunderbolt IIs fly over the city.

A 1,000-foot increase in altitude could drop noise levels by as much as 9.3 decibels, according to the report.

Dusenberry said that increasing the A-10's flying altitude holds promise, but that doing so would require altering flight patterns at Tucson International Airport.

Among the more attractive recommendations are those that improve communication between the base, neighboring residents and local governments, he said.

There are also recommendations that deal with soundproofing requirements for homeowners who want to expand or renovate, and landowners whose properties have lost value because of changes in zoning regulations.

The MC3 has been working on the recommendations for almost a year with the goal of reducing noise pollution and keeping the base viable.

"Those two things, just at first blush, are pretty contrary," Dusenberry said. "I would think that not a lot of people had high hopes. When you step back and look at it, you go 'There's an impossible task.' "

He said the first discussion was heated as the 28 committee members from different sides of the issue struggled to find common ground. Every recommendation had to have unanimous consent before it was finalized.

"There was some disappointments to be sure on both sides, but that may be the essence of a good compromise or a good solution," Dusenberry said.

Base officials said they have received a draft version of the recommendations and will adopt those that do not interfere with flight safety, said Col. Michael Spencer, commander of the 355th Wing.