That would certainly limit your resale opportunities. I would never buy a home near an airport or in a flightpath.

It all depends on the area.

I come from North Jersey, we had Newark airport and 2 Conrail lines plus buses. I heard it all back then, trying to sleep as a kid, between the train & airplane it was rough. As I got older, it didn't bother me as much.

Moving down here was a huge difference. The only train I hear; which is rare, maybe not even once a year. As for planes, no major airport but Fort Dix / McGuire air force base, during the day assorted planes & fighters. They fly right over the house, as they do other houses. Thankfully we are not that close, so the planes are pretty high by the time they fly over me.

There are also a few smaller airports, we're looking to buy near one. When I say small, I mean they have maybe 10 planes parking there. I never really thought about it until you mentioned it. It doesn't bother me & I doubt it will. The houses in the area don't really go for sale except 1 now that I think about it. I wouldn't buy on that main road anyway.

What I'm getting at; depending on your area, it may not matter. Is the house in the flight path? Do you know the hours of operation and how busy they are? Is there a history of crashes?

If it's a small plane airport, I don't see it as a problem.
You may have a day or two busy, but then nothing.

It's not like a large airport that has planes scheduled every 15 minutes.
Besides, with the fuel prices that they are, I don't see those little airports thriving-lol.

I live near a mid sized airport (2 or 3 miles away - small commuter jets, props, personal planes).

We are NOT on any flight paths... the runways go away from us. We hardly hear much.

So... I guess it matters WHERE you are in relation to the airport. My neighborhood is very desirable... even with the airport nearby! (Actually, proximity to commuter flights is a big plus to businessmen....)

What airport are you near? DH is a flight instructor, instructing for the Air Force now, but used to instruct at a local airport. You can go to an FBO at the airport and find out what the flight paths are and what the average number of flights a day is -- any instructor would be glad to tell you, I'd think. Ask about future plans for the airport; you may find out something unexpected.

You say if it bothers you the idea of resale concerns you?
I think you have to evaluate whether you or anyone in your family is the type that noise will bother. For me any noise that is routine, I will eventually learn to not notice. Other may not be that way - only you know that.
If you feel you may be bothered at some point and want to sell - I'd probably say don't buy. I'm not sure I'd recommend anyone buying right now if they (a) don't plan on staying in the house over 10 years or (b) aren't buying in a "surefire" (or as close to such a thing as there might be) good real estate area.

Is the house along the approach to the airports, or along the sides or the runway? Makes a big difference.

Flight paths can be changed. I live a 15 minute drive from a major airport. One of the runways has been closed for a while now and night flights pass over our area occasionally using a runway that is only to be used "when necessary". The area I live has home values between $300K - $1 million (definitely high end for this region). Other than the few flights that pass over us for landing, we never hear anything.

Have you stood outside near this house to hear the planes? Do they bother you? Is there any thought to expansion of this airport?

It will be at least some annoyance. Is there room for the airport to expand, or is it land-locked? You say jets don't "hover around", well...no, they tend to BLAST OFF, not over this house, we hope.

My family lived in a quiet suburb northwest of Chicago. The air force field several miles from my home is now O'Hare Airport. By the time I was ten we couldn't use our screened porch in the summer because planes droned overhead every ten ninutes on a landing path. Houses in our SW area didn't appreciate as much as those farther from the airport in the NE side of town.

DH and I lived for 30 years in north suburb, out of the flight pattern of O'Hare (when we bought). Over time the expressway near our home was expanded and...the O'Hare flight pattern changed. Noise was one of the biggest reasons we moved; we're now 30 miles north of Chicago.

So...it could be noisy; flight patterns can change; your neighborhood could be taken over to expand the airfield; once in a great while a plane fails to land or take off properly and comes down in a neighborhood near an airport; there is a stink of jet fuel all around an airport; there is increased traffic with people getting to the field.

If you're OK with all that and the house is steeply discounted because of these factors...maybe you'd be happy there.

It really depends on the area. Where I am, the planes are actually supposed to approach the airport over the river, so we rarely get any flight noise over my house. You'd really want to see if you could tell the actual flight paths to the airport.

And one big advantage of living close to the airport is that my neighborhood is on their electricity grid. Guess who gets priority in a power outtage...

When we bought our first house four years ago, I was extremely concerned because it was about a mile from a small airport. Although the builder insisted that the houses were not in the flight paths and I never heard a plane while we were looking at the houses, I still did some research before we committed to it.

I found out that the hours were limited (6:00am to 9:00pm), there were a relatively low number of flights, and very few jets. That helped to put my mind at ease, and we were never bothered by the plane noise. When we sold last year, not a single person who looked at it said anything about the airport. I can't definitively say that the airport wasn't a factor in resale, because there were no comparable neighborhoods further away from the airport.

When we bought our current house in the area that I grew up, it didn't even occur to me to check out the small, regional airport that was 5 miles away. In fact, I didn't even think about it until the night we moved in, when I was woken up every 20 minutes or so from 2:00-4:00 by passing jets! It turns out that this airport was considerably busier than I would have thought, and was open 24 hours a day.

That bothered me for a couple of weeks, but I don't even hear it anymore, and I'm not worried about resale. It's an extremely desirable area, and we're not planning on selling for a long time anyway. If the area is otherwise very desirable, I wouldn't worry too much.

When we bought our home 4 1/2 years ago the only things that flew over us were Marine helicopters as we are near Quantico Marine base. It's really cool to watch Marine One fly over, but I digress. About a year and a half ago all of a sudden we were in the flight path of Dulles Airport. At first we noticed the big planes flying over, but now only occasionally notice. I was concerned when we put the house on the market that the flight path would be an issue, but it was not.

"We are NOT on any flight paths... the runways go away from us. We hardly hear much.."

Uh oh. You mean that runways are supposed to be used in one direction? When I flew 727s for Pan Am, I took off from LGA's Runway 4, and landed on Runway 22 many times(The other direction). Will I have to take a "709 ride" with the FAA now???? :)

Seriously, a house near an airport might be an asset, if the buyer is a pilot. Years ago, I sold my house on Long Island to another pilot (I had placed an ad on a bulletin board in a crew lounge). The house was near Long Island MacArthur APT, and the buyer considered that an asset. He flew out of JFK, but had a small plane that he wanted to keep nearby.

Which airport is the home by? How big is the airport? Do the runways go so you would be in the flight path and is there room to add runways. AND what is by the home? That all matters in asking that question.

South of chisue, we built our house by the Lewis University airport. When we built, it only had an east west runway. The south side, close to our home, was used to launch hot air balloons and the Outback blimp pretty much lived there. I could sit an watch bi planes take off, circle around and land. I never had fear of crashing because I wasn't, and still not, in the flight path.

A north/south runway was built and it can handle personal jets. Hot air balloon and bi planes don't happen anymore but the blimp was still there last summer. That runway is only open if the wind is right and they are only loud if the personal jets have to fight the wind. When I hear one fight the wind I know the runway gets shut down.

It is about a mile away, and there is nothing between me and the airport but fields. The only time it bothers me is when the N/S runway is open at night and that darn flashing white light is on.

If anyone ever flies into it at night I have never noticed but that darn flashing white light saying the runway is open.... The airport closes around midnight so the light is shut off, but from dusk until closing, if the N/S runway is open, that light goes and it is like a strobe light when you are trying to watch TV.

That light is my only complaint and only when I want to watch TV. Otherwise I don't notice it. The wildlife is louder than the airport. LOL

""We are NOT on any flight paths... the runways go away from us. We hardly hear much.."

Uh oh. You mean that runways are supposed to be used in one direction? When I flew 727s for Pan Am, I took off from LGA's Runway 4, and landed on Runway 22 many times(The other direction). Will I have to take a "709 ride" with the FAA now???? :) "

============

Too small of an airport here for 727s!!

And yes, as of now at least, the runway is one direction.

We lived about a mile from a medium sized airport. There were jets. We were not right in the flight pattern so we heard noise but not much. And, we got so used to it. It was a huge assest for us since dh traveled so much and it was so convenient. The people who built right up on the airport property were sometime disgruntled, but a little ways away if not in the flight pattern - not bad at all. And, it never hurt resale - in fact more new building went on very close to the airport.

We live within a mile of one of the busiest small plane airports in the US. Lots and lots of traffic. Find out the flight patterns and when the control tower closes. Ours closes at 10:00 pm. The planes are not a problem at all for our direction. I enjoy watching the ones who occasionally fly over our backyard for landing. It is much less noise than the float plane lake we use to live six blocks from. The jets from the main airport make much more noise when they go over us from take-off and that airport is five miles away. I'm glad we are not under the frequent flight pattern, but it does change with the weather.

Gloria

My family lived in a quiet suburb northwest of Chicago. The air force field several miles from my home is now O'Hare Airport. By the time I was ten we couldn't use our screened porch in the summer because planes droned overhead every ten ninutes on a landing path. Houses in our SW area didn't appreciate as much as those farther from the airport in the NE side of town.

Thankfully not what happens here, I hear them but not that bad. I was at a house closer to base where they fly lower, I thought my head would explode.

Depends on the size of the airport and how much commercial traffic it gets. Is it a controlled field (having a tower)? If not, it's going to be pretty quiet. I'm biased, being a pilot myself, but I wouldn't be too concerned if it's a general aviation airport with little or no commercial traffic.

OK. To be precise the airport is Chandler municipal airport. the house I'm trying to buy is in e redwood pl, chandler, AZ..I dont think any commercial planes depart/arrive in this airport..I've no idea if they would expand..but there is phoneix airport..
This is the details I've gathered so far

Tower Hours: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Daily
Terminal Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Hangers: 116
T-Shades: 12
Tie-Downs: 182

thanks..

If the runway is too short for jets (say about 1500 feet for a tiny jet airplane, though more like 2500 for most smallish business jets) then it will be only propeller planes (and no, not the turboprop ones that are loud). That means the planes are unlikely to be any louder than the sound of a car driving down your street, and you won't be able to hear them over the sound of a truck.

Municipal airports and comercial, international airports have very little in common. Its like comparing your driveway to the Daytona 500. Apples and oranges.

DH says the runway is long enough for small jets at 4000 feet. Jets probably won't fly over your house often; some may. Piston-engine planes will be flying a pattern over your house at times; it depends how tight a pattern they fly. Twin engines will not be flying very tight. Here's some info on the airport. Note the noise-abatement part at the bottom.

Good luck! DH says if you're worried about engine noise you should probably look elsewhere; there's going to be some.

Chandler Municipal (CHD)
CHANDLER, AZ
Publicly Owned, Public Use
3.0 mi. SE of city.
N33-16.15 W111-48.67
Mag Var: 12 deg E
Phone: 480-782-3540 Fax: 480-782-3541
www.chandleraz.org/airport/airport2.htm
Guy.lennon@ci.chd.az.us FBO/Facility/Fuel Information
Airport Diagram
Taxi Diagram
Kneeboard Format
Member Comments
US Terminal Procedures
ASF Accident Reports
Return To Directory Search
Exit Directory

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Navaids: Type: ID: Freq: Radial: Distance:
VOR IWA 113.3 243 8.30 mi.
NDB CHD 407 On Field

Communication Freqs:
Unicom - 122.95 TWR - 126.1 N,W
TWR - 133.1 E,S GND - 124.4
CTAF - 126.1
FSS - PRESCOTT 122.4 122.6

Approach Freqs: Phoenix:123.7 ;

WX Contact: AWOS 128.325 480-814-9952; ATIS 128.325 ;

FSS: PRESCOTT 866-226-3763

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elevation: 1243 MSL
Hours: 8 am to 5 pm
Tower Hours: 6 am to 9 pm
Fees: Tiedown Fee; Hangar Fee
Charts: PHOENIX; L4
Traffic Pattern: Light Aircraft: 2200 MSL;Multiengine Aircraft: 2400 MSL;Nonturbine Aircraft: 2200 MSL;Turbine Aircraft: 2400 MSL;Rotorcraft: 1800 MSL;

Runways:
4L-22R: 4401X75; asphalt; PCL; trees ry 4L
4R-22L: 4870X75; asphalt; PCL;
H1: 100X100; concrete; ;
Right traffic runway(s):
22R; 04R;

Approaches:
VOR; NDB; GPS RNAV;

Lights: SS to SR 126.1

Med - 3 clicks in 5 secs.

Notes: Intensive Flight Training

Obstructions: wildlife & raptors in vicinity; 85' lighted twr lctd N of ry 22R short final.

Special Operations: Aerobatics; Agricultural Ops; Banner Towing; Military Ops; Helicopter Ops;

Fuel: 100LL; Jet-premix;

Noise Abatement: Runway 22 L/R preferred; ry 22R no turns prior to arpt boundary/canal; ry 22L no turns prior to arpt boundary/road; propeller acft req to use AOPA "noise awareness steps": turbine acft req to use NBAA"standard noise abatement dep procedures;, heli avoid residential area W & use HAI "fly neighborly program"
Metar
KCHD 060147Z 33020G25KT 30SM BKN250 38/01 A2964

Click here for translated METAR and TAF

I'd be concerned not only with the present but with expansion. AZ is growing by leaps and bounds. How likely is expansion? Is land available? Will they want YOUR land?

(At least you don't have cicadas. I can't hear myself type.)

Hey All, I've gathered little more information..The news is that the proposal to extend the runway has been voted down for the 3rd time recently.
I talked to the residents that live there[2 of them] they said it does not bother them at all. when they are inside they hardly hear anything. they have not heard anything in the night. Though the airport people said it is possible that some aircrafts arrive in the night.One resident mentioned that the choppers were annoying and they made some stipulation for not to fly in the weekends. Overall they are not having much of a problem for now. When talked to the airport guys they airport expansion is nowhere in the near future..but the business is growing..

Any thoughts?

I live about 10 miles from the DFW airport. Honestly, the airplanes are annoying. It is not a problem if we are inside with the windows closed, but outside they drown out conversation. I wish I was further away.

arvi, did you read the info on the pattern? Planes don't fly straight into the runway; they have to do an approach pattern, a kind of square pattern when they land that, based on a map of Chandler and where you said the house is, will be over your house for at least some of them.

Well, I don't have much to add. We live close to both Groton Submarine Base & the US Coast Guard Academy. Both fly helicopters. Since 911, the Coast Guard patrols more frequently by air &, on occassion, shining their stupid spotlight into our sunroom window. We've gotten used to it. They are also making more frequent stops of recreational boats (we've been boarded twice since 911).

BUT, over Memorial Day weekend I almost had the "big one"! It was during the Mystic parade. We're just a block off the parade route so we're used to people trying to park in our front yard, kids running & screaming down the street, & of course the parade itself which we love. It was a beautiful weekend & we were working in our gardens & watching the parade. All of a sudden.....I almost jumped out of my skin! First instinct was to "hit the deck" & cover my head! I'd totally forgotten about the 3-jet formation fly-over that happens for every Mystic parade!! Oh my...scared me bad. Talk about "Reach Out & Touch Someone"... I felt pretty silly afterwards. :)

So, other than getting buzzed by the Coast Guard the planes from Groton Airfield, the submarine base, & the Academy don't bother us much.

Tricia

Yes Susanka, I did read it. As the diagram in their packet shows it about two square miles surrounding the airport. So I'm sure some planes may fly over the home I'm looking before it lands. The airport runways run south-west and north-east. The home i'm looking would be in 3/4 a mile direct south of the one of the runways tip. Oh Well. Its time to make a decision. I've asking people about this at work. It so happens that two my colleques live 2 block south of the place that I'm interested in. They both have a 1/2 mil homes. They seem to OK with it. Or at least they wanna feel like it. thats a good news.

Good luck on your decision, arvi. Let us know what you decide! Any daytime-sleepers in your house? Babies? Where we used to live they built a hospital not far from the end of a runway. Hard to believe, but it happens. If you have kids they'll enjoy seeing the planes, I'd think.