Long Beach : Noise, Time Limits Imposed on Testing of Jet Engines

Douglas Aircraft Co. last week won permission from the Long Beach Planning Commission to test its C-17 aircraft in the city, but only after the commission imposed noise and time limits on the jet engine testing.

Tests will be restricted to between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and there will be no testing allowed on weekends or holidays. Douglas had requested permission to test the engines from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the week and from 9 a.m to 9 p.m. on weekends and holidays. Douglas officials explained that they didn’t want to find themselves in the middle of testing on a Friday, then have to shut down for several days.

“We would not like to be in a position in the testing process and have something happen to delay it, then have to wait several days to continue. I am disappointed that we weren’t given more consideration. We will appeal this to the City Council,” said Robert Bresette, general manager of the C-17 assembly project.

Residents living near the test site, off Cherry Avenue, voiced their concern about noise from past jet engine testing, and continuing disturbances from operations approved before current noise ordinances were adopted.

The commission responded by limiting the noise level to 50 decibels at Douglas’ Cherry Avenue boundary, by limiting the testing to one plane per day, and by imposing a review of any noise violations after one year.