Construction at PDK Could Mean Less Noise and More Revenue

A $5.6 million project to help accommodate 63 more planes for could quell a decades-old gripe from some resdients in Brookhaven's Ashford Park neighborhood.

Neighboring communities have long complained about - particularly the noise made by ascending and descending aircraft.  PDK Director Mike Van Wie told Patch Monday that the project will be beneficial to not only the airport, but the neighborhoods and the county - relieving noisy flyovers of neighboring homes and providing a potential annual income of $500,000 in tax revenue to DeKalb County.

"I've got 91 paid customers on a waiting list for aircraft service," Van Wie said. "I need to be able to service our customers. There's a tremendous demand."

"I agree that it could be a good thing for Ashford Park as it would reduce air traffic directly over the neighborhood on the few days the east/west runway is used to counter adverse wind patterns on main runway," said Jim Eyre, Ashford Park Civic Association Vice President.

Eyre said he hoped that the space would not be used to lease helicopter operations, otherwise, the construction could be a "huge problem," he said.

Van Wie's next step is to present the plan to the airport advisory board in July.

If the board approves the plan, the design and study could be done by the end of the year with construction beginning summer 2012.