When I last mentioned the FAA flight path issue, it was in connection to a local acoustical engineer’s assertion that the maps distributed by the Delaware County Council and Repubican candidates mischaracterized the available data.

Working on a pro bono basis, said engineer, Carr Everbach, advised the county workers who developed new, corrected maps a month ago. The maps show how much audible sound residents would likely experience should the FAA’s changes move forward. Despite the completion of the maps, and Prof. Everbach’s repeated requests, the maps were not made available until the end of last week–two days after the election. If you would like to see the maps, they are on the County web site. (Start by viewing the map called “Percentage change in noise levels.” Sones, rather than the decibels, are the relevant unit for we ground-dwelling beings.)

Given that Tom Gannon had essentially staked his entire re-election bid on his stance ont he FAA, it’s hard not to be suspicious. After all, his campaign had printed large signs plastered at polling sites and at area businesses that said “Keep Tom Gannon Fighting the FAA.” In order for Gannon’s gambit to work, he needed that data to be overwhelmingly bad. Rep. Gannon continued to claim that the potential noise increase would be upwards of 1000%–even in the final days before the election. Even though the error had been pointed out weeks before. It just doesn’t get people worked up into sufficient lather if you say that there might be 10-90% increases in noise levels. 90% is not 1000%, even though it may be damned loud.

Of course, I can’t prove that the release of the maps was quashed until after the election. But it sure has trouble passing the sniff test, doesn’t it?

I don’t want more planes flying over my head. And I expect my representatives to protect our local interests to the fullest extent possible. But I also don’t like flouting the truth about data. On Friday, I heard of a local resident in an adjacent ward who is putting her house for sale fearing the possibility of planes flying overhead. A full-scale real estate panic would be the worst possible outcome of fudged data.