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City Councillor Kolmer: “Route is usually adhered to – weather conditions in July were not representative”
Darmstadt. The new departure route Cindy S, formerly "Amtix kurz," has been in trial operation since July 10th. It primarily affects the northern part of Darmstadt. After about a month, the city of Darmstadt is taking stock – with mixed results.
Weather and high occupancy rates characterize the start
July was characterized by changeable weather, heavy rain, and high air traffic during the holiday season. This led not only to delayed departures after 11 p.m. but also to deviations from the planned route. "The weather conditions caused deviations that affected more than just Cindy S. Complaints also came from the Heimstättensiedlung, the Europaviertel, and the Waldkolonie," explains Environmental Officer Michael Kolmer.
Since July 10th, the office of City Councillor Kolmer and the Environmental Protection Agency have received approximately 50 reports. The northern edge of Wixhausen is particularly affected, for example in the new development area Im Appensee/WX8. The complaints concern deviations from flight schedules, delayed departures, and increased noise pollution. At the same time, areas experiencing reduced noise levels have also reported positive effects.
Deviations are usually understandable
According to German Air Traffic Control, approximately 97 percent of departures follow the planned route. Deviations occur, for example, due to direct clearances from a certain altitude or by circumventing areas of bad weather. The latter led to an increase in direct overflights of the northern districts and the city center in July.
According to the planning approval, delayed departures until midnight are possible in individual cases, for example, due to weather-related grounding stoppages. In July, such departures after 11 p.m. occurred on nine out of 21 operating days after the start of the relocation. The Hessian Ministry of Economic Affairs regularly publishes data and explanations on this online .
Long-term monitoring over twelve months
The implementation of the relocation will be monitored by the Environmental and Neighborhood Center (UNH) period. The aim is to record noise levels, adherence to flight paths and altitudes, and to compare these with previous calculations. Initial interim results are expected after six months.
Prior to the start of the trial operation, measurements were taken for three months at locations in Erzhausen, Egelsbach, Arheilgen, and Wixhausen. These measurements will now be repeated at comparable times of the year to ensure consistent conditions.
published in real time via the German Air Traffic Noise Service network www.dfld.de.
Next Steps
All outstanding complaints will be answered individually within the next two weeks. The city also plans to create a section on its website where frequently asked questions and answers will be compiled.
(DARMSTADT – RED/PSD/stip)
