Tips for Homeowners/Real Estate

 

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The Lee County Port Authority (LCPA) Aircraft Overflight Program can provide knowledge on air traffic trends and help answer aircraft overflight related questions. By visiting our Submitting Aircraft Overflight Comments/Inquiries webpage, LCPA can help you learn about airport characteristics, flight patterns, peak travel months and potential impact areas from aircraft operations.

Assess the Site

LCPA encourages prospective home buyers and real estate agents to visit properties at several different times of the day and during various seasons to determine the property’s exposure to airport/aircraft related noise. Peak travel season for operations at Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) typically occurs during the winter months, with March usually having the most airport traffic. Even though a particular property in question is not located near/underneath a published flight pattern or within a noise zone, this does not mean the property would never experience overflights or aircraft-related noise. The tracks aircraft follow are fluid and adaptable based on many conditions, including but not limited to, wind/weather conditions, local air traffic conditions (surrounding airport traffic), airspace capacity, safety, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) directives and aircraft separation requirements, so deviations from normal operations can occur.

Monitor Flight Patterns

LCPA offers a publicly available, near-real time flight tracking system by Brüel & Kjær called WebTrak. This system can be used to gain insight on the flight tracks and characteristics around RSW and Page Field (FMY). By adding your address into the system, it will compare flight activity to the location of your home and provide information such as distance, direction, altitude, type of aircraft, etc. Access WebTrak by clicking the following link: webtrak.emsbk.com/rsw

Beware of False Information

One of the most common misconceptions people have is that LCPA has agreed to avoid overflying specific communities, establish no-fly zones or restrict specific overflight operations after a certain time. This is inaccurate. It is very important to understand that the FAA has sovereign rights over the airspace and where aircraft fly. Prospective home buyers and real estate agents should carefully review any information provided by others and be sure to contact LCPA with any questions. Though some areas will receive more overflights than others, all residents in Lee County have the potential to receive aircraft overflights.