Longboat Key evaluates impacts of new flight path

Departing flights from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport have traveled over Longboat Key since 2006.

But in 2024, the flight path for SRQ departures was altered, meaning planes now travel above Longboat about a mile north of where they used to. The new flight path has led the town of Longboat Key to look into any potential impacts of the change.

“We have seen some residue on furniture and other things that wasn’t there before, so we’re trying to find out where that’s coming from. One of the thoughts is it could be from the flight path change that was made in the last 18 months or so,” Town Manager Howard Tipton said at a recent community meeting. “So we want to try to understand if there’s a relationship to that.”

Air quality testing was performed on Jan. 12, said Public Works Director Charlie Mopps, and those results are still being evaluated. The town has also hired a contractor to collect the above-mentioned residue for testing.

“Just last week, we got their signed contract back, so we gave them the notice to proceed,” Mopps said. “We’re communicating with the property manager at that property in order to go out there and actually do that.”

Town Engineer Jennifer Fehrs said in an email that the company Vertex will be performing the particulate tests at a cost of $28,000.

“There are two parts to the sampling analysis that they perform. The first part is a fingerprinting of the ultra-fine particles and correlating it with the timing of the prevailing winds,” Fehrs said. “The second part of the sampling/study (will) be the chemical analysis to determine the origin (for example jet vs. diesel particulates).”

According to a 2024 letter from SRQ Senior Vice President of Operations and Public Safety Lionel Guilbert, the flight path change was made upon instruction from the Federal Aviation Authority. Safety concerns raised by Tampa International Airport air traffic controllers and a change in FAA separation standards were both cited as reasons for the change.

The change was slight, just a five-degree alteration. An environmental review performed by the FAA satisfied the National Environmental Policy Act requirements.

The residue seen by some residents is one concern of the town. The other is noise.

“One of the challenges when you have the airport is when you fly over somebody and make a change, then you’re flying over somebody else,” Tipton said. “Somebody’s ox is being gored no matter what you do, so it’s a tough situation. But we want to try to understand better what their options are in terms of being a little quieter if they have to fly over us.”

Tipton said the town is hoping to set up a meeting with Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport President and CEO Paul Hoback, who began his tenure with the airport in October.

“We’d like to get the CEO to come out and talk a little bit about what options there may be, and if you’re interested in that I think we could make it into a community meeting,” Tipton said. “It’s amazing how many pilots or people who have great knowledge about aircraft live here, so that would only help conversations.”