FAA approves new flight paths near Philadelphia

FAA approves new flight paths near Philadelphia The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration announced an airspace redesign plan around New York and Philadelphia after a decade of study.
   The proposal has upset some residents in areas who fear growing noise, while it is being praised by some airlines such as Continental who feel it would help reduce delays.
   There were reports that Delaware County, Pennsylvania and Rockland County, N.Y., are preparing to file court papers to block the plan, while a suit has already been filed by Elizabeth, N.J.
   The redesign plan calls for changing the way planes take off and land at Philadelphia International and four New York-area airports — Kennedy, LaGuardia, Newark and Teterboro, N.J., — so that the airspace is used more efficiently. The airports in New York and Philadelphia are among the most delay-prone in the country.
   “This long-awaited program is a much needed first step to relieve unprecedented congestion in the Northeast and to maintain high standards of safety,” said James C. May, president and chief executive officer of the Air Transport Association. “The redesign initiative is another tangible example of the innovative ways to improve capacity and efficiency, and significantly reduce emissions.”