By Nathan Duke
Staff Writer

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has started testing new departure proceedings from the area, which might explain why residents have recently heard planes over the town in the early mornings and late evenings.

On Yahoo chat group, auburn@yahoogroups.com, several residents recently wrote that they heard an increase in airplane traffic over Auburn between 6 and 7 a.m., 8 and 9:30 p.m. and after 11 p.m. Another resident wrote that he had heard early morning flights over the intersection at Hooksett and Rockingham Roads.

Manchester Airport Director Kevin Dillon said the utilization of the airport's runways has not changed. He said flight patterns are the same and the airport has not changed operations. However, Dillon said the early morning and late evening air traffic may be due to changes in FAA departure proceedings.

While planes are lifting off the runways in Manchester, the airport is in control of them. Once airborne, the flight patterns are controlled by the FAA. Dillon said the way planes approach and depart from the airport have not recently changed, but the FAA has changed some flight routes.

"In the past, all flights from Manchester Airport were routed to the west," he said. "With the new testing, some have been routed to the east. I suspect that is what Auburn residents may be experiencing."

Dillon said the airport has no control over where the FAA sends planes, once they are off the ground.

"It is up to the FAA to determine how traffic is routed into and away from the airport," he said. "There is a potential that flights over Auburn have occurred and it has nothing to do with us."

In addition to FAA tests, Assistant Airport Director of Finance and Administration Mike Farren said the runways on which flights depart depends on prevailing winds. Planes must take off into the wind and, in the past month, a number of flights have been forced to take off on Runway 06, which would also put planes over the town of Auburn. Due to wind patterns, flights have used Runway 06 more frequently as of recent, though there has not been a change in flight patterns, said Farren.

More than 65 percent of the flights leaving the airport take off on the main runway, he said.

Dillon said he would like to know more about the new flight routes.

"We haven't heard a word from anybody," he said. "We certainly would like to hear more about it."

Farren said if Auburn residents have further questions, they can contact the airport.

Harland Eaton, chairman of Auburn's board of selectmen, said he has heard no complaints from residents about the early and late evening flights.