In January 31 2007, the High Density Rule (HDR) expired.  This Rule kept in check the limit on the number of operations for each of the Tri-State airports, based on the physical capacity of each facility.  Since the expiration of the HDR in 2007, the FAA operated on an interim set of rules and according to published data, they relaxed previous restrictions and allowed the airline industry to increase the number of operations into all 3 airports. As a result of this decision, operations went thru the roof with airlines adding substantial number of flights into an already overburdened system.  This is precisely the time period when we started to notice the major shift in air traffic over Kings county. This increase in operations into LGA created the need to reconfigure runway use in order to expedite the larger volume of operations, with a new emphasis on reducing congestion and delays. It was then, that the FAA shifted flight patterns into the "EXPRESS APPROACH", which are runways 4 and 31, both crossing densely populated residential communities of Kings county. According to many sources, today, the volume of air traffic into LaGuardia, by far exceeds the capacity and safety considerations for this airport.  Today, Kings county residents experience a significant change in aircraft volume and noise pollution, as we now get the bulk of arrivals into LaGuardia, nearly 600 arriving planes in one day during peak time, and 18-20 hours nonstop during some rotations.   The FAA disregarded all of our requests to alter the unfair flight rotations and progressively, are moving ALL the arrival traffic via Brooklyn;   In the month of August 2008, planes flew over Kings County at an average of 15 hours a day out of the18 hours that La Guardia airport is open. That is 85% of total arrival air traffic.  The flight patterns over Kings County consists of an approach between Fifth Ave and Prospect Park West, via Prospect heights, Fort Green and Clinton Hill.  The altitude over Park Slope is 2000 - 2500 ft and when over Clinton Hill is 1200 - 1500 ft.  Residents who live under this fight path have their sleep disrupted and severely impaired and are no longer able to have and enjoy the quiet of their homes and outdoor environments;    Congress member Yvette Clarke's office met with the Park Slope Quality of Life Committee in May 2008 to discuss the urgent need to address the increase in air traffic pollution over Brooklyn neighborhoods.  As a direct result of our presentation, Ms. Deanna Bitetti, the Congress  Member's assistant, agreed to further investigate this matter.  As a result, a meeting was set for June 19 hosted by the Transportation Committee of Community Board 6. Representatives from the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and the Port Authority of NY/NJ met with members of Yvette Clark's office, the Parks Slope Quality of Life Committee and concerned members of the community.  During the meeting the FAA made their usual representations, claiming "weather conditions & wind direction" as a possible explanation why all of a sudden Kings county became the main corridor for arrival traffic into LGA.  One FAA gut suggested the maybe we all of sudden became stricken with "higher sensitivity syndrome".   Since we had the meeting, we've been experiencing even greater shift in air traffic.   Ms, Bitetti is working with us relentlessly as a liaison to the FAA, nonetheless, either they FAA boys decided to retaliate and show what they can do, or they've just bowing to other pressures over the airspace.   We've got to collect at least 1000 petition signatures and deliver to Congress.  Ms. Bitetti is setting appointments with Senator Schumer's staff and also working to partner with councilman De Bliaso.  We urge you to be active in this process and complain, write emails and make your discontent known.   Please sign the petition and encourage your neighbors to sign. Why has air traffic increased over Kings County (and gotten worse since 7/31/08?) This was the major question addressed by the Park Slope community.The following points were made or addressed:   LaGuardia airport is not designed for current aircraft capacity & volume, which more than doubled in a short time from 600 per day to 1,400+ per day;   LGA is the smallest airport in the tri state area with only 2 short runways for landing and take offs, and yet, the FAA has allowed almost the same  number of operations (take offs and landings combined) per one hour as JFK. LGA has a cap of 81 operations in one hour and JFK with its 4 parallel runways has a cap of 83 operation per one hour; In January 2007, the HDR(high density rule) expired which capped the limits of flights to 600 per day thereby allowing the FAA to raise the cap and size of aircraft to suit the needs of airlines and passengers as well as deflect criticism regarding flight delays. However, this attention to the needs of airline profitability, consumer flight choice/convenience and flight congestion accountability disregarded the affects of noise pollution and environmental quality of life on communities under the new flight patterns and increased traffic. Since, as the FAA claimed, there would be "...no environmental impact," no Environmental Impact Study was needed before the plan went into effect. The lack of an Environmental Impact Study is the basis for a lawsuit filed by Westchester and Rockland counties and the basis for Senator Dodd's objections; According to Airliners.net, a Civil Aviation Forum, the new FAA regulations would result in larger planes, forcing out the smaller planes (which, in fact, is happening.) This particular thread, started in Aug 2006, probably explains another reason why the noise pollution has increased. "The current average of 98 seats per airplane is going to be replaced by either a 105., 166, or 122..." Many of the noisier planes we hear flying over carry over 200 passengers per plane! For a fascinating read, see http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/2960316/; Prior to deregulation, "the new cap at LaGuardia was significantly higher than it had been under the HDR." ( Federal Register /vol. 73. No. 75/Thursday,  April 17, 2008/Proposed Rules 20847);   Prior to deregulation, there were more environmental guidelines regarding flights over populated areas ; Prior to deregulation the guidelines limited flight hours to 9:59PM. Now the unregulated guidelines allow flights to Midnight! And since the FAA alows the airlines to overschedule, the backed up flights often continue until as late as 2AM; Port Authority & the Air Controllers Organization do not schedule approach routes on an equitable rotation schedule (Denied by FAA reps; they stated that traffic affecting Park Slope was limited to "wind conditions" which necessitated the use of runway 4, the runway that makes flight come in at low altitudes over our community.) Again, this is  despite our on-line research and documentation (click here to view documentation) that flights to runway 31 ALSO fly over our neighborhood at about 2,400 feet! so it is NOT just "wind conditions" that account for the increased flights. Also our research indicates that flights consistently fly over our neighborhoods at dates and times when no wind conditions prevailed according to available metrological data); More likely it is the affluent Connecticut/Westchester communities --and Senator Dodd's threat to deny the FAA funding--pressure on FAA to limit approach schedules over their communities (although FAA stated a law suit was pending, they denied they redirected traffic from those communities to our community) as well as the pressure of the airlines to use runways that are more direct and save fuel; Although many attendees vociferously stated that the noise has become unbearable in the last 2 years, the FAA contends that nothing has changed and one representative from LaGuardia suggested that our complaints may be due to "increased sensitivity" on our part and/or the possibility that the prevailing wind patterns have changed in the last 2 years!;   According to the FAA, the airlines "overschedule" flights that can not be accommodated under the current caps. This overcheduling by the airlines creates an increasing backlog of arriving flights that "must be pushed into the next hour's caps. This increase results in planes flying in late at night past the "guideline" on limiting flights to 11PM (before the Federal Regulations expired, the guideline suggested 9:59 PM as the last arrival time.) WHY ARE AIRLINES ALLOWED TO "OVERSCHEDULE FLIGHTS?" SHOULD NOT SOME REGULATION PLAY A ROLE?; The FAA indicated they would look at some possibilities that may account for the change, including a redirected "VOR" that was temporarily relocated to Rikers Island and the possibility of widening the band of approaching flights to stretch from Prospect Park to the Prospect Park Expressway (This is clearly not happening as of July 2008.) --This smokescreen stonewalling ploy was revealed for what it was when a spokesperson from the FAA was quoted in the NY Times, stating the VOR "had absolutely no bearing on the matter" and that "things would continue as they are." LET THEM EAT CAKE!   Read the FAA comments on AirSpaceRedesign, especially take note of how they claim the  Environmental Impact will NOT change and, therefore, there was NO NEED TO DO AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY!!!!!--At least Senator Dodd of Connecticut is fighting them on this one. Are we saying they lie to us?....you decide. What does the FAA and Port Authority have to do about it ESSENTIALLY, BUPKIS. With their dictatorial and imperial manner, they completely ignore the environmental concerns of the community; ONLY COMMUNITY ORGANIZING AND CONGRESSIONAL REGULATION AND/OR OVERSIGHT CAN HELP.