Resident Says He's Annoyed by Sound of Constantly Buzzing Skydiving Planes above Newport County, Rhode Island

Though he said agrees that skydiving — which he said he's done — is "exhilarating, the unfiltered sound of a plane endlessly circling above can get into your head, similar to the sound of a faucet continuously dripping water." 

Newporter John Bellagamba said is sick of the sound of buzzing overhead from skydiving planes. 

In a letter to the editor, he said the quality of living in Newport County has been affected by what he said is the constant drone of planes overhead. Though he agrees that skydiving — which he said he's done — is "exhilarating, the unfiltered sound of a plane endlessly circling above can get into your head, similar to the sound of a faucet continuously dripping water, a refrigerator that never stops running, or the buzz of an old fluorescent light fixture."

Bellagamba CC'd the folks at Skydive Newport when he sent along his letter. They chimed in by saying "Is this the John Bellagamba that owns a DJ business in Newport? And if so do you ever have a function that you play music late at night?   Ya follow where I am going?"

Here's the full text of Bellagamba's letter:

Have you heard the buzz? I have.  Tune in and listen, and (unfortunately), you will too. 

It was with great interest that I read Matt Sheley’s recent article on the success and growth of Skydive Newport.  As a local independent business owner myself, I certainly appreciate what Marc Tripari has accomplished in building Skydive Newport.  However, as the company is able to boast reaching a high of 100 tandem jumps in one day, the quality of living in Newport County has been affected by the endless buzzing and humming sounds of skydive planes ceaselessly circling above on a daily basis.

Tune in and listen, you'll hear it.  You may be having coffee listening to nature as you wake. You may be studying or working on your computer. Maybe you're closing your eyes for an afternoon nap, or enjoying a book with the doors and windows wide open. Maybe you are taking your dog for a walk, or just doing yard work. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing the constant drone of a plane is circling above, and it's annoying.  Most of are used to the sounds of a plane that takes off and fades away as it continues on to its destination.  However, our local skydive planes circle higher and higher overhead as they climb to jumping altitude.  The result is a persistent droning that is inescapable.

I understand that we all deal with everyday noises like street traffic, lawn gear, construction equipment, pets, sirens, etc.; temporary sounds with various pitches and tones that eventually come to a stop.  These sounds on the ground are filtered and absorbed by vegetation such as hedges, trees, and shrubs. However, the unfiltered sound of a plane endlessly circling above can get into your head, similar to the sound of a faucet continuously dripping water, a refrigerator that never stops running, or the buzz of an old florescent light fixture. These types of sounds resonate in your head and build over time to an annoyance that eventually becomes enough to drive a person crazy.  

I have personally been skydiving, and understand it is exhilarating. On a scale of one to ten it ranks up there close to the top, but the continuous buzzing and humming sounds created by sky-diving airplanes are at the bottom of the scale. 

I'm curious and asking for your input, thoughts, and comments. What are our options? Can Skydive Newport change to a quieter plane?  Can they change the flight pattern as they climb?  Can they change the exhaust on the current plane?  Or, could they just move out of town?

John Bellagamba

Source:  http://middletown.patch.com