STUART, Fla. — Those who attend the Stuart Air Show know how loud the planes can be. But imagine if you're hearing even a fraction of that sound inside your home in the middle of the night.
That's what some residents who live near Witham Field told WPTV they've been experiencing more and more. It's something that airport staff are trying to eliminate.
"We can't sit on our porch anymore," homeowner Ellen Hammon said. "The noise level has increased tremendously."
The Stuart resident lives right next to the airport.
Some may say the deafening noise is a self-inflicted side effect of living close by. However, Hammon said it's not what she signed up for, and it's not because planes are getting louder.
"There's an increase in traffic that's tremendous," Hammon said. "Here comes one landing here now."
It's one of the reasons Andrew McBean, the interim airport manager in Martin County, said the airport is now implementing the Federal Aviation Administration's sound insulation program.
The idea is to insulate the homes of residents affected by noise exposure.
"Insulation in the attics and the walls to kind of bring the noise level down to what's acceptable to those citizens," McBean said.
Airport officials even produced a 205-page document to study the sound's effects.
The problem is that McBean said out of the 47 residents who applied for soundproofing, only eight were approved because of the program's strict guidelines.
The eight that were approved still haven't received insulation, according to McBean.
"We can't move forward with those eight homes or advocate for the other homes until the FAA gives us approval," McBean said. "But that does not mean the airport will stop advocating for those homeowners.”
"What does that look like, advocating for homeowners?" asked WPTV reporter Kate Hussey.
"It includes more education to the homeowners," McBean said.
The airport manager added the airport has also implemented a voluntary curfew from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., which he said 97% of all aircraft follow.
He also said engines are getting quieter and showed WPTV changes to the runway to keep the noise down.
"There are actual signs all around the airport that say, 'Use Noise Abatement,'" McBean said.
Hammon, one of the 39 homeowners denied insulation, said she just hopes someone keeps advocating for her, worried her voice won't be heard above the deafening noise.
"It's a muffled roar going over your head, and it wakes you up," Hammon said. "I had hoped they would have brought some soundproofing."
WPTV contacted the FAA, who said they'll get us a response shortly.
McBean encourages any resident worried about noise to contact his office so someone can go out and assess their home to see if something can be done.
