Whitpain Township Board of Supervisors' Vote on Wings Parking Apron Upheld by Court of Common Pleas

On June 6, 2006, the Whitpain Township Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to approve Wings Field's application to build a parking apron for visiting aircraft. On July 5, 2006, a small group of neighbors filed an appeal the to Supervisors' vote in the Court of Common Pleas. On November 16, 2007, the Court denied the neighbors' appeal and affirmed the Board of Supervisors' June 6, 2006 vote. On December 14, 2007, the neighbors appealed the decision of the Court of Common Pleas to the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania.

The parking apron is a parking lot for itinerant (i.e., visiting aircraft not based at Wings Field) airplanes and helicopters. Every airport has one. Today the only visitor parking apron at Wings is located up the hill from the runway, in front of the Driscoll Terminal Building and Maintenance Hangar, about 200 yards from the nearest neighbor's house.

The construction of the parking apron for itinerant aircraft is in the best interest of the nearby residents. The owner of Wings Field wants to build the apron next to the runway and taxiway. This will move the concentrated area of noise and engine fumes generated by itinerant airplanes and helicopters 135 yards further away from the Driscoll Terminal area, down the hill and far away from the neighbors on Huntsman Lane, in Blue Bell Woods, and along Narcissa Road. This will significantly reduce the impact of noise and fumes from itinerant operations on the residents.