Keith Brune, chief operating officer for the city Department of Aviation, last week gave an overview of Northeast Philadelphia Airport to members of the Greater Bustleton Civic League.
Brune said the airport consists of 1,118 acres and two runways, one that parallels Grant Avenue and the other that generally parallels Roosevelt Boulevard.
In response to a question about the airplane that took off from the airport on Jan. 31 and 30 seconds later crashed on Cottman Avenue, near Roosevelt Mall, Brune noted that the National Transportation Safety Board on March 6 released a preliminary report. That report indicated that the cockpit voice recorder did not record the accident flight and had likely not been recording audio for several years.
Brune fielded complaints about noise, fireworks at Hayes Playground and so-called “touch-and-go” landings, often used in training, when an aircraft will land but take off again without stopping.
Brune encouraged people to call the noise complaint hotline at 215-937-6750.
In response to a question about whether UPS will begin using the airport for takeoffs and landings if it builds a warehouse on Red Lion Road, Brune said no commercial flights take place at the airport.
The airport intends to produce a community newsletter. To receive the newsletter, email Keesha.Lane@phl.org.
For general information about the airport, email manager John Brewer at John.Brewer@phl.org.
In other news from the March 25 meeting:
• The 7th Police District was represented by Capt. Steven O’Brien and community relations officer Al Fiorentino.
O’Brien said there was a gunpoint robbery of a motorcycle on the 11000 block of Rennard St. and residential burglaries on the 2200 block of Benson St. and 13000 block of Gaston Lane.
A man was arrested for a series of purse snatchings. The suspect targeted older women at the ShopRite at 11000 Roosevelt Blvd. and Acme stores at 920 Red Lion Road and 8200 Roosevelt Blvd. A plainclothes officer arrested the man as he tried to snatch a purse at ShopRite.
Fiorentino said residents are welcome to come to the district to receive a faraday bag. The bags are for drivers with a push-button start option and are made with materials that, among other things, help prevent car thefts by blocking the signal from your key fob so that thieves can’t pick it up. Car owners place their keys in the bags at home so thieves cannot use the push-button start option to steal the vehicle.
• Among those addressing the group were Charlie Kueny, president of the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, and Tom Campion, of the Neighborhood Community Action Center, at Hayes Playground, 9850 Roosevelt Blvd. Campion invited people to visit the center or contact him at Thomas.Campion@phila.gov or 215-828-9864. The center handles issues such as graffiti, potholes, sinkholes, abandoned vehicles, trash pickup and broken street lights.
Also on hand were representatives of City Controller Christy Brady, District Attorney Larry Krasner, state Rep. Sean Dougherty, City Councilman Brian O’Neill and state Sen. Joe Picozzi.
Jill Henon, a community affairs liaison for Brady, will work out of Hayes Playground on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through June to assist people with Property Tax/Rent Rebate issues. Contact her at 215-686-7888 or jill.henon@phila.gov.
Viktor Kagan, Dougherty’s chief of staff, said the lawmaker will hold a town hall on April 10 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Cecilia Parish.
• The Bustleton Bengals will hold their annual clothing drive and “more” on Saturday, April 26, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., at President Street and Conwell Avenue. The Bengals will accept men’s, women’s and children’s clothing and shoes; accessories; household items; toys; and car seats and strollers. If you cannot drop off your donations, call Chris Tarducci at 215-906-8179 for possible pickup.
• The Greater Bustleton Civic League will meet on Tuesday, April 22, at 7 p.m. at American Heritage Credit Union, 2060 Red Lion Road. ••
