If you were wondering what that buzzing sound was in your ears, it wasn’t your imagination. It was, in fact, another 1500 small airplanes flying over your house during the month of August (and this is off season AND pre-customs facility), with most of those being flight school planes from Witham Field aka Stuart Airport.

That brings the total flights recorded to 14,584, February 1 through August 31, 2017. Mind you, we don’t have someone listening 24 hours each day and all over Martin County, so this number is less than the actual flight school flights which have traveled over our homes.

But Wait! There’s More!

We noticed a new — and alarming — trend this month: Jets! Yes, in addition to the constant buzz of small planes which can be heard from 8 a.m. until long after the sun sets, the flight schools based out of Witham Field and sanctioned by the Martin County Commission have started flying jets over western Stuart. Many fly high and can be heard, but not seen. Those which fly low fly very, very low — frighteningly low.

We’re pretty sure they training pilots from the flight schools will advise that it’s perfectly safe, but, frankly, it doesn’t give us much of a sense of safety to know there are jets flying so low over our home multiple times per day with inexperienced pilots. The number one reason for more accidents on busier roadways is more cars. Do the math. All this flight school traffic is an accident waiting to happen.

Do You Want the Flight School Noise to STOP?

The Martin County Commission isn’t going to take any action at all, if you don’t speak up. Unlike the recent county sales tax increase referendum, the addition of flight schools at Witham Field didn’t have to go to a vote of the residents. If you don’t tell the County Commissioners that you don’t want flight school planes over your homes all day, every day, they’re going to maintain the status quo. Here is contact information for the Stuart Airport and your Martin County Commissioners.