Mahwah Residents Say No One Consulted Them About New Teterboro Flight Pattern

MAHWAH, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Some people in North Jersey are upset that the Federal Aviation Administration is changing a flight pattern next week, and they had no say in the matter.

As WCBS 880's Alex Silverman reported, Mahwah Mayor Bill Laforet was steaming on the steps outside a public meeting on the subject Wednesday evening.

"They've ignored us – completely ignored our concerns," Laforet said.

He said he found out three weeks ago that the FAA would start a six-month test of a new flight path in the area near Teterboro Airport next week.

"They had no intentions of postponing anything," said Mahwah Councilman Steve Sbarra. "And there were some very, very valid concerns going back to not only planes flying over hospitals, but planes flying over schools during a period where schoolchildren are going to be taking tests."

The FAA said it expects pilots to stay close to Route 17, which is already noisy.

The idea behind the plan is to reduce noise around Hackensack University Medical Center. But Laforet pointed out that helicopters land on the roof of the hospital as it is.