Runway

Residents of Belmont, N.C. voiced anger at an Oct. 14 Noise Advisory Forum after hearing that new flight paths tied to Charlotte Douglas International Airport's runway expansion could route hundreds of daily flights over their community. Airport officials said no flight path decisions have been made and attributed the alarm to a miscommunication, with Communications Director Amanda Deweese apologizing for the confusion. Belmont Mayor Joe Jordan said residents had been told this was the venue to raise concerns about future changes, though committee members maintained the forum was intended as a routine quarterly discussion of noise and operations rather than a hearing on prospective route changes.

The airport is past the halfway mark on its new runway construction. Officials said environmental studies now underway will determine departure procedures, noise levels, and aircraft elevation data, with findings to appear in forthcoming reports. Once the FAA completes its review, additional public meetings are planned to address future flight patterns. Residents, including some from Steele Creek who described past disruption from increased air traffic, pressed for assurances about noise impacts and property values.

Rep. Tom Tiffany, the Republican nominee for Wisconsin governor, sustained minor injuries late Saturday when the small plane he was traveling in lost power while approaching Wausau Downtown Airport and made an emergency landing on Lake Wausau. Tiffany, 68, was returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner in Onalaska when the pilot warned him seconds before impact that they were going down. The single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza hit the water hard; the two men forced the door open, called 911, and swam to a shallow area as the plane began sinking, waiting there until emergency responders arrived by fire department airboat.

Both men were treated at Aspirus Wausau Hospital and released; Tiffany required 12 stitches for a cut above his eye, while the pilot needed four stitches. Speaking emotionally at a Sunday news conference, Tiffany said it was "by the grace of God" they survived and thanked first responders. The FAA confirmed the aircraft had engine-related problems and is investigating; the NTSB is awaiting a damage assessment. Tiffany, endorsed by President Trump, said he will continue his campaign against Democrat David Crowley in the November 3 race, which recent polling shows as closely contested.