The Wings of War Air show at Dallas Executive Airport this weekend includes a recreation of the attack on Pearl Harbor 75 years ago.
It is a noisy display of vintage aircraft over the house where neighbor Ben Giersch works from home, just blocks from the airport.
“I can’t work with this noise,” Giersch said, interrupted by the roaring planes overhead. “I actually had to hang up on a couple calls today.”
The first day Friday of the three day show by the Commemorative Air Force was education day, with 1,500 kids attending for free.
“Our mission is education such that Americans understand the value that military aviation had on their freedoms,” CAF President Stephan Brown said.
When the CAF was first recruited to a new base at Dallas Executive Airport from Odessa two years ago, Mayor Mike Rawlings was confronted with complaints about noise.
“The mayor, in his Grow South program to improve the quality of life in south Dallas, this is his idea of how he’s going to improve our quality of life?” Giersch said. “How is this driving economic development for this community? If I was looking at a house in this community today, I would high-tail it and run.”
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Neighbor Darryl Baker serves on two committees related to Dallas Executive Airport improvement plans. Baker said airport officials have improved communication with neighbors and a noise complaint process.
“That’s working a lot better than it used to. Way better than it was a year ago. They put up signs asking pilots to be mindful that there are residents around,” said Baker.
Now, Baker hopes city goals of developing airport property with new businesses will bring job-creating options that are not related to noisy aviation.
“We’re not against development. We want the kind of development that recognizes us here,” Baker said.
Airport improvements over the past year also included runway expansion that will better serve the noisy old war planes, too.
“There’s a little bit of noise during the daylight hours of the show, but mostly it’s the noise of excitement,” said Brown.
Gates open at the airport on Hampton Road at 9am Saturday and Sunday with shows from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days.
