SANFORD, Fla.,None — As if thundering jets weren't enough, neighbors of Orlando-Sanford International Airport have a new sound to deal with.
Neighbors now have to deal with the sound of a propane cannon that is meant to scare away birds.
"I could throw a rock and hit a plane. I haven't had a night's sleep in 14 years," said resident Jim McDonnell.
Propane cannons shoot a loud blast of air.
The Orlando-Sanford International Airport has installed 25 of them to keep birds away from planes.
"I guess you got to move the birds in order to operate aircraft, but it's done at the expense of our peace and quiet," McDonnell said.
The cost of 25 cannons totals $122,000, and not every airport has so many.
Orlando International Airport (OIA) only had six cannons before it switched to pyrotechnics to scare birds away.
But the Federal Aviation Administration said it comes down to location.
Sanford airport is located in a much more rural area with more wildlife than OIA.
WFTV found out that the noise level from a propane cannon is about 120 decibels, which is about the same as a shotgun.
In 2011, there were 23 bird strikes reported at the airport. Also, birds caused at least two emergency landings, authorities said.
But if the cannons don't work, the airport may switch to louder pyrotechnics.
"It's intolerable to live here," McDonnell said.
The cannons will start blasting off in mid-January.
The Federal Aviation Administration said it's paying for the cannons.
WFTV
