In the age of national security scares and conspiracy theories,increased air traffic at a smaller facility like BrookhavenMunicipal Airport doesn’t go unnoticed.

Residents began calling Tuesday after hearing and seeing moresmall planes than usual coming in an out of the airport, saidManager Clifford Britt.

“People call in to me and ask if anything’s wrong, why there areaircraft flying over,” Britt said. “Some people think it’s the DrugEnforcement Agency looking for drugs, you know. I tell them there’snothing to worry about. The DEA does come out here, but they’reusually in helicopters.”

Actually, the extra traffic is due to fertilizing beingconducted by Air Tractor 802 planes, said Cleo King, a formerfighter pilot and flight instructor who used to fly the sameplanes, both for fertilizer companies and as a firefighter.

“They’re fertilizing trees to make them grow faster forpulpwood,” King said.

King said the 1300-horsepower planes, which are owned by outsidecontractors, cruise at about 150 miles per hour and about 50 feetabove the timberline and are often carrying as much as 6,000 poundsof fertilizer.

The fact the planes fly so close to the ground could explain whythe noise may disturb residents. Human residents of the area arenot the only ones affected.

“One thing that happens is that animals get excited by theaircraft going over,” said Britt. “Dogs start barking, and it’llscare livestock at times. They’re kinda confused as to what’s goingon here.”

This is not an unusual event, however. Timber is usuallyfertilized between November and January of every year. Britt saysthe fly-by should only affect the area for a short time more.

“It started yesterday after about noontime,” he said. “We’restill looking at a couple more days. It should probably taper offby the end of the month.”

In addition to the fertilizing efforts, Britt said flightstudent Brad Hall and his instructor Peter Decruz are alsocontributing to increased air traffic.

“It’s pretty heavy right now,” Britt said. “I have the airtractors, plus I have a student out there doing touch-and-gos outthere with them. They’re just working with the planes accessing therunways.”