A family in Aalsmeer can sleep soundly again after receive new roof tiles from the Stichting Leefomgeving Schiphol (Schiphol Living Environment Foundation). Their roof tiles would fly off their roof with wind from the northeast caused by planes coming close to their home to land on the Aalsmeerbaan Runway. Their new roof tiles mean that this is now a thing of the past.
Published on: 12 February 2020
How rooves are damaged by aircraft
Aircraft taking off or landing disrupts the air flow, which can cause turbulence or even a small whirlwind. We call that a vortex. That vortex can be very powerful when combined with certain wind directions or if the winds are generally very strong. If a plane takes off or lands over a house and is flying low, that vortex can hit the roof. That causes tiles to come loose and fall off the roof, which is of course a horrible situation.
What Schiphol is doing about that
If you have roof damage caused by an aircraft vortex, you can report this damage to us directly by phone on 020 601 2555, which is the number of the Schiphol Control Centre. We will then dispatch a technician to repair the damage as soon as possible. The costs involved are entirely covered by the Stichting Leefomgeving Schiphol. If more funds are needed, the foundation will work with you to find a suitable customised solution for the damage.
For more information, please visit leefomgevingschiphol.nl/vortex-informatie/.