TagNoise Abatement Procedures(92)

This document is an invoice from ABCx2, LLC to Arlington County, Virginia, for $19,637.50 in consulting services rendered during July and August 2021 as part of the Arlington Phase II project. The work included community working group (CWG) meetings and presentations, FAA-related briefings, noise abatement procedure drafting, and flight track data analysis performed by a team of consultants billed at $250–$350 per hour. The invoice reflects cumulative project spending of $76,637.50 against a total project budget of $150,000, leaving a remaining balance of $73,362.50.

The Burien Airport Committee held virtual meetings in early 2021 to address community concerns about Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, including noise pollution, air quality, and public health impacts on nearby residents. The April 20, 2021 agenda featured a Public Health Seattle and King County presentation on airport-related pollutants, updates on the SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART) noise and federal policy working groups, and discussion of noise abatement departure procedures. The committee, chaired by Councilmember Sofia Aragon, was actively engaging with Port of Seattle commission items and coordinating with federal and state officials on airport noise policy reform.

This FAA presentation from February 18, 2021 explains Section 175 of the 2018 FAA Reauthorization Act, which addresses community noise concerns related to aircraft departure procedures. The law requires the FAA to consider dispersal headings or varied flight paths for new or amended departure procedures that direct aircraft between the surface and 6,000 feet over noise-sensitive areas, but only when the airport operator — not the community directly — formally requests it. Any approved changes must not significantly increase noise over noise-sensitive areas or interfere with the safe and efficient operation of the national airspace system.

This presentation by aviation consultant Jim Allerdice explores 'dispersion,' a strategy for reducing repetitive aircraft noise over residential neighborhoods by intentionally varying the lateral flight paths of aircraft. It distinguishes between natural dispersion, which occurs randomly with manually flown routes and air traffic control vectors, and systematic dispersion, which uses satellite-based navigation (RNAV) to spread flights across multiple precise, predictable tracks in a controlled way. Examples of systematic dispersion techniques discussed include radar vectors to RNAV, open Standard Instrument Departures (SIDs), and Equivalent Lateral Spacing Operations (ELSO).

A 2021 Aviation Noise and Emissions Symposium presentation by Charlotte Douglas International Airport Noise Abatement Specialist Dan Gardon explores the shifting landscape of aircraft noise complaints, noting that community annoyance is increasingly driven by the frequency of overhead flights rather than individual loud noise events. The presentation examines the opportunities and challenges airports face in dispersing flight paths to manage overflight noise. While focused on Charlotte Douglas, the insights are broadly relevant to airport noise management policy across the industry.

This June 2020 StART Aviation Noise Working Group update outlines Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's near-term action plan to reduce aircraft noise impacts on surrounding communities. Key initiatives include a voluntary Late-Night Noise Limitation Program, a revised Runway Use Program to limit third-runway use at night, and a glideslope adjustment for Runway 34R to reduce approach noise. Additional measures include ground noise analysis, a Noise Abatement Departure Profiles Study, and encouraging airlines to install vortex generators on older A320 aircraft to lessen descent noise.

This May 2020 update from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport outlines the status of its noise abatement and mitigation programs. Citizen noise complaints were averaging 400 per day, while the Noise Abatement Corridor saw 98% compliance and the Late Night Noise Limitation Program recorded an average of 11 exceedances per night in Q1 2020. COVID-19 delayed sound insulation construction projects for single-family homes and condominiums, pushing estimated start dates into 2021.

Airbus A320 family aircraft (A318, A319, A320, A321) manufactured before 2014 produce a distinctive high-pitched whistling noise during descent, caused by airflow passing through Fuel Over Pressure Protector (FOPP) cavities located on each wing. The noise fades once the landing gear is deployed. A small device called a vortex generator, installed just in front of each vent opening, has been identified as an effective fix, reducing noise levels by up to 4 decibels during the approach phase.

This December 2019 report by ESA for the Port of Seattle analyzes two standard Noise Abatement Departure Profiles (NADPs) used at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport: the Close-in profile, which reduces noise near the runway end, and the Distant profile, which reduces noise farther along the departure path. The analysis finds that the Distant NADP provides the greatest noise relief to the residential and developed communities surrounding Sea-Tac Airport. The report includes background on departure profiles, noise analysis results, and recommendations for the airport's noise abatement policy.

This document summarizes six near-term action items developed by the Sea-Tac Airport Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART) Aviation Noise Working Group as of November 2019, aimed at reducing aircraft noise for surrounding communities. The actions include a Late-Night Noise Limitation Program, a revised Runway Use Program to limit 3rd Runway use at night, a glide slope adjustment for Runway 34R, a ground noise analysis study, a Noise Abatement Departure Profiles Study, and outreach encouraging airlines to install vortex generators on older A320 aircraft. Each action identifies the responsible parties, current status, and the specific communities expected to benefit from reduced noise levels.