Airport Noise Management
Air traffic is the source of various forms of disturbance to the surrounding, including noise pollution. Residents living near airports are usually the most severely affected and are very conscious of the effects of aviation noise on their quality of life. Airport noise provokes strong feelings and is a major factor in discussions and policies regarding aviation capacity.
Management of noise levels in airports is a major concern for airport managers and other stakeholders. It’s crucial, therefore, that airport managers make use of noise and flight monitoring systems to:
- Manage and monitor noise and flight paths
- Coordinate and improve communication between parties involved
- Respond to complaints from surrounding communities by providing a thorough analysis of the situation
- Evaluate possible way to mitigate noise levels
Despite improvements in aircraft technology and continuous noise monitoring at many of the busiest airports, noise complaints are still a major concern every year as the numbers of aircraft and passengers increase. The aviation industry has been working to reduce noise levels for decades. According to recent findings, aircraft are already about 50% quieter today than they were a decade ago. However, airport noise still has a negative impact on local communities and negatively colors the public perception of the aviation industry.
Societal Impacts of Aircraft Noise
As research concerning the impacts of aircraft noise grows, concerns increase on its impact on society. Airport noise can have adverse effects on both human and animal environments. Health effects, both mental and physical, attributed to airport noise have become the subject of various research studies which show that disruptive noise may harm human health. Some of the effects associated with airport noise include:
- Speech interference
- Detection/distraction
- Sleep disturbance
- Disruption of work/activity
- Stress and other health risks
- Noise-induced hearing loss
Road noise is the predominant source of transport noise exposure, but aviation noise still generates considerable interest because it’s more difficult to mitigate and covers larger geographical areas when compared to rail and road noise.
Measuring Aircraft Nose
The assessment of aircraft noise is relevant in the context of designing acceptable noise management policies and carrying out environmental impact assessments. Measuring aircraft noise can be done by direct measurements with high fidelity simulations or calibrated noise microphones.
Aircraft generate noise both on the ground and in the air. The noise generated depends on the type of aircraft and how it is operated.
It is the social and environmental issues associated with aviation noise that is most likely to mobilize local communities and give rise to constraints, operational restrictions and airport project delays. These impacts are significant, and it’s crucial today more than ever for airport operators, air navigation service providers, and other interested parties to commit to positively addressing them.
Successful airport noise mitigation requires collaboration between the airports, air navigation service providers, airplane operators and the local community to design acceptable procedures for all concerned.
Bottom Line
Airports currently employ a variety of strategies to mitigate the effects of aircraft noise pollution. Research has established that early aviation policies focused almost exclusively on reducing noise pollution through technological improvements of aircraft. However, this has since changed as the aviation industry policymakers and officials have adopted a more holistic and interdisciplinary approach to understand and reduce the impacts of aircraft noise on the surrounding communities and the environment.
Some of the Policy measures currently aimed at reducing noise include; noise charges; airport curfews; preferential runways; noise abatement procedures; noise level limits; operation restrictions; engine run-up restrictions; sound insulation; and zoning laws among others.