Birmingham Airport launch Noise Action Plan consultation

Date added: 4 July, 2009

1.7.2009   ( Birmingham Airport website)

Draft Noise Action Plan

On 1st July 2009, the Airport Company launched a 16 week Public Consultation,
to seek your views on Birmingham International Airport’s Draft Noise Action Plan.
Noise Action Plans are a requirement of the Environmental Noise Regulations (2006)
– major Airports are required to develop Noise Action Plans to manage noise issues
arising from aircraft operations.

Noise management is given top priority at Birmingham International Airport.  
Aircraft noise, both air and ground has long been recognised by the Airport Company
as a sensitive issue for the local community and as such, a comprehensive noise
mitigation plan has been in existence for many years. The Draft Noise Action plan
seeks to assess, manage and where possible, improve the noise climate around Birmingham
International Airport.

Through the Public Consultation, we are seeking your views on our Draft Noise
Action Plan. The Draft Noise Action Plan can be downloaded from this website.

The Public Consultation ends on 21st October 2009. Following the Public Consultation,
the Airport Company will review the responses and produce its Noise Action Plan.

We would also like to invite you to meet with us, at local community venues,
where you will have the opportunity to discuss the Draft Noise Action Plan with
members of Birmingham International Airport’s Environment Team. These events will
take place on the following dates:-

The Airport Company will also be presenting at the following Ward Committee Meetings.
 Please contact us nearer the time for times and venues:  

Shard End Ward Committee: 14.09.09

Hodge Hill Ward Committee: 16.09.09

For more information, please email: enviro@bhx.co.uk or call the Environmental Helpline on 0121 767 7433

(press release)

Draft Noise Action Plan   (47 pages, pdf)

Pages 24 and 25 state:

Night Flying

Night flying is recognised by Birmingham International Airport as a very sensitive
issue and as such the Night Flying Policy was voluntarily introduced and subsequently transposed into the Section 106 Planning Agreement with Solihull
Metropolitan Borough Council.

The Night Flying Policy was designed to minimise disturbance in the local community
during the night period (2330-0600). The Night Flying Policy firstly includes
an Annual Limit to restrict the number of aircraft allowed to operate during the
night, to 5% of total movements in the previous financial year.   The Annual Limit is split
by season; 24% winter and 76% summer 1.  

The Night Flying Policy includes an annual night Noise Quota Count Limit of 4,000.  
All aircraft operating during the night period are assigned a noise quota ranging
from 0 to 16 dependent on the noise certification of the aircraft.     Noisy aircraft
are assigned a high noise quota value whereas quiet aircraft are assigned a low noise
quota value.     Aircraft with a noise quota of 8 or more are not allowed to operate
during the night period.

The Night Flying Policy also includes a night noise limit of 87 dB(A)2.    If
an aircraft registers a noise level above this, at our centreline noise monitors (Noise Monitors
1 and 2), the airline is surcharged an amount equivalent to a full runway charge.    
All funds from night noise violations are placed into a Community Trust Fund, a registered charity that benefits projects in the local community.   The Community
Trust Fund is core funded with an annual donation of £50,000 from the Airport
Company.

Daytime Noise Limit

If a departing aircraft exceeds 92 dB(A)3 at our centreline noise monitors (Noise
Monitors 1 and 2), the airline is surcharged £500 plus a further £150 for every
full decibel recorded over the limit. All funds generated from this Policy are placed
into the Community Trust Fund.

1 The 5% Night Movement Limit applies to 2300 to 0600

2 Tolerance of 0.4 dB(A) applies

3 Tolerance of 0.4 dB(A) applies

Aircraft Track Keeping

Birmingham International Airport stipulates that all aircraft should follow Noise
Preferential Routes (NPRs) for the first 3,000 feet of the departure.   The NPRs
consist of flight corridors of 3 km in width, which are designed to take departing
aircraft over the least populated areas. The Airport Company has set a target
for 95% of departures to be "on-track."

Continual Decent Approaches (CDAs) were introduced at Birmingham International
Airport, during May 2009.   The basic principle of a Continual Decent Approach
is that arriving aircraft stay higher for longer, by descending at a continuous rate.  
CDAs require significantly less engine thrust, which leads to reduced air emissions
and noise.

Engine Ground Running

Engine Ground Running is required by airlines following essential aircraft maintenance and only takes place when absolutely necessary. To minimise the disturbance from engine ground running we have an Engine Ground Running Policy
which briefly includes the following provisions:

– Specified engine ground running locations to create least noise disturbance
to local residents

 – Engine ground runs can only take place from 0600hrs until 2300hrs (Monday
to Saturday) 0800hrs until 2300hrs on Sundays (and not between 1030-1230 hrs Sundays)

– All engine ground runs require prior approval

– Monthly reports are compiled and provided on a quarterly basis to the Airport
Consultative Committee and Environmental Monitoring Working Group

The “Action Plan” section (no dates or targets) is from Page 28.

Posted: Saturday, July 4th, 2009. Filed in Noise News.