Noise News
Below are links to stories about noise in relation to airports and aviation.
Belfast schools hit by City airport’s noise proposals
Belfast City airport has submitted proposals that would replace an existing passenger cap with one controlling noise. This will increase the amount of total noise experienced by those near flight paths. Belfast City Airport Watch (BCAW) believes this would mean that 21 schools would potentially be subjected to aircraft noise at a level above that recommended by the WHO, and 9 would would potentially experience aircraft noise at a level which the UK government regards as serious. Up to 46,000 people in Belfast and north Down would also be affected at levels well above those recommended by WHO. BCAW says “Under these proposals, the City Airport could become one of the noisiest in the UK, in terms of its effect on schools and the local population. There is a robust body of research which shows that high levels of aircraft noise impact negatively on children’s education and on people’s health." The Department of the Environment is currently carrying out a public consultation into the airport proposals.
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Despite focus on reducing CO2, aircraft noise remains the key environmental concern for airports
In a long article by GreenAir online, reporting on a recent UK Air Operators Association (AOA) Environment conference in London, cover many airport issues - but chiefly noise. There are a few important comments, such as: Kate Jennings, Head of Aviation Policy Implementation at the DfT, said the frequency of flights had gone up and that was the source of most complaints by people living around airports. She said airport noise contours – the noise footprint – were useful but didn’t necessarily reflect public perception on the ground,and we need better ways of capturing noise metrics that address how the public feel about aircraft noise. Also that while there was every incentive for aircraft manufacturers to reduce emissions, the incentive to reduce noise was not so straightforward. Also, it is not possible to forecast the world’s aircraft fleet up to 2050 to predict the noise footprint of the future
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Boeing ‘Dreamliner’ offers only marginal noise benefit – its “quietness” is exaggerated
The Dreamliner 787 has been much hyped, for its theoretical reduction in fuel use and in noise. Boeing claims it is 60% quieter, a statement that needs to be understood in terms of how aircraft noise is measured. It does not mean 60% quieter, in the way a layperson would understand the statement. It means actually a reduction of perhaps 3 decibels, to anyone standing under the flight path - a difference that is barely noticeable, even to trained ears. These figures are also theoretical, along the lines of the car fuel consumption figures given by manufacturers, and very difficult to replicate in real life. If the planes are heavier, taking off with more fuel and luggage on board, or landing on full power, they are still very noisy. And if there are more flights overhead, that is actually what people are bothered by, rather than a 3dB difference.
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European Parliament begins scrutiny of EU airport noise rules
IIn December, the EU presented its " Better Airports" legislation package, which it said is "a comprehensive package of measures to help increase the capacity of Europe's airports, reduce delays and improve the quality of services offered to passengers". The European Parliament will soon start scrutinising the draft regulation. The Airports Package aims to replace the airports noise directive with regulations and generally water down protection for residents. But the MEP in charge of the dossier and steering the noise regulations through the Parliament appears sceptical about the Commission's motives. On noise, he feels the Commission has put economic considerations above all else when drafting the regulation, which is not acceptable. The regulation is aiming to have fewer restrictions on airports, so their growth is not jeopardised. There are hopes of banning the noisiest planes, and decide on a timetable following a "cost effectiveness assessment". The worry is that noise reduction that has economic costs will be opposed.
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Noise from planes approaching Gatwick flying over Edenbridge at ‘damaging levels’
TNoise from planes flying over Edenbridge is at potentially damaging levels, according to a Courier investigation. Edenbridge is about 8 miles from Gatwick, directly under the approach path. Our study of sound levels over the town showed residents are being forced to put up with conditions that some experts believe could have long-term health implications, such as hypertension, hearing impairment and increased risk of heart disease. Recently monitoring of the noise there showed spikes of up to 91 decibels under the flight path, around 9am, checking 29 planes flying overhead. They had an average volume of 72.7 decibels and a peak of 91. Local residents find it is the constant repetition and long duration of the noise that makes it so annoying.
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Frankfurt night flight ban between 11pm and 5am upheld by higher court
A German court on Wednesday ruled in favor of a night flight ban at Frankfurt airport, Europe's third busiest, dealing a blow to German flagship airline Lufthansa and airport operator Fraport. Lufthansa says it needs Frankfurt night flights so its cargo operations can compete with fast-growing Gulf airports and it will be hit financially if there is a ban. In 2009 the local government said it would allow 17 flights between 11 pm and 5am from the end of October 2011 on economic grounds. Then residents under the flight paths took the case to court. Their complaint was upheld in October by a local court just before the opening of the 4th runway. Now a judge at a higher court in Leipzig confirmed the ban and said the federal state of Hesse must make a new decision on whether to allow night flights. This will have implications for other European airports like Paris Charles de Gaulle and Heathrow.
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Cautious welcome from Belfast City residents for airport noise consultation
Local residents have given a cautious welcome to news that the Environment Minister, will hold an inquiry and consultation aimed at addressing the issue of aircraft noise linked to George Best Belfast City Airport. Belfast City Airport Watch (BCAW) want protection for local residents and their quality of life. They say: “A far higher number of residents living near City Airport have to suffer unacceptable levels of noise than is the case at major UK airports such as Stansted or Gatwick." They also face more noise this year from several new international routes operating out of City which are likely to push up noise levels even further. BCAW wants the consultation to result in a tougher airport Planning Agreement which is properly enforced. Many thousands of Belfast people suffer levels of noise above those recommended by the WHO.
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Frankfurt night flights between 11pm and 5am to be banned
The Frankfurt campaigners have won a partial night flight ban at Frankfurt in the teeth of opposition from the airlines and the regional government. The local government had allowed 17 flights per night between 11pm and 5am. The High Court has now ruledt ht there is a ban on all flights between 11pm and 5am. The number of hours of the ban is similar to the one that operates, in theory, at Heathrow (11.30 – 4.30) but it is a significant achievement for the campaigners. There can still be a total of 133 flights over the full period of 10pm to 6am - so during the periods of 10 - 11pm and 5 - 6am. The campaigners at Frankfurt say: "This Frankfurt decision will encourage you all at Paris, London and Amsterdam, but as well at Madrid, Barcelona and other airports of Europe. Frankfurt will be the first big Hub having a night flight restrictions!"
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New GLA report “Plane Speaking” – Tackling air and noise pollution around a growing Heathrow
In a report the GLA Environment Committee calls on the Government to adopt a new method of measuring aircraft noise. It found that the method recommended by the EU more accurately reflects noise disturbance. Under the method traditionally used by the UK Government, just over 250,000 people are said to be disturbed by noise from Heathrow. But the EU method puts the figure at 725,000. HACAN welcomes the report and urges the Government to take account of its findings. The current way of measuring noise says planes are not a problem in places like Putney or Fulham! This is clearly untrue. The EU method gives a more accurate picture of the true numbers affected by noise. In a wide-ranging report, the Committee also recommended that the noise measurements from Heathrow and London City Airport should be combined to reflect the way people who live under both flight paths hear the noise.
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HACAN calls on Government to ditch for good outdated way of measuring aircraft noise
The UK government uses the Leq system to measure aircraft noise over a 16 hour day. The EU uses the Lden method to measure aircraft noise. This averages the noise out over a 12 hour day; then a 4 hour evening; and finally an 8 hour night. It adds 5 decibels to the evening level and 10 decibels to the night level to allow for the lower background noise levels at those times. This gives a more realistic measure. The EU estimates that around 720,000 people are disturbed by noise from Heathrow aircraft, while the UK Government puts it much lower at less than 300,000.