Workshop on aviation noises

✍ Scribed by Richard Dyer

• Publisher: Springer Netherlands
• Year: 1973
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 46 KB
• Volume: 2
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0049-6979
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00159670

✦ Synopsis

The discussion in this session covered noises in and around airports. Airports as such have three recourses:

(1) Buy up greatly expanded areas around airports;

(2) prohibit usage by offensive planes; and

(3) regulate operational procedures, landing patterns, etc. Alternatively, planes themselves must be, and in fact are being improved, newer models being appreciably quieter than older ones. The quieter ones include DC 10, L 1011, and late model B 747.

Most noise abatement measures prove to be expensive, thus enlarging airport areas is prohibitive. Also, while new planes are better, noisy older types that may be in use for many years to come can be quiet only at considerable cost.

The roles of FAA, DOT, and EPA were described, the chief debate being whether regulations were strong enough and being activated rapidly enough. DOT and NASA have contributed design improvements and flight operational improvements. All these require acceptance by flight personnel, safety check-outs, and to some degree new airports installations and new regulations.

The courts are also in the picture of airport noise abatement, at Ieast one instance being cited where the airport was held liable for the noise.

Conclusions of the session did not include any action items, although it was suggested that the noise studies by EPA, leading potentially to regulations, should be endorsed, that land use controls as begun in California be endorsed, that optimum aircraft operational procedures be enforced by regulation, and that improvements of sources be continued possibly by regulation.