An Analysis on Aircraft Overflight Noise Distribution on Airport Adjacent Communities

Abstract

Aircraft overflight noise and can be a source of noise pollution and can also be the limiting factor in airport operations [1]. This research studies the distribution of overflight noise near 22 airports across 12 metropolitan areas in the United States. It uses a fast noise model to generate noise data from surveillance flight track data and correlates noise data with population data, income, and noise complaints when data is available. Findings reveal that population noise exposure is significantly influenced by urban density and proximity of the airport to city centers. Airports located farther from major cities, particularly newer and larger facilities like IAD, DFW, and DEN, tend to decrease noise exposure due to their expansive land areas and remote siting. Noise exposure is also impacted by operational procedures. Arrival procedures typically follow straight in paths aligned with runway centerlines, concentrating noise along specific corridors. We find a few exceptions to this trend in complex airspaces which have turns in their arrival procedures, often enabled by Area Navigation (RNAV) technology. This allows flights to avoid adjacent airspaces and also overfly targeted lower population areas. The implementation of Area Navigation and Performance Based Navigation technology has enabled greater use of arrival paths involving turns, which were previously limited to visual conditions. In contrast, departure paths and contours from departures are more varied due to routing flexibility. These are often shaped by noise abatement strategies and airspace constraints. Runway orientation relative to urban centers also plays a critical role in determining noise exposure, with runways directed away from cities generally resulting in fewer person-noise events. In a socioeconomic analysis, we find lower-income communities are more frequently located near high-noise zones, though exceptions exist in areas with desirable geographic features near the airport such as waterfront property.