Balanced Approach to Noise Mitigation

1. Presented by: Elizabeth Andrade ICAO/CAEP Working Group 2 Airports and Operations Presented to: Colloquium on Environmental Aspects of Aviation Montreal, Canada April 9-11, 2001 Balanced Approach to Noise Mitigation

2. Balanced Approach • The objective of the “Balanced Approach” is to reduce the impact of aircraft noise, through a programme which takes into account the balance of the following four elements: 1- Reduction of noise at source; 2- Land-use planning and management; 3- Noise abatement operational procedures; and, 4- Operating restrictions on aircraft. • The goal should be to achieve maximum environmental benefit most cost-effectively. • The process for implementation of such a programme and decisions between its elements would be for Contracting States.

3. BALANCED PROGRAMME ELEMENTS 1- Reduction of noise at source  WG/1 2- Land-use planning and management  WG/2 3- Noise abatement operational procedures  WG/2 4- Operating restrictions on aircraft  Assembly/CAEP 5

4. BALANCED PROGRAMME ELEMENTS1- Reduction of Noise at Source(Noise Certification/Technology) • Aircraft technologies have achieved significant noise reductions. • CAEP/5 proposed new noise limits to be included in a new “Chapter 4” of Annex 16. • No important alteration in this status is expected in the near future. • Need for alternatives to ease the noise problem beyond reducing noise at source only.

5. BALANCED PROGRAMME ELEMENTS2 - Land Use Planning and Management • Important to ensure that noise reduction gains are not offset by inappropriate noise sensitive developments around airports. • Planning Instruments such as: - zoning - easements • Mitigating Instruments such as: - building codes - noise insulation programs

6. BALANCED PROGRAMME ELEMENTS2 - Land Use Planning and Management • Financial Instruments such as: - tax incentives programmes - noise-related airport charges • Revision of ICAO Doc 9184-AN/902, Airport Planning Manual, Part 2 - Land Use and Environmental Control provides: - recommended land use planning guidelines, and environmental protection practices applied to airports - examples of land use planning techniques from various States • CAEP/5 recommended that it should be published as soon as possible.

7. BALANCED PROGRAMME ELEMENTS2 - Land Use Planning and Management • Support Tasks: • Airport Noise Modelling - need to develop common basis for comparing future airport noise exposures under different noise abatement strategy assumptions. - studies to be continued: collect information on models in use, to assess their performance and to determine where improvements might be achieved.

8. BALANCED PROGRAMME ELEMENTS2 - Land Use Planning and Management • Support Tasks: .• Changes in Noise Exposure with Time - examine changes in measured noise exposure around airports over a representative period of time, as it was considered to be of value for further policy decisions on land-use planning.

9. BALANCED PROGRAMME ELEMENTS3 - Noise Abatement Procedures • Noise Abatement Operational Procedures aim to reduce impact on airport surrounding areas by redistributing noise. • Such procedures enable reduction of noise during aircraft operations to be achieved at comparatively low cost. • Several measures, including: - use of preferential runways and routes - use of noise abatement procedures for take-off - use of noise abatement procedures for approach

10. BALANCED PROGRAMME ELEMENTS3 - Noise Abatement Procedures • Revision of PANS-OPS, Doc 8168 - Volume 1, Part V (Noise Abatement Procedures). - The new noise abatement departure procedures allow for benefits in areas either close-in or at distances farther from the airport. - Such procedures enable to better utilize the improved performance of modern Chapter 3 aircraft. • CAEP/5 recommended that PANS-OPS should be amended as soon as possible

11. BALANCED PROGRAMME ELEMENTS3 - Noise Abatement Procedures • Noise abatement approach procedures: studies to be continued. • CAEP/5 recommended that guidance material for evaluating noise abatement operating measures be published as an ICAO Circular.

12. BALANCED PROGRAMME ELEMENTS3 - Noise Abatement Procedures • Support Tasks: .• Noise and Flight Path Monitoring Installations - Objective of the task: to develop guidelines on the installation and operation of airport noise monitoring systems. - Guidance material should be issued as an ICAO Circular, pending its inclusion in the full revision of ICAO Circular 205 - Recommended Method for Computing Noise Contours around Airports.

13. BALANCED PROGRAMME ELEMENTS3 - Noise Abatement Procedures • Support Tasks: .• Airports with Noise Monitoring Systems - Objective of the task: to report the characteristics of airports equipped with noise and flight path monitoring systems, and the features of those systems. - The report on the results of the survey would be incorporated into the guidelines on noise and flight path monitoring installations.

14. BALANCED PROGRAMME ELEMENTS 4 - Operating Restrictions on Aircraft • Noise concerns have led some States to consider banning the operation of certain noisy aircraft at their airports. - 1980s: focus on NNC aircraft - 1990s: focus on Chapter 2 aircraft - 2000s: focus on Chapter 3 aircraft • Such measure may inflict significant costs on airlines, with reflections on international commercial air services. • Operating restrictions are now considered in a much broader sense than used in Resolution A32-8. They encompass any measure which could limit or control the access of an aircraft to an airport.

15. The Balanced Programme Review by CAEP/5 • Council mandate was given to CAEP to explore technical options for possible operating restrictions on Chapter 3 aircraft. • Many possible options had been developed and analysed in terms of cost and benefit. • CAEP had not reached consensus on a specific recommendation to Council.

16. The Balanced Programme Conclusions of CAEP/5 • Further explore the task (operating restrictions) under the concept of a balanced approach for noise mitigation. • All the elements of the balanced approach are important and equal consideration should be given to all of them. • Noise management should be considered only in the context of a balanced programme, aiming to achieve maximum environmental benefit most cost effectively.

17. The Balanced Programme Conclusions of CAEP/5 • The conclusions on a balanced programme could be used by the Secretariat in preparing drafts of possible Assembly Resolutions. • An attempt was made to develop guidelines for an ICAO framework for a national or individual airport approach to operating restrictions, which was not successful. • It was then agreed that it be further discussed in CAEP’s future work.

18. The Balanced Programme Conclusions of CAEP/5 • CAEP’s work programme: to include noise management under WG/2 – noise, airports and operations activities and under the analytical groups MAGENTA and FESG. • WG/2: prepare guidance on the process to be used by States in implementing and managing the balanced programme with the objective of developing an ICAO framework. • Analytical groups: assess the cost and benefit of any additional proposal or assumption, as necessary.

19. The Balanced Programme Conclusions of CAEP/5 • Reduction of Noise at Source: - it is essential that aircraft noise standards be reviewed to ensure that they reflect the current state of aircraft technology. • Land-use Planning: - land-use policy initiatives should be implemented to discourage incompatible land use and encroachment into defined noise impact areas; - further work should consider guidance and exchange of information on best practices by comparing different national systems;

20. The Balanced Programme Conclusions of CAEP/5 • Land-use Planning: - the Airport Planning Manual should be kept updated and more readily available; - the possibility of developing environmental material for Annex 14 and Annex 16 should be explored; and - guidance should be prepared on the processes to be used by States in implementing and managing the balanced programme with the objective of providing an ICAO framework.

21. The Balanced Programme Conclusions of CAEP/5 • Noise Abatement Operational Procedures: - these procedures should be implemented as much as practicable, consistent with safety; - such measures aim to minimize impact on communities and include: • specific procedures for approach and departure; • aircraft routings; and • runway preferential use.

22. The Balanced Programme Conclusions of CAEP/5 • Operating Restrictions on Aircraft: - such restrictions include, but are not limited to, the phase-out of Chapter 3 aircraft. - such restrictions should not be used as a first option to reduce noise. - such restrictions should only be used after full consideration of the benefits from the other elements of the balanced programme.

23. The Balanced Programme Conclusions of CAEP/5 • Operating Restrictions on Aircraft: - States making use of operating restrictions should take into account: • the general guidelines of such programme; • cooperation among States to alleviate economic hardship on aircraft operators; • the problems of operators of developing countries; • the need to maintain predictability and stability within the international aviation system; • consultation with all stakeholders; • the need of applying such restrictions in an uniform manner and without discrimination.

24. The Balanced Programme General Conclusions of CAEP/5 • the new noise stringency Standard developed for Annex 16, Volume I was intended for certification purpose only and was not intended to be used as a basis for operating restrictions; • the results of the cost/benefit analyses conducted do not support general phase-out of Chapter 3 aircraft in the non-exempt regions; • all members could support the four elements of the balanced programme;

25. The Balanced Programme General Conclusions of CAEP/5 • some members believed that the balanced programme could be used in achieving the flexibility concerning operating restrictions which they wished to have; • several members believed that the results of the cost/benefit analyses do not support any regional phase-out; and • there is a need for further work on an ICAO framework for the conditions relating to operating restrictions as part of the balanced programme.