The recommended noise abatement measures are listed in Table VI-1. Three of the recommended measures involve enhancements to the arrival and departure flight corridors/procedures or changes to the operational characteristics of the aircraft using the Airport. Currently, the preferred flight corridors for arriving and departing aircraft are along the Potomac and Anacostia River corridors. The recommended flight procedures are intended to enhance the use of the existing River corridors and to provide more precise guidance for pilots to follow. The other four measures would allow the Authority to enhance the management of the noise abatement program at the Airport and to monitor implementation of certain measures (e.g., monitoring of noise complaints, use of quieter aircraft).


Table VI-1
Recommended Noise Abatement Measures

Flight Routes and Operational Procedures

1. Form a working group to develop advanced navigation procedures for arrivals and departures on all runways, encourage the use of advanced navigation technology by airlines to provide pilots the ability to follow more predictable and precise flight tracks along the center of the Potomac and Anacostia River corridors.

2. Through training and educational materials, encourage air traffic controllers to direct flights arriving on Runway 01 or departing on Runway 19 during nighttime hours (10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.) when traffic permits, to distribute the locations at which aircraft turn onto, or off of, the route along the center of the Potomac River over the area between 5 and 10 miles south of the Airport.

3. Through training and educational materials, encourage air traffic controllers to direct flights arriving on Runway 01 or departing on Runway 19 during daytime hours (7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.) when traffic permits, to distribute the locations at which aircraft turn onto, or off of, the route along the center of the Potomac River over the area between 5 and 10 miles south of the Airport.

4. Request the FAA Flight Standards Office to revise language in the Airport Facility Directory (AFD) to reflect the current noise abatement procedures at the Airport.

5. Request a voluntary phase-out of hushkitted Stage 3 aircraft through discussions with airlines and the Air Transport Association.

6. Update the Airport's Noise Monitoring and Flight Tracking System to reflect the latest technology.

7. Establish a system to report airline compliance with noise abatement measures.

8. Enhance the Noise Complaint System.

Summary of Recommended Noise Mitigation Measures

Mitigation measures can be described as remedial or preventative. Remedial measures, such as land acquisition and sound insulation, are those that can be implemented to achieve compatibility of existing incompatible land uses or help improve the compatibility of existing incompatible land uses. Preventative noise mitigation measures are those that can help reduce the potential for incompatible land uses from being developed in areas exposed to significant levels of aircraft noise. The FAA defines areas exposed to DNL 65 and higher as "significantly impacted" by noise, and the Authority may be eligible for federal funding to implement noise mitigation for dwellings within these areas. Because no noise-sensitive land uses are projected to be within the area exposed to DNL 65 and higher in 2009 with FAA TAF general aviation operations, no remedial measures are recommended in this NCP (i.e., there are no persons or dwellings that would benefit from sound insulation, land acquisition, or other mitigation measures that would require federal funding within areas exposed to DNL 65 and higher). Table VII-1 presents the six recommended preventative mitigation measures.

Table VII-1

Recommended Noise Mitigation Measures

1. Amend Comprehensive Plans and Zoning Maps to Promote Compatible Land Uses - Amend local zoning ordinances, plans, and maps to permit only compatible land uses in specified Airport noise zones.

2. Encourage Airport Noise Overlay Zoning - Encourage the local jurisdictions to amend zoning ordinances and plans to incorporate specified sound insulation requirements for the Airport noise zones. Performance standards associated with overlay zones would ensure that infill development or substantial reconstruction would provide acceptable interior noise levels.

3. Amend Building Codes to Require Soundproofing - Amend building codes to require soundproofing for construction in the Airport noise zones to specified interior noise levels.

4. Disclose Noise Levels Prior to Contract for Sale or Lease - Require disclosure of aircraft noise levels and their meaning to purchasers or renters prior to contract or title transfer for residential property.

5. Expand Airport Noise Information Program - Publicize noise levels, Airport policies, and abatement actions and distribute to the general public, developers, financial institutions, realtors, and leasing agents.

6. Encourage Local Jurisdictions to Adopt Discretionary Project Review Guidelines for Subdivision, Rezoning, Special Use, Conditional Use, and Variance Applications (in the environs of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport) - Encourage the local jurisdictions to allow the Authority the opportunity to review and comment on proposed developments surrounding the Airport.

This page was last revised on: April 11, 2006.