Aircraft Noise

While air pollution considerations have become increasingly important in the years since jet trans­port aircraft were introduced into the civil aviation fleet in 1958, noise levels associated with the oper­ation of jet transport aircraft at the nation’s airports were an immediate concern to anyone within audi­ble range. Jet noise had previously been limited to military operations, and most people were familiar with jet operations only as they were usually con­ducted at higher altitudes.

Citizens’ groups became quite vocal about this intrusion into what had theretofore been a relatively peaceful coexistence with airport operations. Jet noise brought a new challenge to this attempt at coexistence. It took regulators until 1968 to accumulate enough anecdotal and

	Average Emission per Landing/Takeoff Showing Trends
	Older Boeing 737	Newest Boeing 737
Emission	(pounds)	(pounds)	Changes
Nitrogen oxides	12.1	17.8	47% increase
Carbon monoxide	16.8	10.7	37% decrease
Hydrocarbons	1.2	1.1	10% decrease

Source: GAO.

Notes: Landing and takeoff data for U. S. aircraft in 2001 obtained from AvSoft. Emissions were calculated using FAA’s Emissions and Dispersion Modeling System, version 4.01. The following variables were assumed to be the same for all aircraft: (1) taxi-time: 15 minutes, (2) auxiliary power unit time: 26 minutes, and (3) ceiling height for emissions mixing with local air: 3,000 feet. The model’s default was used for takeoff weight.

TABLE 34-3 Additional information on comparison of older and newest model Boeing 737 landing/takeoff emissions. Emission Emission per Aircraft During Landing/Takeoff Showing Trends Changes Boeing 747-400 (pounds) Boeing B777-200ER (pounds) Nitrogen oxides 103.5 124.2 20 percent increase Carbon monoxide 47.7 30.4 36 percent decrease Hydrocarbon 4.1 2.4 41 percent decrease

Source: GAO.

Notes: Landing and takeoff data for U. S. aircraft in 2001 obtained from AvSoft. Emissions were calculated using FAA’s Emissions and Dispersion Modeling System, version 4.01. The following variables were assumed to be the same for all aircraft: (1) taxi-time: 15 minutes, (2) auxiliary power unit time: 26 minutes, and (3) ceiling height for emissions mixing with local air: 3,000 feet. The model’s default was used for takeoff weight. The Boeing B77-200ER data is the weighted average (based on 2001 landings and takeoffs) for three different engines. The nitrogen oxides and other emission characteristics of these engines vary significantly.

The 58 Boeing 747-400s in the 2001 U. S. fleet have PW4056 engines and average 361 seats per aircraft. The 101 Boeing 777-200ERS in the 2001 U. S. fleet have the following engines: PW4090 (37 aircraft averaging 302 seats), GE90-90B (16 aircraft averaging 283 seats), and TRENT 892B-17 (48 aircraft averaging 249 seats). The three engine types for the Boeing 777-200ERs emit 138.6,123.6, and 112.3 pounds of nitrogen oxide emissions per landing/takeoff, respectively.

TABLE 34-4 Additional information on comparison of Boeing 747 and 777 emissions on a per aircraft basis.

empirical evidence to bring the matter success­fully before the Congress. In that year, the first aircraft noise legislation was passed.

Aircraft Noise Abatement Act of 1968

That year the initial step was taken to confront what was coming to be recognized as not only an environmental issue, but also a health issue. The Aircraft Noise Abatement Act of 1968 required the FAA, in consultation with the new Environ­mental Protection Agency, to establish noise standards for aircraft and to apply them through issuance of civil aircraft certificates.

Noise Control Act of 1972 and Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act of 1979

In 1972, Congress passed the Noise Control Act, which amended the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 to specifically involve the EPA in the regulation of airport noise. This was followed in 1979 by the Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act, which authorized the Secretary of Transportation to formulate a national aviation noise policy and authorized the FAA to promulgate regulations pursuant thereto, including “air noise compatibil­ity planning.” These regulations are contained in 14 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 150.

Nonattainment area	2008 Total N0X (tons)	2008 Aircraft percent of mobile source N0X	2020 Aircraft percent of mobile source N0X
Atlanta, GA	5,808	2.6	8.2
Baltimore, MD	1,148	1.3	4.4
Boston—including MA and NH NAAs	2,032	1.0	2.7
Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC	1,917	2.6	10.0
Chicago-Gary-Lake County, IL-IN	6,007	1.8	5.0
Cleveland-Akron-Lorain, OH	680	0.5	1.3
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX	3,880	1.7	6.9
Denver-Boulder-Greeley-Fort Collins-Loveland, CO	2,649	2.5	7.1
Detroit-Ann Arbor, Ml	2,312	1.1	3.0
Greater Connecticut, CT	405	0.8	2.4
Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX	3,045	1.3	3.4
Indianapolis, IN	1,089	1.4	3.0
Las Vegas, NV	2,308	6.0	15.8
Los Angeles South Coast Air Basin, CA	6,479	1.5	4.5
Louisville, KY-IN	1,211	1.9	6.2
Milwaukee-Racine, Wl	557	0.9	3.2
New York-N. New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT	10,093	2.3	6.3
Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City, PA-NY-MD-DE	2,308	1.0	2.8
Phoenix-Mesa, AZ	2,298	1.4	3.3
Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley, PA	480	0.5	1.1
Providence (entire State), Rl	232	1.0	2.3
Riverside County (Coachella Valley), CA	70	0.2	0.5
Sacramento Metro, CA	603	1.0	2.0
Salt Lake City, UT	1,235	4.4	14.1
San Diego, CA	1,035	1.4	3.4
San Francisco Bay Area, CA	4,405	2.7	6.7
San Joaquin Valley, CA	74	0.0	0.1
Seattle-Tacoma, WA	1,958	1.4	3.9
St. Louis, MO-IL	810	0.6	1,6
Washington, DC-MD-VA	2,983	2.0	6.2

TABLE 34-5 NOx EMISSIONS IN SELECTED OZONE AND PM25 NONATTAINMENT AREAS

й 100,000 Ф c m 80,000 C О ‘*P ■f 60,000 o. о Q. 0 40,000 1 20,000 з О о

FIGURE 34-6 Populations expected to benefit from noise funding.

The FA A established a program under the 1979 statute to help airport operators develop comprehensive noise reduction programs. Known as the Part 150 program (derived from CFR Part 150), this voluntary program encour­ages airport operators to develop Noise Exposure Maps (NEM) and Noise Compatibility Programs (NCP). NEMs identify noise contours and land use incompatibilities. NEMS are used to evaluate
existing noise impacts and to discourage future development not compatible with the airport plan. If the FAA approves the NEM, the airport opera­tor can submit an NCP, which describes measures that will improve noise and land use compatibility.

In 2005, 266 airports were participating in the Part 150 program and 226 airports had NCPs approved by the FAA. An FAA-approved NCP allows an airport to obtain federal aid for noise
mitigation projects. Since 1982, 247 airports have received a total of $4.3 billion for this pur­pose in addition to AIP noise grants (discussed below).