Aviation Noise-Pollution Mitigation Through Redesign of Aircraft Departures

The ecology of air traffic includes society attitudes toward reducing fuel consumption and minimizing noise emissions. Aircraft noise exposure can be reduced by optimizing standard instrument departure (SID) routes according to area navigation (RNAV) specifications to reduce noise pollution for people who live in the airport vicinity. Various airport construction projects, aircraft departures, and increased density can have unintended noise pollution to those nearby an airport. Issues and concerns of airport traffic noise abatement through departure route RNAV optimization are demonstrated for the Birmingham Airport. The paper describes the proposal for a new Birmingham Airport SID, which effectively directs air traffic noise outside Balsall Common. The description of the construction of the new route is verified by calculations, not only of the minimum altitudes above obstacles, but also of the minimum distance between waypoints. The construction of protective zones at individual waypoint turns, where strict rules for minimum altitudes over obstacles apply, facilitates meeting safety standards. A map of the areas that will be most exposed to excessive noise is visualized to verify the results. The departure noise abatement procedure could be successfully used for conducting a local environment noise study to predict and mitigate noise in the area, and eventually optimize aircraft guidance on the departure route to improve the quality of life in Balsall Common.