A key advisory panel has given its approval to a proposal aimed at redistributing flight corridors for departures and arrivals at Reagan National Airport, which could alleviate the noise experienced by residents in southern Fairfax County.
The plan will move forward for consideration by local governments and ultimately the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Jim Allerdice, speaking on behalf of the consulting firm Vianair, expressed confidence in the recommendations presented at the Oct. 23 meeting of the Reagan National Community Working Group.
“I truly believe the recommendations being put forward today are the best available, based on what we had to work with,” he stated.
For the past decade, this working group has focused on understanding and mitigating the impacts of aircraft noise generated from the airport in Arlington.
After the briefing session on the proposal, the advisory panel voted unanimously, 17-0, to recommend that the FAA consider Vianair’s suggestions.
Currently, the aircraft leaving Reagan National Airport to the south navigate along a corridor that runs down the Potomac River before turning west.
This flight pattern particularly affects an east-west stretch of Fairfax County from Fort Hunt to Pohick Hills, as detailed in the meeting.
The new proposal aims to redirect about 40% of southbound departing flights to follow a southern route down the Potomac River before making any turns, which would allow aircraft to reach a higher altitude over less densely populated areas.
This alteration is designed to minimize noise impacts on residential neighborhoods.
In presenting the recommendations, Allerdice emphasized that such decisions require a broader regional perspective, quickly acknowledging the inherent challenges of redistributing flight paths.
“It’s very difficult to please all the people. If you move a flight track, it’s going to go over someone’s house and not go over someone else’s house,” he explained.
The primary goal behind these recommendations is to distribute departure lanes more evenly so that no single area bears the majority of aircraft traffic.
The report also includes suggestions for reconfiguring some southern approaches to Washington National Airport (DCA) to further diffuse noise from arriving aircraft.
In addition to lessening the disproportionate impact of aircraft noise on specific regions, the recommendations aim to:
– Diversify flight paths, concentrating them over the Potomac River, major highways, industrial zones, and utility corridors whenever feasible.
– Maximize the altitude that aircraft achieve both upon departure and arrival to mitigate noise effects.
– Avoid routing flights over noise-sensitive areas, such as schools, hospitals, historic sites, parks, and places of worship.
The Vianair analysis received funding from the governments of Fairfax and Prince George’s counties and Alexandria City, though it did not include an investigation of areas north of Reagan National, which were addressed in previous studies.
Since its opening in 1941 and particularly after the introduction of jet aircraft in the 1960s, the travel corridors at National Airport have been modified in response to both operational requirements and resident concerns.
In 2015, the FAA’s implementation of a “NextGen” satellite-based navigation system concentrated flight paths into narrower corridors, which Fairfax County argues has led to “continuous high noise levels” for residents in the Mount Vernon District.
Robert Meier, an alternate member of the working group and representative from the Mount Vernon area, remarked that the proposal presented on Oct. 23 exceeded his expectations.
He praised it as a more equitable distribution of noise impacts.
However, as the proposal awaits submission to the FAA, the timeline remains uncertain due to the federal government’s ongoing shutdown.
“Hopefully they’ll be back on the job shortly,” noted David Mould, chair of the working group and vice president of communications for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA).
Allerdice pointed out that when FAA personnel do return, they will likely need considerable time to catch up on pending matters.
“They’re going to be very, very busy catching up,” he said.
The Reagan National Community Working Group, created in 2015, consists of members from airlines, the airports authority, and local governments affected by flight operations at Reagan National.
Mould reflected on the progress made over the past decade during the panel’s 62nd meeting, expressing satisfaction with the achievements.
During the meeting, however, tensions rose when Mould announced MWAA’s intention to manage the “Fly Quiet” noise mitigation initiatives internally, rather than consult an outside firm, as many panel members had anticipated.
“This did not make it to our budget priorities list,” Mould explained regarding the decision.
He added that other airport operators reported success with in-house efforts compared to outside providers.
This decision sparked frustration among advisory panel members.
“An outside contractor is needed,” stated Janelle Wright, a panelist from Montgomery County who leads a subcommittee advocating for the hire of external expertise.
She described the recently delivered Fly Quiet report as “more disappointing than encouraging.”
Community members on the panel emphasized the necessity for independent consultative support to acquire the statistical data needed to engage effectively with airlines to mitigate noise.
“We need the data and we need data-driven improvement,” stressed Susan Shipp, another Montgomery County member.
At present, MWAA operates a single-person Noise Information Office covering both Reagan National and Dulles International airports.
While members praised staff member Mike Jeck, they reiterated the need for additional resources.
In September, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors reiterated their appeal for an outside operator to run the Fly Quiet program at Reagan National.
MWAA’s shift away from enlisting external help will be further discussed at the next working group meeting scheduled for January.
“We’re happy to listen,” Mould said, acknowledging the importance of community feedback.
image source from：ffxnow
