Meghan Hodges
Boston Logan Airport has been working to reduce noise pollution since 1975 due to its proximity to residential communities in the Greater Boston metropolitan area. In 1977, Massport established the Noise Abatement Office to implement noise reduction rules in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and airline partners. Boston Logan was also one of the first airports to install a noise monitoring system in the surrounding communities. In recent years, the airport has introduced new flight procedures to reduce noise, such as Area Navigation (RNAV) flight procedures, which allow aircraft to navigate more efficiently and predictably. The MIT International Center for Air Transportation (ICAT) has also collaborated with community groups and stakeholders to develop four new low-noise flight procedures.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Noise reduction rules | Implemented by the Noise Abatement Office since 1977 |
| Noise monitoring system | Installed in surrounding communities to guide noise abatement efforts |
| Soundproofing in public schools | Boston Logan received a grant from the FAA in 1981 to test the benefits of soundproofing in public schools |
| Nighttime restrictions on operations | Implemented to decrease noise exposure in surrounding communities |
| Noise report line | Massport's Noise Abatement Office maintains a 24-hour noise report line for excessive airport noise |
| Flight Monitor (PublicVue) | An informational tool for residents to understand aircraft operations and file disturbance reports |
| New flight procedures | Developed in collaboration with MIT to reduce noise from departing and arriving aircraft |
| Fuel burn analyses | Conducted to encourage airlines to adopt low-noise procedures and demonstrate potential fuel savings |
| Technical solutions | Investigated by ICAT to mitigate aircraft noise, including Block 1 and Block 2 procedures |
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What You'll Learn
- Massport's Noise Abatement Office allows residents to report noise disturbances
- Boston Logan was the first airport to receive an FAA grant to test soundproofing in public schools
- New flight procedures have been developed to reduce noise from aircraft
- Boston Logan's unique proximity to residential communities means noise impacts are significant
- The FAA has determined that an annual noise level of 65 dB DNL is incompatible with residential areas
Massport's Noise Abatement Office allows residents to report noise disturbances
Boston Logan Airport's unique proximity to residential communities throughout the Greater Boston metropolitan area means that Massport has been continually working to minimize noise impacts on surrounding neighbours since 1975. In 1977, Massport established the Noise Abatement Office to implement noise reduction rules, collaborating with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and airline partners.
The Noise Abatement Office helps analyse how airport noise affects local communities and informs actions to reduce the airport's impact on residents. Boston Logan was one of the first airports in the nation to install a noise monitoring system in the surrounding communities that guide Massport's noise abatement efforts. The Noise Abatement Office maintains a 24-hour noise report line to report excessive airport noise. Residents can call 617-561-3333 or file a complaint online.
Flight Monitor (PublicVue) is an informational tool that allows residents to watch the time-delayed movement of aircraft within the Greater Boston area and learn more about general aircraft operations. Residents can also use Flight Monitor to file a disturbance report to the Noise Abatement Office. However, there are limitations to Flight Monitor, including interference of signals, a one-minute delay for security purposes, and limited information for non-Boston Logan flights, such as helicopters and small propeller aircraft.
In addition to the Noise Abatement Office, Massport has implemented several other measures to reduce noise pollution. These include nighttime restrictions on operations and noise abatement departure turns, which have significantly decreased noise exposure in surrounding communities. Massport has also been tracking the number of people within the 65 DNL contour since 1987, with the population exposed to excessive noise levels decreasing over time due to new engine technology and a reduction in the overall number of flights.
Furthermore, Massport has collaborated with the MIT International Center for Air Transportation (ICAT) and the FAA to develop new low-noise flight procedures. These procedures are designed to reduce noise from aircraft departing and arriving at Boston Logan Airport. ICAT researchers are also conducting analyses of fuel burn on the newly implemented procedures, which may provide fuel savings to airlines while reducing noise. Overall, Massport's Noise Abatement Office plays a crucial role in allowing residents to report noise disturbances and helping Massport implement effective noise reduction measures.
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Boston Logan was the first airport to receive an FAA grant to test soundproofing in public schools
Boston Logan Airport has been working to reduce noise pollution since 1975, due to its proximity to residential communities in the Greater Boston metropolitan area. In 1977, the airport established the Noise Abatement Office to implement noise reduction rules and analyse the effects of airport noise on these communities.
In 1981, Boston Logan became the first airport in the nation to receive an FAA grant to test soundproofing in public schools. This grant was used to launch a soundproofing program in 1983, which has since invested over $170 million to soundproof more than 11,000 dwelling units and 36 schools. The airport's noise abatement rules include restrictions on certain runways and some ground operations, as well as a prohibition on old, noisy engine technology.
In addition to soundproofing, Boston Logan has implemented other measures to reduce noise pollution. For example, the airport was one of the first in the nation to install a noise monitoring system in the surrounding communities, which guides its noise abatement efforts. The airport also worked with the FAA and MIT to develop new low-noise flight procedures that reduce noise from aircraft departing and arriving at the airport. These procedures involve more precise navigation that allows aircraft to navigate more efficiently and predictably in the airspace around Boston.
Boston Logan also provides a 24-hour noise report line and an online complaint system for residents to report excessive airport noise. The airport takes pride in being a leader in noise reduction and mitigation, and its efforts have resulted in a significant decrease in the number of people exposed to high levels of noise.
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New flight procedures have been developed to reduce noise from aircraft
Boston Logan Airport has been working on minimizing the impacts of noise on surrounding communities since 1975 due to its proximity to residential areas in the Greater Boston metropolitan area. In 1977, the airport established the Noise Abatement Office to implement noise reduction rules in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and airline partners.
The airport takes pride in being a leader in noise reduction and mitigation. For instance, it was one of the first airports in the nation to install a noise monitoring system in the surrounding communities, which guides its noise abatement efforts.
In recent years, new flight procedures have been developed to further reduce noise from aircraft. The MIT International Center for Air Transportation (ICAT) collaborated with community groups and operational stakeholders to develop four new low-noise flight procedures that are now in use at Boston Logan Airport. These procedures, known as Area Navigation (RNAV) flight procedures, were implemented between 2012 and 2013 and allow aircraft to navigate more efficiently and predictably in the airspace around Boston.
While the shift to more precise navigation initially led to a concentration of aircraft trajectories over specific neighborhoods, the new procedures have resulted in overall noise reduction. ICAT researchers continue to collaborate with the FAA and Massport to encourage the adoption of these new procedures. Preliminary results suggest that in addition to noise reduction, the procedures may also provide fuel savings for airlines.
Massport's Noise Abatement Office maintains a 24-hour noise report line for residents to report excessive airport noise. Additionally, residents can utilize the Flight Monitor (PublicVue) tool to watch the time-delayed movement of aircraft within the Greater Boston area and file disturbance reports to the Noise Abatement Office.
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Boston Logan's unique proximity to residential communities means noise impacts are significant
Boston Logan's unique proximity to residential communities means that noise impacts on local residents are significant. The airport has six runways, all aligned in multiple directions, with runway ends pointing toward six distinct compass headings. This means that aircraft noise is a concern for communities in several directions, not just one. Aircraft must generally take off and land into the wind, so wind speed and direction, and other weather conditions, determine which runways are used. Some communities are impacted by more than one runway operation, while others are impacted by just one.
The airport's coastal location and highly variable wind conditions also mean that a simpler airfield layout is not possible. Aircraft associated with Boston Logan tend to fly within broad airspace corridors as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) directs aircraft to and from the airfield. The FAA is responsible for managing Boston Logan's airspace and ensuring the safe and expeditious flow of traffic.
Massport, a state authority, is the airport operator for Boston Logan and is responsible for operating and maintaining the airport's facilities. It has been continually working to minimize the impacts of noise on surrounding neighbours since 1975. In 1977, Massport established the Noise Abatement Office to implement noise reduction rules, collaborating with the FAA and airline partners. The office helped analyse how airport noise affected local communities, informing actions to further reduce the airport's impact on residents.
Boston Logan was one of the first airports in the nation to install a noise monitoring system in the surrounding communities that guide Massport's noise abatement efforts. In 1981, Boston Logan became the first airport in the nation to receive a grant from the FAA to test the benefits of soundproofing in public schools. Massport maintains a 24-hour noise report line and residents may file a complaint online.
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The FAA has determined that an annual noise level of 65 dB DNL is incompatible with residential areas
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has determined that an annual noise level of 65 dB DNL or higher is incompatible with residential areas. This means that prolonged exposure to noise at or above this level is considered unacceptable for people living near airports.
The FAA's adoption of the 65 dB DNL threshold is based on the significance of aviation noise exposure at or above this level. This threshold is used as a basis for the FAA's "noise goal" of reducing the number of people exposed to significant aircraft noise around US airports. The FAA considers land use compatibility for different activities over a range of DNL noise exposure levels, and 65 dB DNL is the limit for residential land use compatibility.
The FAA's 65 dB DNL threshold is not just a measure of annoyance but also has health implications. While commercial and general aviation noise exposure has not been shown to cause auditory disorders, it does have non-auditory health effects. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has calculated that safe noise levels for the public are DNL ≤ 55 dB to prevent outdoor activity interference and ≤ 45 dB to prevent indoor activity interference.
To address noise concerns at Logan Airport, Massport established the Noise Abatement Office in 1977 to implement noise reduction rules in collaboration with the FAA and airline partners. They installed a noise monitoring system in surrounding communities and received a grant from the FAA in 1981 to test the benefits of soundproofing in public schools. More recently, MIT's International Center for Air Transportation (ICAT) has worked with community groups and stakeholders to develop low-noise flight procedures, and Massport continues to track noise disturbances and implement noise abatement departure turns and nighttime restrictions on operations.
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Frequently asked questions
Boston Logan Airport has been working to minimize noise impacts on surrounding communities since 1975. In 1977, the airport established the Noise Abatement Office to implement noise reduction rules in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and airline partners.
The Noise Abatement Office helps analyze how airport noise affects local communities and informs actions to reduce the airport's impact on residents. The office maintains a 24-hour noise report line (617-561-3333) for residents to report excessive airport noise, and provides an online platform for filing complaints.
Logan Airport was one of the first airports to install a noise monitoring system in surrounding communities to guide noise abatement efforts. The airport also implemented Area Navigation (RNAV) flight procedures, which allow aircraft to navigate more efficiently and predictably, reducing noise from aircraft departing and arriving at the airport. Additionally, the airport has adopted nighttime restrictions on operations and noise abatement departure turns, which have significantly decreased noise exposure in nearby communities.
