AIRCRAFT NOISE AND AIRPORT CAPACITY

Current predictions are forecasting a doubling of the number of aircraft passengers within the next decade. It has been suggested that aircraft noise provides a major impediment to the growth of existing airports and the construction of new ones. Current aircraft noise certification requirements, which limit the noise levels of new transport aircraft, allow heavier aircraft to generate higher noise levels. In contrast, noise limits at some individual airports are independent of aircraft weight. Restrictions which favor smaller, more quiet aircraft prompt a question regarding their impact on capacity. Although they obviously achieve their objective of eliminating all but the most quiet aircraft, what are the implications for capacity and noise impact of many operators of small aircraft compared to fewer operations of large aircraft? This paper presents a simple analysis of the relationships between aircraft size, noise levels, and the number of aircraft events and noise exposure.