Subject: Aircraft Noise

Approved: February 20, 1985
Revised: October 5, 1990
Revised: June 11, 1993
Revised: May 6, 1999
Revised: January 5, 2001

I. Need for Policy

Public sensitivity and opposition to aircraft-generated noise have led a growing number of States and other entities to develop laws, regulations and local restrictions which prohibit or overly restrict the operation of aircraft. The business aviation community is concerned about locally developed rules but is committed to being a good neighbor.

Due to the severely limiting effects which existing or incipient regulations impose upon business aircraft operations, IBAC, as the advocate for international business aviation, has determined that a formal policy and position declaration is necessary.

II Considerations

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), through its Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP) continues to consider the further development of international noise certification standards and implementation actions that take into consideration the useful economic life of present-day aircraft. Such standards may, if developed and implemented on a timely basis, mitigate the current uncoordinated approach taken by various States, regions and local authorities.

A great majority of turbine business aircraft registered worldwide are already compliant with Chapter 3 noise limitations. By 2001, more than 90% of the jet fleet of business aircraft will comply with Chapter 3 standards. With the turbo-prop fleet accounted for, 95% of the business aircraft fleet will be Chapter 3 compliant. All currently manufactured business jets more than meet ICAO Annex 16 Chapter 3 requirements.

IBAC considers that, in establishing international standards, ICAO should take into consideration the characteristics of business aircraft. Lighter, smaller, higher performance business aircraft occupy less runway time and climb more quickly than larger aircraft, further reducing noise signatures. Such aircraft therefore have a greatly reduced impact on the local environment and thus should be less subject to restrictions on their operations than their predecessors and other segments of aviation.

IBAC supports reasonable and constructive efforts to achieve significant, progressive reductions of aircraft noise, consistent with the highest standards of safe and efficient aircraft operation. These efforts must employ a balanced approach comprising the encouragement of further noise reduction at source, safe aircraft and airport operational procedures and strict land use planning. They must also permit continued unconstrained access to airspace and airports without reducing safety, airport capacity or operational efficiency.

III. Policy

It is IBAC Policy to:

With respect to Responsibility
1. Recognize ICAO as the international body responsible for establishing international standards.

2. Recognize the need to accommodate regional concerns within the broad standards, policies and guidelines established by ICAO.

3. Encourage airport and government authorities concerned with noise restrictions and regulation to identify, evaluate and consider all noise sources in their efforts to reduce sound levels.

4. Encourage a balanced approach (source noise reduction, operational measures and land-use planning) to minimize the noise impact around airports.

In respect to Certification Standards
5. Support the need for ICAO to objectively develop an advanced certification standard of increased stringency in recognition that new technology will provide for reduced aircraft noise levels in the future. IBAC supports the adoption of an increase in stringency of –8db cumulative as of 2002.

6. Advocate that any new international noise certification standard be technically feasible and economically reasonable for manufacturers and operators and be balanced against other factors such as emissions reductions.

7. For any existing Chapter III certified aircraft type having declared noise levels low enough to be capable of complying with the proposed Chapter IV noise limits, urges that these declared noise values be automatically acceptable as proof of compliance with the proposed Chapter IV Standards when they come into effect.

8. Not to support a global phase-out. If, for regional flexibility, ICAO develops regional guidelines for phase-out, due consideration should be given to the economics of business aviation and account taken of the low incremental contribution of business aircraft to overall airport noise.

With respect to Local/Regional/National Restrictions
9. Advocate the application of international standards of noise procedures and classification, and the avoidance of State, or other locally developed non-standard rules.

10. Advocate that local noise procedures be written so that appropriate operational techniques can be used to meet established noise reduction goals without compromise to safety and without any capacity reduction.

11. Urge that access restrictions as a means of controlling perceived or real aircraft noise must depend on a valid social and economic impact study.

With respect to noise abatement operating procedures

12. Continue to strongly encourage business aircraft operators to pro-actively apply quiet operating techniques such as avoiding unnecessary use of reverse thrust and operation of APU and use of departure and arrival routes to avoid noise sensitive areas, consistent with maintaining safety.

13. Encourage application of ATC operational procedures in contribution to noise reduction, as long as consistent with safety and not reducing capacity.

With respect to land use planning
14. Advocate establishment of compatible land use planning as a means of managing noise exposure.

15. Advocate the establishment of zoning regulations to protect arrival and departure paths from incompatible development.

16. Advocate that local government authorities establish and adhere to planning guidelines in co-operation with airport authorities and implement planning controls prior to the establishment or further development of surrounding communities .

17. Advocate airport-compatible buffer zones in areas surrounding an airport. Residential development should be prohibited and development encouraged through appropriate zoning ordinances.

18. Urge ICAO to adopt measures for more effective application of guidelines on land-use planning.

Source of Policy: (1) Original, Governing Board, Montreal, February 19-20, 1985

(2) Revision, Governing Board, New Orleans, October 5-6, 1990

(3) Revision, Governing Board, Edinburgh, June 11-12, 1993

(4) Revision, Governing Board, Montreal, May 6-7, 1999

(5) EBAA Environmental Policy Paper, 13 January 2000

(6) EnvIss WG Meeting 25 July, 2000

(7) EnvIss WG Meeting 11-12 Dec, 2000

(8) Revision, by correspondence, Governing Board, 5 January 2001