Airport Environmental Concerns at Orlando

Airport Environmental Concerns at Orlando International Airport

Noise is a significant environmental concern for all airports. Orlando International Airport (MCO) is no exception. The busy nature of this popular tourist destination makes this even more of a concern. As such, the airport uses a three-pronged plan to minimize noise from aircraft. This includes: operational procedures, Federal mandates, and land use.

Identification of the Problem

Servicing more than 33 million passengers annually, on 285,000 commercial flights and 18,000 military and general aviation flights ("Traffic statistics," 2009), Orlando International Airport (MCO) is one of the busiest airports in Florida. With such heavy traffic coming and going through the airport noise is one of the most significant environmental concerns MCO has to face is noise. Aircraft noise is not simply a concern for immediate neighbors of MCO, but can extend for miles beyond the boundaries of the airport. Most of the noise is associated with the initial departure and final approach paths to and from the airport ("Aircraft noise exposure," n.d.).

The perceived extent of noise annoyance is largely dependent on the individual's personal sensitivity to noise and their reaction to it. In addition to the unique, subjective individual factors that affect noise, there are several other factors that affect the level of noise from airports. These include:

Age of the aircraft -- Older aircraft are generally louder than newer models,

Departing or arriving -- Given the nature of take-off, departing aircraft are typically louder than those arriving,

Distance of destination -- Aircraft with destinations furthest away, and thus the heaviest fuel load, are noisier,

Time of day -- Aircraft arriving or departing in the evening are often perceived to be louder than during the day as a person's sensitivity to noise is greatest during sleeping hours,

Cloud cover -- Low cloud cover increases noise by reflecting sound waves back to the ground,

Thunderstorms -- pilots are often directed around thunderstorms creating noise in areas where they do not normally fly ("Aircraft noise exposure," n.d.).

These factors will be an increasing problem as air traffic to and from MCO grows.

Current Procedures/Solution

The current procedures for noise reduction/minimization are varied. There are three primary categories of programs currently in place. These include: operational procedures, federal legislation and compatible land use plan. MCO uses input from the Aviation Noise Abatement Committee to determine which procedures will be most effective and efficient ("Noise abatement implementation," n.d.). Most of the operational procedures put in place began in the late 1970s and early 1980s. These have been modified when new procedures come to light, in order to continually improve noise exposure to the community ("Noise abatement program," n.d.). The airport uses a Noise and Operations Monitoring System to collect and evaluate noise ("Monitoring," n.d.). Another driving force behind these noise reduction programs are Federal mandates.

Federal legislation has required stricter noise standards for aircraft manufacturers. Now mandatory requirements by the Federal government that are working to phase out noisier aircraft. These new requirements have led to technological developments in the aircraft industry, in regards to developing quieter aircraft. Aircraft that do not meet these mandated standards have to be replaced or retrofitted, before they can fly ("Noise abatement program," n.d.). Land use is the third prong of MCO's noise reduction plan.

Acquisition of land both north and south of the main terminals is a significant assistance in reducing noise, for the airport. This is especially true as landings and takeoffs are north-south. Lake Warren lies directly north of the two largest runways, and it is sparsely populated directly south of these two runways. However, land is developed directly to the west of the airport boundaries.

Conclusion: Recommendations for Resolution of the Problem

Currently, MCO is managing noise as effectively as possible. Given the size of the airport and quantity of flights it services, noise is going to continue to be a challenge. Other airports may be able to implement plans such as limiting the number of flights that come in the middle of the night or re-directing flight patterns to avoid high density populations -- neither of these are realistic for MCO. Despite these challenges, the airport is well-located.