Noise reduction strategies at Orlando International Airport

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.

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.

Positioning it to the south east of town, in a lesser developed area, has minimized noise pollution for Orlando residents proper. One recommendation for future operational procedures would be to implement waiver of claim and notice of aircraft activity for any new development within a specified radius. These notifications will alert potential land developers of the occurrence of aircraft noise. Although these notices do not specifically reduce noise, they do decrease the quantity of incidents where property owners are complaining about noise.

Noise pollution is a common environmental concern for airports and MCO is no different. The airport has a three-pronged plan in place to minimize noise that involves -- operational procedures, Federal mandates, and land use. The airport, in general, is doing a good job minimizing noise pollution; however, future recommendations include giving waiver of claims and notice of aircraft activity forms to land owners and developers, to minimize noise complaints.