airplanes: no noise is good noise (sorry)
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) established a Community Noise Working Group (CWG) in 2015 to investigate ways of reducing airplane noise from DCA and to advise the FAA on its findings. For more information, click here. Although the CWG has developed 26 (and counting) recommendations to the FAA since 2015, little action has been taken by the FAA. The above website lists the Recommendations. Recommendation 8 (especially) and 21 are of highest value to residents south of the airport. This site also has a link to attend the CWG quarterly meetings via Zoom.
Because the noise issues are significantly different north of the airport (NOA) than south of the airport (SOA), the CWG established two subcommittees to address their respective concerns. Several years ago, the NOA group obtained support (from Montgomery and Arlington counties and DC) to engage Vianair, a company that produces airport planning and management solutions, to search for ways to mitigate their noise problems. Vianair produced a number of new recommendations, some of which will be implemented soon. The SOA group decided to follow the same route. Earlier this year, Fairfax (Mt. Vernon) and PG counties and Alexandria brought Vianair under contract to work with the SOA group to find ways to reduce airplane noise affecting our communities.
Supervisor Dan Storck has been strongly supportive of this effort. His website contains a brief history and summary of the status of the SOA. Vianair is currently evaluating technical solutions to reduce noise. As milestones are reached in the SOA study, community-wide meetings are planned to bring residents of each of the districts up to date and to provide opportunities for feedback to the process. I will inform you about community meetings as soon as they are scheduled.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions about CWG activities. In the meantime, please continue to submit complaints to the MWAA site — click on Mobile App to link to the complaint form.As well, continue to send complaints to our elected officials. You can also complain by email directly to the FAA's Noise Ombudsman.
Note that this study does not address helicopter noise, a topic of recent discussion on the HH Forum. Most are military, police, medical, and other helicopters that do not come under the purview of MWAA. Submit complaints about helicopter noise at thttps://www.planenoise.com/dcmetro/. More information about helicopter noise complaints can be found at https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2022-06-24/helo-groups-launch-noise-complaint-reporting-dc.
Bob Meier, Marthas Road
MWAA Community Noise Working Group
Mt. Vernon District (Alternate)