Abstract

A method is proposed for reducing noise levels from the airport along flight tracks. The method was used to look at possibilities for optimizing a set of departure tracks from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.
The research showed that close to the airport the tracks already are located advantageously and further improvement is hardly possible. However in a number of municipalities in the outskirt regions further away from the airport, improvement may be possible. Although here the noise levels are lower, more dwellings can profit from reducing the levels.
Part of the method consists of the introduction of a noise dose indicator, a figure for each complete flight, that is minimized by optimizing the routing of the tracks. The noise dose also can provide useful insights into which flight or aircraft carrier is responsible for the noise burden.
The method was applied on a set of Standard Instrumental Departures (SIDS) as used by Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. These were projected on spatial maps that express the noise ensitivity of the surroundings. For each flight a total noise dose was determined which gives the total noise load of the plane on all dwellings along the track. The noise dose can be determined as a total over the Netherlands, but also on smaller areas such as municipalities or the near or far outskirt region of an airport.
The proposed noise optimization in which the total noise dose of each flight is minimized leads to bundling of the tracks. For dwellings in relatively less dense built up, rural areas it is possible that noise levels are increased. Also it is possible that as opposed to a reduction of the noise dose in a certain municipality, an increase of the noise dose in another municipality occurs. In view of these aspects, before tracks are modified, careful accommodation and evaluation of interests of all stakeholders will be necessary.