STEELE CREEK NEWS

Airport Prepares to Update Noise Exposure Maps

(July 13, 2014) The Charlotte Douglas International Airport Public Affairs office distributed a Public Meeting Notice containing the following information:

Charlotte Douglas is updating its 2006 Noise Exposure Map for 2015 and creating a 2020 map for the future. Six public meetings will be held for neighbors surrounding the Airport to gain information about the process, methodology and voice their opinion.

The first set of meetings will be held:

• 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 30 at West Service Center, located at 4150 Wilkinson Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28208 and,

• 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Thursday, July 31 at Steele Creek Presbyterian Church, located at 7407 Steele Creek Road, Charlotte, NC 28217.

Airport staff, land use and noise consultants will be on hand to answer questions.

Why the update?

CLT is updating its noise exposure maps due to aircraft fleet changes and recent changes in runway operations. In July 2013, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) informed the Airport of an operations issue in connection with the use of Runway 18C/36C and Runway 5/23, commonly referred to as a "converging operation." The runways do not intersect, however, the flight paths of aircraft operating on these runways may intersect in certain circumstances, which raised safety concerns.

Due to this issue, the FAA temporarily suspended the converging operation and used only the three parallel runways for all operations (arrivals and departures) during the day. As a result of the FAA's temporary suspension of Runway 5/23 converging operations, demand on CLT's three parallel runways has increased.

Landrum & Brown, Inc. is spear-heading the update. Company representatives have already collected data to form noise contours, which will be presented at July's public meetings. A draft of the noise exposure map will be made public by winter 2014. The final map is scheduled to be completed in summer 2015.

What are noise contours?

Noise contours are lines of equal noise exposure, which are used to depict areas of noise. The noise exposure patterns show three contour levels of impact 65, 70 and 75 DNL and are produced by FAA developed software.

What are the goals of a Noise Exposure Map?

Noise Exposure Maps quantify aircraft noise and identify land use incompatibilities that exist today and in the future, educate the public about the Airport and activity that occurs at the Airport, and enable land use planners to make decisions about future development to ensure noise compatibility.

How are noise levels presented?

Noise levels are presented in terms of the Day-Night Average Sound Level (DNL) metric, which is a function of the loudness and frequency of noise events on an average-annual day. DNL adds a 10 decibel penalty to noise that occurs at night (10 p.m. - 6 a.m.). A 65 DNL is the level at which noise-sensitive land uses are considered to be incompatible without treatment to reduce interior noise levels (sound insulation).

How long is noise data collected?

Existing noise conditions are based on 12 months of data. Future condition projects noise levels five years into the future and take into account any changes (physical or operational) that may have an effect on the noise levels around the airport. 

Please direct questions to the Charlotte Douglas International Airport Public Affairs Office at 704-359-4000.

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