City Auditor - City Recorder - Council Resolutions - 36381 Cargo feeder aircraft noise impacts recommendations exhibit A

REGIONAL CARGO FEEDER AD HOC COMMITTEE AND PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CITIZEN NOISE ADVISORY COMMITTEE PRINCIPLES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CARGO FEEDER FLIGHT PROCEDURE CHANGES - 1/12/06

The following principles and recommendations were approved by the Regional Cargo Feeder Ad Hoc Committee and Portland International Airport Citizen Noise Advisory Committee on January 12, 2006. The objective of these recommendations is to provide the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with specific recommendations for implementation over a 180 day trial period.

Principles for Recommending New Flight Procedures

1. On arrival, where practicable, cargo feeder aircraft should be routed away from residential land uses.

2. On arrival, where practicable, cargo feeder aircraft should be kept as high as possible for as long as possible.

3. On departures, where practicable, cargo feeder aircraft should be kept as high as possible as soon as possible.

4. On departure, cargo feeder aircraft should be routed away from incompatible land uses when below 2,000 feet, where practicable.

5. Cargo feeder aircraft flights should be dispersed where practicable. A key consideration will be minimizing the amount of time over incompatible uses.

6. Lower altitude cargo feeder aircraft flight paths over residential areas should be the first area of focus when considering flight path changes.

Recommendations

1. Raise the Runway 3 Visual Guidance (PAPI). The Port of Portland (Port) should take the necessary steps to raise the visual landing guidance system (known as a precision approach path indicator or PAPI) for Runway 3 from the current 3 degrees to 3.5 degrees or higher if possible. This will have the effect of raising the visual landing guidance system for Runway 3. [Applies Principle(s) #2]

Lead: Port

Next Steps: Submit request to FAA Navigation & Flight Standards branches

Timeframe for Implementation/Review: by early summer 2006

2. Special Late Night Cargo Feeder and General Aviation (GA) Procedures. The Ad Hoc Committee requests that the FAA limit departures and arrivals flights over North and Northeast neighborhoods between 10PM-6AM, or if this is not feasible as close to these times as possible, with the exception of Lifeflight helicopters and other emergency flights. Departure during this time should maintain runway headings consistent with traffic count until they reach 2,000 feet before turning over residential areas.

Procedures for cargo feeder aircraft and similar GA aircraft will be developed which result in aircraft following routes that will take them over the Columbia River or other compatible non-residential land uses on arrival and departure until they are at a higher altitude before allowing them to turn and fly over urban areas of Portland (or Vancouver). The details of these procedures will be worked out by members of the Citizen Noise Advisory Committee, Ad Hoc Cargo Committee, the FAA, and the Port. [Applies Principle(s) #1 & 3]

Lead: FAA Air Traffic/Port/CNAC/Operators

Next Steps: Begin FAA analysis immediately; coordinate with Vancouver process to ensure changes are consistent and appropriate

Timeframe for Implementation/Review: TBD – depends on timeframe for Vancouver cargo review

3. Climb to 500 feet Before Turning. The Ad Hoc Committee accepts the proposal that cargo feeder aircraft departing on Runway10R/28L should be expected to climb on runway heading to at least 500 feet before turning south to fly over North and Northeast Portland. [Applies Principle(s) #3]

Lead: FAA Air Traffic/Operators

Next Steps: final Safety Risk Analysis; incorporate into Standard Operating Procedures, and training

Timeframe for Implementation/Review: March 2006

4. Extend Special Late Night Cargo Feeder and General Aviation (GA) Procedures. The Ad Hoc Committee requests that the FAA limit cargo feeder and GA departure and arrival flights over North and Northeast neighborhoods during night time hours of 9PM-9AM to the maximum extent possible with the exception of Lifeflight helicopters and other emergency flights. Neighborhoods would prefer limited flights from 9PM-9AM but understand that this likely would not be viable for the FAA. [Applies Principle(s) #1 & 4]

Lead: FAA Air Traffic

Next Steps: Analyze capacity impacts, timeframes, and report back

Timeframe for Implementation/Review: report back approximately April/May 2006

5. Larger Aircraft. The Ad Hoc Committee requests that when economically feasible, that the operators of cargo feeder aircraft use larger faster aircraft which will require fewer over flights of Portland and which because of their speed, can and will be mixed in with jet and high performance turboprop (commuter airline) operations. The implementation of this recommendation should provide a balanced approach to resolving community noise concerns. [Applies Principle(s) #1 & 3]

Lead: Operators

Next Steps: Refer request to companies and report back

Timeframe for Implementation/Review: Ongoing based on market and aircraft availability and economics

6. Discontinue Intersection Departures on Runway 21. The Ad Hoc Committee requests that Empire Airlines discontinue their use of intersection departures on Runway 21 at Taxiway C and that they depart on the south runway. This will allow them to climb higher before flying over the neighborhoods in North and Northeast Portland. [Applies Principle(s) #3]

Lead: Operators

Next Steps: Empire to evaluate feasibility of internal policy change and impacts on business and report back

Timeframe for Implementation/Review: TBD

7. Cargo Feeders Use Best Noise Abatement Procedures. The Ad Hoc Committee requests that the cargo feeder operators, consistent with safety, use the manufacturer or company developed best noise abatement practices for both arrivals and departures. The Committee further requests that cargo feeder operators work with the Port’s Fly Quiet Program and on specific noise complaints to the Noise Office to determine if noise from individual flights or aircraft can be improved or mitigated. [Applies Principle(s) #1-4]

Lead: Operators/Port

Next Steps: Port to send letter to operators immediately, requesting use of best noise abatement procedures

Timeframe for Implementation/Review: January 2006

8. Cargo Feeders Climb to 600 or 700 feet Before Turning. The Ad Hoc Committee requests that the FAA and operators consider requiring the cargo feeders to climb on runway heading to 600 or 700 feet before turning on course. This recommendation should be evaluated if there is no appreciable reduction in noise impacts from the implementation of Recommendation #3: Climb to 500 feet before turning. [Applies Principle(s) #3]

Lead: FAA Air Traffic

Next Steps: Analyze success of 500 feet turn, Safety Risk analysis of delaying turn to higher altitude

Timeframe for Implementation/Review: report back approximately April/May 2006

Proposed but Not Recommended

1. Fly Higher Approach if Possible. The Port, with concurrence of the FAA, should communicate with the cargo feeder operators to encourage them, consistent with safety, to fly their approaches at or above the current 3-degree and future 3.5-degree glide path. [Applies Principle(s) #2] This alternative was not recommended because it would direct aircraft to fly procedures which are higher or contrary to flight checked visual guidance provided by the FAA for approaches to Runway 3. Recommendation #1 above achieves this end for landings on Runway 3.

2. Departures on Runway 21 Use Full Length. For aircraft that depart on Runway 21, consider requiring them to use the full length as opposed to making an intersection departure. This will allow them to climb higher before flying over the neighborhoods in North and Northeast Portland. [Applies Principle(s) #3] This alternative was not recommended because it would introduce runway crossings as cargo feeder aircraft from the Airtrans Center would have to taxi across Runway 10L/28R to reach the departure end of Runway 21 and would then depart across the same runway on departure – the result being two runway crossings that could be avoided.

3. Climbing Turn for Noise Abatement. The Ad Hoc Committee requests that the operators and the FAA consider an alternative in which cargo feeders departing on Runway 10R/28L are required to make a climbing 180 degree turn to fly a downwind leg after departing the runway to gain additional altitude while flying over industrial land or golf courses before turning on course and flying over North and Northeast Portland. [Applies Principle(s) #4] This alternative was not recommended because it would have required aircraft to make a close in climbing turn and then fly parallel to the south runway resulting in noise impacts on neighborhoods south of the airport. From an aeronautical standpoint, it would be a difficult procedure to fly with a loaded aircraft, and to control from an air traffic control standpoint.

4. Displace Runway 3 Landing Threshold. The FAA does not currently operate land and hold short operations for aircraft landing on Runway 3. In an effort to raise the landing profile for aircraft landing on Runway 3, the FAA should consider a displaced landing threshold. [Applies Principle(s) #2] This alternative was not recommended because it would introduce two runway crossings of Runway 10L/28R and would also likely result in delay for cargo feeder aircraft to cross back across Runway 10L/28R to access the Airtrans Center where all the cargo activity is centered.

5. Establish Curfews for Cargo Flights. The Airport Noise and Capacity Act (ANCA) enacted in 1990 prohibits an airport operator from limiting aircraft access to an airport, including curfews, without FAA approval of a Part 161 application. Several airports with curfews established prior to ANCA were exempted from this prohibition. Since ANCA, no airports have gotten approval to implement curfews under the Part 161 process.

6. Move Cargo Flights to Troutdale Airport. As noted above, federal law prohibits an airport operator from limiting aircraft access to an airport. From a business model, moving cargo operations to Troutdale would require transport of this cargo by truck during peak hours to/from the major cargo operators (FedEx and UPS) that these aircraft serve. (Troutdale Airport cannot accommodate jet aircraft used by FedEx and UPS.) Cargo operators have indicated that this would jeopardize "just in time” delivery to their national and international delivery system. As such, this is not a viable financial or operational recommendation.

7. Utilize Freeway Corridors. The Ad Hoc Committee evaluated concentrating cargo feeder aircraft over I-5 and I-205 as a way to mask aircraft noise. The committee determined based noise data from the “Fly Day” tests and the analysis by the City of Portland Noise Officer that aircraft noise was not significantly masked by freeway noise. Dispersal of cargo feeder aircraft was recommended in lieu of this process.