Small Changes Could Mean Big Noise Reduction at London Heathrow Airport

Decision-makers at London Heathrow Airport (LHR) are serious about reducing noise. In “Heathrow’s Blueprint for noise reduction,” released Aug. 17, airport planners outlined a number of new efforts to reduce the noise pollution created by incoming and outgoing flights. Among those efforts is a push to upgrade an existing permanent network of air noise monitors in communities surrounding the airport as well as increasing the number of mobile monitors for a total of 50 new monitors to collect additional data.

The installation of these devices is part of an ongoing effort by Heathrow leaders in direct response to concerns from residents of communities surrounding the airport. According to the Blueprint, Heathrow Strategic Noise Advisory Group members have been working to reduce noise pollution since 2014 and are seeing some success with noise reduction measures.

For example, one element of the Blueprint is a collaboration with airline personnel to reduce the number of older, noisier planes flying to LHR and replace them with new models like the Airbus A350 XWB, which has a special wing design that allows the plane to fly quieter. According to the Airliner World article, this has resulted in a 5.5% increase in quieter planes flying into and out of the airport over the past year.

Starting in January 2017, companies whose leaders make the change to quieter aircraft will also benefit from reduced landing fees at Heathrow — the first airport with such a practice. LHR executives’ hope is that — even as they bid to expand Heathrow by adding another runway — the amount of noise pollution the airport generates will continue to decrease.

Another Blueprint tactic is a small change for incoming flights to the timing of when pilots lower their landing gear. Instead of lowering landing gear at a distance of about 8 miles from the airport, Heathrow decision-makers are encouraging pilots to wait until they’re 4.6 miles from landing before lowering the gear. Along with other small changes, the Blueprint seems to be working, according to Heathrow noise management personnel.