Dealing With Noise Issues

The JCC holds meetings at Wycombe Air Park normally 3 times per year, occasionally more. The public is encouraged to attend for the last 30 minutes of the meeting to air questions regarding any issues relating to Wycombe Air Park and the local community. The JCC meetings are held in the evenings, thus offering more scope for public attendance.

The aerodrome management voluntarily shoulders the (not insignificant) costs of JCC meetings and errant pilot tracking thus removing from Parish Councils and amenity groups the difficulty of funding from their own resources.

The JCC is chaired by an independent person of known good character. This ensures that a balanced view is taken and that neither the residents' views nor the various operators' views dominate.

The JCC designs and operates a robust complaints procedure for those who wish to complain about aircraft which might not adhere to the established and agreed voluntary noise-amelioration procedures.

The aerodrome management traces errant pilots who might have been found wanting in their adherence to the noise-amelioration procedures.

The airfield management interviews pilots (with remedial training if necessary) who have been accused of failure to adhere to noise-amelioration procedures.

The airfield management applies disciplinary measures to grossly or persistently errant pilots.

The airfield management charges fees for landing, based upon aircraft weight. Assuming that heavier aircraft have more noisy (or greater number of) engines, this falls in line with internationally established principles that heavier / more noisy aircraft pay more. Ultimately this could encourage pilots to fly lighter / less noisy machinery.

The JCC agrees adherence monitoring principles with Local Authority. Agreeing that the local authority provides monitoring data ensures that monitoring is independent of the aerodrome's management structure.

 

Measures taken by Airways Aero Associations Ltd. (operator of Wycombe Air Park) for the amelioration of perceived noise nuisance:

 

(The notes apply to both fixed wing traffic and to rotary-wing traffic unless annotated. "Fixed-wing traffic" implies the inclusion of tug-aircraft which tow gliders).

Each of the following initiatives is a voluntary action taken by Wycombe Air Park's operating company.

All legal rules and regulations will naturally be observed by the aerodrome operator at all times.

Change in Circuit Height

There has been an increase in the height of circuit flying from 800 feet to 1000 feet (above aerodrome elevation). Rotary-wing traffic similarly has been increased to 750 feet.

Take-off Noise Abatement Zones (NAZs)

Adoption of specific noise abatement zones for the two most-often used runway directions (runway 06 and runway 24). The "Take-off Noise Abatement Zone", applicable to the appropriate in-use runway direction, endeavours to take the "climb power" noise away from the majority of the residents' properties during the majority of the after take-off climbs.

Routes

Adoption of specific noise routes, additional to, but outside of, the Noise Abatement Zones on runways 06 and 24, in order to provide a further buffer, thus taking account of the naturals "spread" between the desired and achieved tracks flown by pilots. Such tracks naturally vary: by differing pilot abilities, by different experience levels, with local knowledge, with pertaining wind velocities, etc.

Other Runway Procedures

Adoption of specific noise procedures for all other runways / circuits despite their lack of formal Noise Abatement Zones.

Amended Circuit Procedures

Amend internationally accepted standard circuit size, shape and procedure to all runways to accommodate local residents' wishes for minimal property over-flights.

Larger Aircraft

Alter pilot-in-command engine operation procedures of more noisy twin-engine WAP-based training aeroplanes to reduce noise within the aerodrome circuit by angling variable pitch propellers into quiet mode for as long as practically possible.

Each of the above results in an increase in pilot work-load, an increase in total flying hours from the aerodrome, greater wear and tear to every aircraft, to every engine and to every propeller, greater expense to every pilot and every operating company and the burning of greater quantities of fossil fuels. The resulting larger-sized circuits also unfortunately forces those who live further from the aerodrome to suffer noise from the aircraft which, ordinarily, would be confined to areas much closer to the aerodrome boundary.

Briefings / Transparency

Adopt a Prior Permission Required (PPR) booking in system. This means that all visiting aircraft must call Wycombe Air Park by phone before arriving. This allows us to make sure the arriving pilots are familiar with the joining procedure and noise abatement procedures in force at Wycombe Air Park before their arrival.

Promulgate arrival noise-amelioration procedures in most-used Pilot Guides (e.g. Pooley's Guide and AFE Guide) thus ensuring that visiting pilots are aware of the arrival noise-amelioration procedures.

Ensure that departing pilots obtain a personal briefing before departure if not already familiar with the aerodrome's departure noise-amelioration procedures.

Provide printed copies or DVD-video briefings of noise abatement procedures for all visiting pilots and for all pilots flying from / at Wycombe Air Park.

Provide access to all noise procedures on the airfield website.

Ensure that the on-duty Air Traffic Controllers remind every departing pilot (individually, by radio) of his / her responsibility to obey the voluntarily-imposed Wycombe Air Park Noise Abatement Zones and Procedures.

Provide a face-to-face briefing (by Managing Director of the Aerodrome Operator) for every fixed-wing and every rotary-wing Flight Instructor as well as every pilot of a glider-tug which operates at Wycombe Air Park. This ensures that the correct noise abatement messages reach those who teach, brief or examine at the aerodrome thus promoting only the correct data to all trainees and qualified pilots.

Provide a briefing sheet for local residents. This ensures (in agreement with Local Authority's Head of Environmental Services) that the residents are appraised of the circuit patterns and of their expectations to see aircraft over particular areas of countryside. This briefing also offers advice on how to recognise aircraft types which could be beneficial should a complainant wish to contact the aerodrome operator, the aircraft operator, or the Local Authority.

Contact Information

Wycombe Air Park,
Booker, Marlow
Bucks, SL7 3DP

Tel: 01494 443 737

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