What is the Voluntary Noise Program?

The Dallas Love Field Voluntary Noise Program is a collaborative effort between the airport's airlines and operators, the City of Dallas, and the surrounding communities to address noise concerns. This program, which is sanctioned by the FAA and includes elements enacted into law by Congress, aims to balance the operational needs of the airport with the quality of life in nearby neighborhoods. Key elements of this program include:

• Nighttime Preferential Runway (RWY 13R/31L) for all jet aircraft and any aircraft weighing over 12,500 pounds, between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

• Noise abatement departure procedure (Trinity Departure) for night operations on Runway 13R for all turbojet aircraft and aircraft weighing over 12,500 pounds.

• Prohibition on Aircraft Engine Maintenance Run-ups: To further reduce noise levels during late-night hours, there is a prohibition on aircraft engine maintenance run-ups between midnight and 6:00 a.m. Additionally, there is a voluntary moratorium on these activities between 10:00 p.m. and midnight.

• Optimal Take-off Profile Commitment: Airlines operating at Dallas Love Field are committed to using their optimal take-off profiles to minimize noise. Pilots are instructed to follow all Air Traffic Control (ATC) instructions, and operational safety is always prioritized.

So what effect does this program currently have? Not much.

Source: Noise Lab Website, DAL4 Noise Monitor.

In December 2023, the average noise events per hour between the hours of 9 PM - 6 AM between DAL02 (Lemmon Arrivals) and DAL03 (Denton Arrivals) was 9.52 noise events per hour. That's a sleep disturbance every 6 minutes.

We ask the question, is it really an issue of residential areas. From sources, the Denton Runway has a denser population and the planes are flying directly over our homes.

In addition to these covenants, Dallas Love Field has implemented several other measures to address noise concerns:

• Love Field Environmental Advisory Committee (LFEAC): This committee provides a platform for discussion among airport neighbors, operators, and aviation representatives from the federal and city level.

• Updated Airport Noise and Operations Monitoring System: This includes an interactive web-based tool, Noise Lab, which displays statistical information on flights and noise on a map and charts. The Flight Tracker feature allows the public to track flights in real time.

However, it's important to note that there have been concerns regarding the effectiveness of the current noise control program. An audit found issues in the Department of Aviation's management and accountability for the program's success.

Additionally, there is a call for more up-to-date noise data and greater community engagement in the program's development and implementation. With anticipated changes to the federal regulatory environment in 2023, there is a push for a revised program that takes into account new FAA research findings, which suggest that noise annoyance occurs at lower levels than previously thought.

The ongoing efforts to update and improve the Dallas Love Field Voluntary Noise Program reflect the complexity of balancing the operational needs of an urban airport with the quality of life for nearby residents.

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