Van Nuys Airport Achieves Zero Noise Impact

07.06.2012 | HMMH |

by Ted Baldwin

Congratulations to Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) for achievement of zero noise impact at Van Nuys Airport (VNY)!  The July/August 2012 issue of Airport Improvement Magazine includes a concise article summarizing this accomplishment; see “Van Nuys Airport Achieves Zero Noise Impact Designation”.

Noise impact reduction is a high priority throughout LAWA, starting with the policy guidance from the Board of Airport Commissioners and extending through staff contributions from all involved branches of the organization.   Noise Management staff deserve particular credit for their decades-long efforts to develop, implement, and promote LAWA’s noise-impact-reduction policies.

The VNY noise management program is unusually comprehensive.  In addition to including a complete range of noise abatement and compatible land use measures to both minimize and mitigate noise exposure, it includes a full collection of complementary monitoring, enforcement, and stakeholder outreach elements to ensure that the measures are implemented and communicated in the most effective means feasible.

LAWA’s efforts to continuously evaluate and improve the inclusiveness and effectiveness of the program are particularly noteworthy.  HMMH was proud to assist the LAWA on two recent efforts of this type, both of which implemented recommendations from the VNY Part 161 Study; i.e., (1) the Stage 2 Phaseout, and (2) the Updated Fly Friendly/Quiet Departure Program.  These two measures extended and enhanced existing noise abatement measures to best reflect current airport operations and needs, industry conditions, and regulatory conditions.