Operational, economic and technical procedures are means ordinarily applied by Prague Airport, a.s. (former Prague Airport, s.p.) to minimize the aviation impact, that of aircraft noise in particular. Owing to the proactive approach of Prague Airport, there has not been any growth of the area affected by excessive noise since 1998, despite the increase in number of take-offs and landings.
OPERATIONAL MEANS INCLUDE:
- Banning take-offs and landings of aircraft without the Noise-compliance Certificate
- Restricting night operations
- Runway system preference
- Regulations applied to departures and arrivals
- Regulations applied to performing engine tests
- Regulations applied to using reverse thrust
- Restrictions on use of reserve power supply
Further information regarding operational means and measures have been Publisher in AIP CR. Please click the following link for this free download: http://lis.rlp.cz/ais_data/www_main_control/frm_cz_aip.htm upon the page download, click the following links: AD2 → LKPR PRAHA/RUZYNĚ → TXT2 → LKPR AD 2.21 NOISE ABATEMENT PROCEDURES.
The above provisions are not final; their modification is conditioned by the air traffic growth and amendments to legislation and social norms.
ECONOMIC MEASURES
- Direct link between the noise charge and the aircraft noise value category
A measure that highly motivates air carriers to use the most modern/quietest aircraft at Prague’s airport. The noise charge for aircraft with MTOW higher than 9 tons is calculated in accordance with the relevant noise category a particular aircraft falls under on the scale set by Prague Airport. The revenue generated by collecting the noise charge is used to cover the costs on the civil aviation noise monitoring. Since 1998, the funds are also used to finance the noise abatement programme within the noise restricted zone of Prague - Ruzyne airport and other activities related to solving the noise issue.
Review of Noise Categories
Number of aircraft landings according to the individual noise categories in % (Category 1 = the quietest aircraft; Category 5 = the noisiest aircraft)
* Category 5 was added in November 2006. Since then, a new methodology of aircraft noise categorisation has been applied.
Further information regarding operational means and measures have been Publisher in AIP CR. Please click the following link for a free download: http://lis.rlp.cz/ais_data/www_main_control/frm_cz_aip.htm upon the page download, click the following links: GEN 4 → GEN 4.1 → 4.1.1.4 Noise charges - Praha/Ruzyně airport
The measure has proven to be very successful. Towards the end of 2008, more than 62 % of aircraft operated at Prague’s airport fell within the category of the quietest aircraft.
TECHNICAL MEANS:
- Declaration of the Noise Protection Zone of Prague - Ruzyně airport
A noise protection zone has been declared within the Prague Ruzyně airport’s surrounding areas (see the map below: location of stationary measuring stations and Prague Airport NPZ). The extent of the NPZ is sufficient based on the Czech legislation. The prime concern is to assure that past the borderline of the NPZ, the noise limits for the aviation generated noise do not exceed the given daytime (LAeqD = 60dB) or night time limit (LAeqN = 50dB). The noise limits have been based on a typical flight day (see also the “Noise Monitoring” section). Prague Airport embraces long-term activities to reduce the impact of noise within the NPZ - an extensive noise abatement programme. - Extensive Noise Abatement Programme
Since 1998, a complex replacement of regular windows and doors to balconies by items with relevant noise suppressant treatment in compliance with the given transmission loss limits has been conducted. Included in the programme have been the so called protected areas of housing estates and family houses, school and pre-school establishments, medical and social establishments and establishments with a similar purpose in villages and city districts within the Prague - Ruzyně airport’s noise protection zone. Between the years 1998 and 2008, the noise abatement measures were applied to 2.889 protected establishments; the costs involved have already reached 618 million CZK. - Land Use Planning
The first and foremost purpose of land use planning is to ensure that the number of people permanently affected by excessive aviation-generated noise does not increase. The airport’s NPZ has been incorporated in the relevant land use plans of the surrounding villages which influences any further use of the respective areas. Prague Airport is a participant in any land use or construction planning within its NPZ and outside of it. Prague Airport states the criteria for granting the approval and voices its standpoint in respect to the land use planning of its surrounding villages and development projects in its surrounding areas.
• Aviation Noise and Routes Adherence Monitoring
The aviation noise and routes adherence monitoring system is operated by MaREXCOM , an independent company and partner of the Australian company Lochard. The company has gained experience with performing monitoring systems at more than 130 airports around the world. Prague Airport operators can access its database on the user level.
The new monitoring system consists of:
- 13 stationary measuring stations including 13 meteorological stations of EMU
- 2 mobile measuring stations
- operational terminals of Prague Airport operators
- operation centres of MaREXCOM and Lochard
- hardware and software for the data transmission and processing
Visualisation of the Current Monitoring System Infrastructure
The system monitors the level of sound pressure including the circumstantial weather conditions 24 hours a day. The measurements are transferred to the server where the correlation of the sound occurrences with the individual flights is performed and the data is stored. The system also monitors and stores details on all routes within the reach of the multitrack radar system. The flight trajectories can be projected in 2D or 3D. The levels of sound pressure can be presented using variable descriptors in relation to the purpose of the generated report. An integral part of the system is also a SW module for dealing with complaints.
Location of the Stationary Measuring Stations
1. Jeneč
2. Červený Újezd
3. Unhošť
4. Pavlov
5. Hostivice
6. Dobrovíz
7. Kněževes
8. Horoměřice - centre of the village
9. Přední Kopanina
10. Horoměřice - SE margins
11. Řepy
12. Bílá Hora
13. Suchdol
Mobile measuring stations are used by Prague Airport at locations where there are no stationary measuring stations. Mobile stations are used namely at times of the main runway RWY 06/24 closure due to its regular spring and autumn maintenance.
Aviation-generated noise and routes adherence monitoring is presently an essential tool employed by Prague Airport in regards to dealing with the noise issue.
Location of the Stationary Measuring Stations and Prague Airport NPZ
Used abbreviations and glossary:
1 kt - 1 knot = 0.514 m/s
NM - nautical mile –1 kt
AIP ČR - Aeronautical Information Publication Czech Republic
RWY - runway
ATC - Air Traffic Control, a state enterprise
SID - Standard Instrument Departure
DME - Distance Measuring Equipment
MTOW - Maximum Take Off Weight of aircraft
NPZ - Noise Protection Zone of Prague - Ruzyně airport
NTMS - Noise and Track Monitoring System
Izophones/Izolines - curves connecting places with the same sound pressure level
