Executive Summary
The Federal Aviation Authority regulation is the topic that was chosen for the research. The following report explains the various aircraft -noise control measures that are taken by the Federal Aviation Authority in controlling the noise problem. The following research report is divided into three sections. Section 1 includes an analysis of the history and purpose of the regulation. This section must include (but is not limited to) issues such purpose of regulation, justification for regulation, and history of the regulation.
Section 2 should focus on the major issues underlying the regulation. Using the information in Section 1, this section identifies at least 3 major problems which this regulation faces.These identified regulatory issues are fully articulated and analyzed in this section. Section 3 includes the procedural solutions that should be applied in order to deal with the identified challenges.Also, they section analyze the potential for success or failure of these regulatory choices and recommend alternatives. A conclusion is given at the end to summarize the three sections of the report.
Introduction
The executive arm of the government is concerned with promulgating regulations. The main aim of regulations is to comply with the set goals, objectives and policies. The Federal Aviation Regulation is an example of regulation that was issued in order to deal with noise form aircrafts. The issue of noise from aircrafts became apparent in 1960s as a result of the initiation of aircraft jets. This issue was also magnified following the rise in the number of aircraft operations in the late 1960s.The Federal Aviation Authority is composed of 6 functional officers which are spread over the 9 regions and 3 centers across the US.
Aircraft noise refers to undesirable sound that is produced y aircrafts when they are taking off or when they are landing. This sound usually affects people who live near the airports. Noise is associated with adverse effects and thus it was regarded as a challenge as far as the developments of aircraft aviation was concerned and so, there was need for an immediate action so as to address it. The government of the United Stated in conjunction with the engine makers conducted extensive research aimed at finding ways to quiet jet engines.
The regulation role was vested to Federal Aviation Authority also known as FAA b the congress in 1968.The FAA thus embarked on strategies aimed at controlling noise from aircrafts. Since the Federal Aviation Regulation was adopted in 1969 in the United States, the issue of noise from aircrafts has been successfully dealt with. The FAA regulation was structured in a way that it provides a uniform and a firm foundation for rulemaking activities.
The aircraft noise did not start recently rather it originated with the airline industry. The aviation industry representatives began to take his issue more seriously following the introduction of commercial jet in 1950.The call for addressing noise from aircraft was first recognized in 1952 by the federal government even the United States Air Force initiated research programs for reducing aircraft noise. It was not until the year 1965 when Aircraft noise board was formed in order to formalize a unified program for alleviating the aircraft noise and its impacts on major airports. Since then, the airline industry has spent huge amounts of money in quantifying and improving noise from aircrafts.
Noise is associated with many adverse effects among them hearing loss, cardiovascular problems among others. Thus the knowledge of noise effects is adequate in supporting the current regulatory efforts. There are no effective policies that have been developed by the Federal Aviation Authority regarding the aircraft noise. The Federal Aviation Authority has indeed misled the federal government and the community at large that it has developed measures for reducing the aircraft noise. It has indeed ignored the wellbeing of the communities by failure to address their needs i.e. to reduce aircraft noise. In reality, the Federal Aviation Authority disregards the impact of aircraft noise on thousands of United States citizens who resides near the airports (United States General Accounting Office, 2000, P.18).
Section 2 Findings and Discussion
Major issues underlying the aircraft noise regulation
The following are the main issues of Federal Aviation Authority noise regulation; controlling the supersonic noise. The advent of the supersonic flight has brought about sonic boom problems and therefore, efforts have been directed towards controlling the aircraft’s supersonic transport noise. The Federal Aviation Authority have addressed this issue by adopting a restriction which prohibits the supersonic flights that causes sonic boom upon reaching the ground.Usually,engines have a tendency of producing low frequency noises in order for them to operate efficiently and so, the regulation has recognized this as a form of over flights.
The Federal Aviation Regulation, 36 is concerned with setting up measures aimed at limiting aircraft noise at source. One of the measures is the introduction of measurement locations that helped to measure the impact of the noise at the airport runaway. The next concept that was introduced by the FAA regarding limiting the aircraft noise was the establishment of a unit for measuring noise.
This concept enabled the regulatory agency to measure the noise levels and their subsequent annoyance on the general public. The unit for measuring noise that was identified was the EPNdB.This unit entails one to apply the weighing function frequency to noised spectra in order to encourage the reduction of frequency that is contained in most objects. This measuring unit is important as it provides penalties in case of excessive flyovers and unwanted tones (Daley, 2010, P.123).
The local community has pressured the major airports to develop operational procedures that will reduce the noise emanating from aircrafts. The Federal Aviation Authority has over the years engaged the airport managers and all the working groups in minimizing aircraft noise particularly in nearby sensitive regions. The Federal Aviation Authority has also developed noise abatement policies in major airports.
These noise abatement policies have stand profiles aimed at helping to lower the aircraft noise. The noise abatement policies by the Federal Aviation authority also provide the pilots, air carriers and operators with information concerning the aiport.The noise abatement policies are issued frequently to the pilots and the reset of aviation crew.However, most of the noise abatement information comes from the directories at the airports, publications and safety briefings. The noise abatement measures play an important role in reminding the airport crew of the major signs concerning the airport and its environment.
The abatement reminds signs at the airports can b installed at taxi hold areas or the applicable runaways. They help in reminding the pilots to comply with the noise abatement measures. The Federal Aviation Authority requires pilots who have no adequate knowledge on noise abatement measures to ask the air craft facilities or the towers for the recommended measures.Thus, pilots are required to be conscious of the general community while flying the aircrafts. The Federal Aviation Authority requires the pilots to operate the aircrafts as quietly as possible (Pickhardt, & Pons, 2006, P.59-60).
Major problems facing aircraft noise regulation
The following are the major problems facing aircraft noise regulation; congestion in the airports and airway and thus traffic control challenges.Usually,the federal government has emphasized much on investing in new conveniences and not much emphasis on methods that could enhance the effectiveness of the existing facilities.Currently,there has been too much congestion at some of the major airports and this provides the Federal Aviation Authority with a challenge as far as aircraft noise is concerned.
The other challenge that the Federal Aviation Authority faces in controlling the aircraft noise is lack of funding from the federal government. Before the Second World War, the government of the United States believed that the responsibility of maintaining the airports was the responsibility of all the local people just like river ports and oceans.Therefore, the government had the sole responsibility of enhancing the effectiveness of the navigable ways that connected to the river ports. At the beginning of the Second World War, the government of the United States began developing airports on the land that was leased from the municipal councils.
The funding however did not last for long as the government withdrew its grants o major airports. Usually, the role of federal has become pervasive and too large implying that its responsibility of developing the airports has been vested with the local sponsors. With this regard, the sponsors may not adequately fund the noise control programs as opposed to federal government.
Another challenge that the Federal Aviation Authority faces in its attempt to control aircraft noise is the contractual and legal arrangements that exists between the airlines and the aiport.The contractual and legal arrangements have been in existence for many years and so, these arrangements have proved to be inappropriate in the current deregulated era. This is due to the fact that, they are too rigid and so, they don’t allow the airlines and airports to operate on their own and thus seek new challenges.Also; they are too rigid in that, they don’t provide the airlines and airports with an opportunity to compete freely with others in the market.
Another challenge with regards to aircraft noise regulation is sonic boom that causes supersonic flights. Sonic booms arise when the air pressure builds up excessively around the engines and the aircraft wings. A conventional sonic boom causes the pressure to move forward and to the rear. This movement gives rise to pressure at the front and at the rear and this in turn creates a wave that causes a loud bang.
Another challenge with regards to noise reduction is the conflict of interest between the operators and the federal Aviation Authority. The federal Aviation Authority has a contradictory role of regulating as well as promoting the aviation. The Federal Aviation Authority as the chief financier of the airports and airlines indeed is conflicting. The noise abatement policy clearly explains that the contradictory roles are not healthy for the noise reduction efforts. The Federal Aviation Authority has come under criticisms in recent years following its conflicting mission. It has been criticized as a means of fuelling aircraft noise instead of reducing it.
The other challenge that the Federal Aviation Authority faces with regards to noise reduction is lack of innovation. Technological process usually has lagged back wit regards to reducing the aircraft noise. The technology progress has not met the increasing rate of airline industry and thus, the noise form aircraft is expected to continue for a couple of years (Harris, 1997, P.34-36).
Recommendations and Conclusion
The following are the recommendations that the Federal Aviation Authority can take in order to control the noise from aircrafts
The Federal Aviation Authority should devise measures aimed at avoiding engine enclosures. Everyone who lives in a large metropolitan airport is familiar with the noise that emanates from aircrafts. This noise usually makes people to find difficulties to sleep and also this noise makes conversations to be impossible. The FAA should thus ban the landings and take offs at nights particularly the late hours. The FAA should require the airline operators to follow the noise abatement policies i.e. to change the flight paths I order to avoid the sensitive areas. It should require the aircrafts to fly high as they can provide it is safe to do so. The FAA should also ensure that the pilots reduce the engines’ power settings when they are about to land.
Other recommendations include the following
The urgent need to revise the noise abatement policy should be halted and thus allow the US citizens enough time to comment on the proposed policy. The noise abatement procedures have been a subject of debate since the Federal Aviation Authority was formed in 1976 and thus there is no need to rush in revising it. Rushing implies that many people will be locked from commenting on the aircraft noise issue.
The Federal Aviation Authority has recently issued its draft concerning the aircraft noise weeks before the Federal Government issued its own report concerning the same matter. This is a major challenge to effective reduction of aircraft noise as the public is not provide with a forum where they can participate due to incorrect timings. This form of unresponsiveness on the part of Federal Aviation Authority should not be allowed as far as aircraft noise reduction is concerned and instead, the FAA should allow for sufficient time before releasing its draft for supplementary comment.
Federal expenditures requires to be reallocated and to shift some of the funding from the local abatement i.e. the term relief that is given to the affected communities to technology and research that will enhance the noise reduction efforts.Currently,more funds are allocated to the local abatement as opposed to technology and research.
Other recommendations include the following; The Federal Aviation Authority should ensure that there are alternating fuel injection timings. The FAA should ensure that controlling airflow to the cylinders is done The Federal Aviation Authority should aim at reducing the pairing between the engine head and the block. The FAA should aim at reducing the revolutions of engine per minute. The FAA should focus on increasing the silencer sizes
Reference List
Harris, D. A. (1997). Noise control manual for residential buildings. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional.
Daley, B. (2010). Air Transport and the Environment. London: School of Oriental And African Studies (SOAS.
Pickhardt, M & Pons, J. (2006). Perspectives on competition in transportation, Volume 1. Munich: LIT Verlag Münster.
United States General Accounting Office. (2000). Aviation and the Environment: FAA’s Role in Major Airport Noise Programs. USA: GAO.