Globally concerns about the noise and air pollution and their effects on health and quality of life have led to increasingly severe environmentally related restrictions on Aviation.
Historically the jet airplanes have been responsible not only for a quantum leap in the convenience, affordability and reliability of air travel, but also for the birth and growth of organized environmental opposition to airports.
Three general trends have unfolded since the introduction of the commercial jet aircraft.
· First
Understanding the physics of noise and airport environmental
Impacts
· Setting, nationally or internationally, ever tighter but technically achievable noise and emissions goals that aircraft and engine manufactures have to meet
· Developing technologies that have reduces the noise generates by the jet engines.
In fact most of the attention an airport environmental assessments and environmental impacts studies has concentrated on the people who live in areas that experience.
Certification of Aircrafts for noise.
IN 1960 IACO began to standardize the noise standards for transport aircraft. For certification purpose, the noise levels generated by an aircraft cannot exceed certain limits in measurements taken under standard conditions.
Mitigating Airport Noise
There are many ways to mitigate the effects of airport noise. The restrictions and costs for these procedures impose on Airport and aircraft operators Range from mild to very significant.
Ways to Mitigate Noise
1. Noise monitoring system-Remote sensors/microphones located around airport.
2. Community relations and public participation programs
3. Land use policies.
4. Airport design interventions
5. Surface operations and flight operations.
6. Access restrictions
7. Economic incentives.
Possible actions
Airport layout- Change in runway locations,
Length, strength.
High speed exit Taxiways Relocated Passenger buildings.
Airport and Airspace use.
Modification of approach and
departure procedures.
Restrictions on ground movement of
Aircraft.
Restrictions on engine run-up and
Ground equipments.
Limits number or types of
Operations and aircrafts .
Use restrictions and rescheduling
Of operations.
Raise glide slope angle or intercept.
Aircraft operations
Power and flap management
Limited use of reverse thrust
Land use
Compatible use zoning
Building code provisions and sound
Insulation
Noise program
Noise related landing fees
Noise monitoring
Establish community
Participation program.
Airport design Interventions
Airport operators can sometimes reduce noise impacts
On airports neighbors by number of possible modifications, adjustments or additions to the physical layout and structure on the airport proper.
1. displaced runway thresholds.
2. Well placed high-speed exits may reduce the need to apply reverse thrust on landing.
3. Sound barriers. Construction of wall at strategic points at the airport periphery can help reduce noise exposure levels.
4. New runways, Taxiways and buildings.
Surface operations and Flight operations.
A Growing number of airports impose restrictions on aircraft operations, to reduce both noise and engine emissions.
2. Engine start up, run-ups and testing.
3. Limits on the number of out bound aircrafts.
Interventions outside airport property near existing sites.
Sound insulation:-The airport operators pays for sound insulation of noise affected structures near airports.
Property acquisition:-property acquisition is the most controversial noise mitigation measure. For lack of better alternatives, airport operators and government agencies acquire residential and other property and convert it to uses compatible with prevailing noise level.
WATER QUALITY CONTROL
As with any large industrial facility, airport operators need to pay attention to fluid discharges. The activities at the airport produce a wide range of discharge that need to be actively managed, these include discharges associated with industrial activities such as aircraft maintenance and handling of fuels, storm water runoffs and ordinary sewage. These should be handled according to locally prevailing regulations. Additionally, airports in snowy climates have to deal with deicing liquids, which need special attention.
Deicing Fluids
Proper removal and prevention of the formation of ice on aircraft is a critical function for the safe operation of aircraft in areas where snow occurs. Aircraft can not fly safely when they are covered with ice. Accumulated ice reduces the lift produced by the wings, makes aircraft unstable, and can cause significant accidents. In 1982, an Air Florida flight crashed shortly after takeoff from Washington. Airports and airlines in snowy climates thus devote substantial resources to removing ice from aircraft and preventing it from forming before the Aircraft has taken off and climbed above the weather. A critical element in this process is the spraying of aircraft with deicing/anti-icing fluids, which inhibit formation of ice.
Currently, the most effective ways of deicing and anti-icing aircraft involve the application of heated glycol-based fluids. These chemicals, and the additives necessary to ensure that the ADF meet the safety requirements, can pollute ground water and thus pose environmental issues.
As no effective substitutes found so far, the strategy for managing the environmental impacts is reduction of amounts used, collection and disposal of the fluids and recycling.
Another method using forced air and using infrared heaters to melt ice and snow.
FUEL LEAKS AND SPILLS
Airports normally store substantial amount of aviation and other fuels on or near their property. Under ordinary circumstances, the storage and distribution systems do not pollute the environment, since distributors take care to prevent losses of this expensive resource. However, airport operators need to maintain the distribution systems carefully to prevent leakage and contamination of the ground water. They also need to protect storage area against accidental spills or deliberate sabotage .Berms are thus often built around tanks to contain possible massive spillage.
STORM WATER RUNOFF
Because airports consist of large areas of paved surface, rainwater runs off quickly. It cleans the runways, taxiways, Aprons and roadways, and flushes the pollutants that may have accumulated on these surfaces away from the airport. Moreover the large quantities of water can create flash floods if the drainage system is not designed properly. Airport designs may thus involve a number of setting ponds that will retain water both to prevent floods and to settle the particulate material swept away from the airfield.
CONTROL OF HIGHWAY AND ROAD ACESS TRAFFIC
Public authorities invest huge amounts and promoted public transport and train routes to airport and subsidies these operations. Although some travelers and Airport employees do use public transportation, it is often inconvenient or impractical for many potential users. Passengers with bags and children may not find it convenient for using public transportation.
Some airports restrict the number of available parking bays at the airport on the theory that this reduces the number of automobile trips to airport, Faced with the inability to park travelers are likely to take taxis or some one drive them and thus cause two airport trips instead of one that would have occurred if they took their own car and parked it. Airport operators are likely to continue to face public pressure to reduce the emissions associated with automobile traffic.
More Airport in many countries use very low-emission vehicles ,such as electric cars, including aircraft ground support equipments, service and security vehicles.
WILD LIFE MANAGEMENT
Airports are home to many kinds of wildlife, including flocks of birds and many small animals. They can become an environmental issue if public groups consider a particular species to be endangered or other wise of interest. Worldwide countries that require environmental impact statements typically require information about the population of animals in the area of proposed airport project. In a number of cases, concerns about wildlife have delayed or altered airport developments.
Wild life in general and birds can pose severe hazards for the safe operation of aircraft. Larger wildlife such as Deer can create dangerous conditions on the runway, but are easily controlled by fencing.
Birds in flight will collide with airplanes and are pulled into engines. A “Bird strike” can cause severe damage to the aircraft and endanger the Passengers and crew.
Many airports thus have programs to scare off or eliminate birds near runways.
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