September 15, 2004

Airports Authority to Hold Public Meeting
on Reagan National Airport Noise Study
Proposed Abatement and Mitigation Actions Available for Review

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (Airports Authority) invites the public to attend a public meeting on the Noise Compatibility Study for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The meeting will be held on October 14th, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Arlington County Offices at Courthouse Plaza, Room 307, 2100 Clarendon Blvd., in Arlington, Virginia.

The purpose of these meetings is to solicit comments from the public on the proposed abatement and mitigation alternatives regarding regional aircraft noise. A court reporter will be available at the meeting to receive public comments and made part of the official record of the study. The Airports Authority initiated a major update of the Noise Compatibility Study for the Airport in 2001. During the study period, the Authority, along with the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and the Study Advisory Committee, held 13 working meetings and five public meetings.

This study, conducted in accordance with the regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration's process, is designed to forecast future noise contours at Reagan National and to examine possible abatement and mitigation actions to reduce community noise impacts.

The current Noise Compatibility Program includes noise abatement flight corridors, aircraft thrust management procedures, nighttime aircraft noise limits and restrictions on nighttime engine run-ups, and was last revised in 1993 in accordance with Part 150 of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, which establishes the Federal Aviation Administration's standards for noise impact evaluation and guidelines for airport noise compatibility programs.

Information on the proposed changes to the NCP, including proposed actions to mitigate or abate noise from aircraft operating at Reagan National Airport, will be available for review beginning September 15th on the Authority's website at: www.mwaa.com, the Council of Government website as www.mwcog.org, at the Authority Office Building at 1 Aviation Circle at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and at the following public libraries:

For further information, questions or to submit written comments concerning the Part 150 please contact:

Office of Communications, MA-10
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
1 Aviation Circle
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
Washington DC 20001-6000

The record is open for public comment until 5:00 p.m. on October 20, 2004.

See Attached description of Noise Abatement Recommendations

Noise Compatibility Program for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
Recommended Noise Abatement Measures

Because of the importance of this issue to the community, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government's Committee on Noise Abatement and Aviation at National and Dulles Airports (CONAANDA) partnered with MWAA throughout the process. A Community Advisory Committee was established consisting of elected and citizen representatives of the six surrounding jurisdictions as well as representatives from the airline industry, pilot organization, Federal Aviation Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, National Park Service and other organizations to assist and advise the Airports Authority in this study.

The following are proposed abatement and mitigation measures identified by the Advisory Committee and recommended for implementation in the NPC for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport:

Noise Abatement Measures:

1. Develop advanced navigation procedures for arrivals and departures on all runways, encourage the use of advanced navigation technology by airlines to provide pilots the ability to follow more predictable and precise flight tracks along the Potomac and Anacostia River corridors.

2. Through training and educational materials, encourage air traffic controllers to direct flights arriving on Runway 01 to follow daytime arrival routes during nighttime hours (10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.)

3. Through training and educational materials, improve dispersion of aircraft operating to the south of the airport during periods of light activity in the daytime.

4. Request the FAA Flight Standards Office to revise the current language in the Airport Facility Guide describing the noise abatement procedures at the Airport.

5. Request a voluntary phase-out of hushkitted Stage 3 aircraft through discussions with airlines and the Air Transport Association.

6. Update the Airport Noise Monitoring and Flight Tracking System to reflect the latest technology.

7. Establish a system to report airline compliance with noise abatement measures.

8. Enhance the noise complaint response system.