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Mayor Villaraigosa Celebrates the Phaseout of Noisy Jets at Van Nuys Airport

03.30.2010 | HMMH |

by Ted Baldwin

That’s the headline of a recent press release from the City of Los Angeles.  We are celebrating, too, having shepherded this project for the last few years through a long and challenging route.  In particular, we are excited that Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) has achieved a goal that the Board of Airport Commissioners set in June 1990; i.e., the phaseout of older, noisier Part 36 Stage 1 and 2 aircraft.

Van Nuys Airport

The ordinance was signed by Mayor Villaraigosa on March 9, 2010, and will go into effect on April 15, 2010.  Major provisions of the ordinance phaseout include:

  • On or after January 1, 2009: No aircraft may arrive or depart VNY whose takeoff noise level equals or exceeds 85 A-weighted decibels (dBA).
  • On or after January 1, 2011: No aircraft may arrive or depart VNY whose takeoff noise level equals or exceeds 83 dBA.
  • On or after January 1, 2014: No aircraft may arrive or depart VNY whose takeoff noise level equals or exceeds 80 dBA.
  • On or after January 1, 2016: No aircraft may arrive or depart VNY whose takeoff noise level equals or exceeds 77 dBA.

The noise limits do not apply to military, government, medical, Stage 3 and 4 aircraft, and emergency operations.  The ordinance also exempts operations of aircraft that are permanently departing VNY, and of historic types first flown before 1950.  Operations of former military aircraft that are now privately owned, and operations related to major maintenance and repairs are exempt until 2016.

In his remarks, Mayor Villaraigosa said, “This is a landmark ordinance and a confirmation that City Hall and L.A.’s neighborhoods can truly work together to accomplish difficult, significant tasks to improve our quality of life.  I thank and congratulate everyone who helped make it happen after four years of hard work.”

HMMH is proud to have had the opportunity to assist the City to achieve this long-standing noise abatement objective of the LAWA Board of Airport Commissioners.

More information on the VNY Phaseout can be found here.

 

Fly Quietly