New Runway at Dulles

We've been in Ashburn since 1988.....we knew about the proximity of the airport when we bought our house....when we lived in Ashburn Farm, planes were a lot noiser and flew right over our house. These were in the Supersonic plane too. Now that we're in Broadlands, the plane noises really don't bother me. The noise doesn't last very long and I'd rather hear them than not....remember 9/11???? When no planes were allowed to fly for several days???? That was creepy!

 

Right after take off, pilots have to really crank it up and climb quickly. It's quite noticable when you're used to gradually climbing like you do out of other airports. Here, it feels like a roller coaster ride where you're pulling Gs because you're at such an angle and climbing so quickly.

 

Copied from the FAA webpage

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/aep/aircraft_noise/

If you think FAA officials are not responsive to your inquiry, you can contact FAA’s Aviation Noise Ombudsman. The Noise Ombudsman serves as a public liaison for issues about aircraft noise questions or complaints.

Contact information
Federal Aviation Administration,
Aviation Noise Ombudsman, AEE-2
800 Independence Ave. S.W.
Washington, DC 20591

 

From the Dulles Webpage

http://www.mwaa.com/dulles/about_dulles_international_2/aircraft_noise_iad

Washington Dulles International Airport provides area residents with world class aviation service, which brings economic strength and vitality to the region. Aircraft noise was given great consideration when Dulles was planned. An airfield buffer is provided on airport property to ensure that close-in residential development does not occur. Loudoun and Fairfax Counties have worked closely with the Airports Authority to provide additional land-use protection through effective planning and zoning. Today, the airport and surrounding communities benefit from these long-range planning efforts as the Airports Authority moves forward in building a fifth runway on the airfield.

Noise Monitoring System
A computerized aircraft noise monitoring system is used for Dulles Airport aircraft. Permanent remote noise monitoring stations have been installed at strategic locations keyed to the primary arrival and departure paths surrounding the Airport. Each noise monitoring station measures and analyzes noise events as they occur. The ability to directly measure aircraft noise at these specific locations helps the Airports Authority to identify the extent of community noise impacts and to plan for the future.

If You Have a Concern
A 24-hour Noise Complaint Telephone Center operates at Dulles's Operations Office. This gives citizens a way to voice their concerns over aircraft noise. The telephone number is 703-572-8215. Usually a duty officer will speak with the caller personally, but if that person is not available, the Center's voicemail will record the complaint. The Manager of the Authority's Noise Abatement Office is also available to discuss noise concerns.

 

Depending on conditions and direction, SLC can be like this as well.

 

Yeah, and it's also on arrival, too ("dive, dive!!"). Not necessarily the safest thing. Also would be difficult for a "heavy" - like a loaded 777, 747, or the such - to perform such a maneuver. As an aside, my dad (Delta pilot for 27 yrs) did his best to never have to fly into Orange County - because of these absurd requirements (all for the sake of the OC folks complaining about noise). (ps - thanks to wikipedia, the runway is 5700 ft, which means only a 757 and smaller can go into there)

But also remember that Dulles is quite a different from John Wayne Airport - it's crammed like Chicago Midway with houses all around it - Dulles, while it may cause some noise - is very well set apart from neighboring homes and is an INTERNATIONAL airport.

 

Absolutely agree dcdavis... big difference. All the heavies will fly in and out of LAX so it's a different situation entirely.

 

Okay, got the scoop on the 10:30pm flight the other night. It was a UAL 777 on its way to Kuwait. It flies every night but that night is the only time since at least October that it has taken off this way. It took off from the middle runway, went directly over my house at an altitude of 1679 feet and a speed of 248 knots. Did a u-turn around Leesburg airport and headed east on its way. I was told it wastes tons of gas to head west to go east so it must have been a fluke or something different happening that night.

Love, love, love the airports authority people. They were very helpful and informative. Thought I'd give the update.

 

Curious if that altitude was above ground level or sea level....

 

All I know is since the new runway opened it's been very quiet over our house. We're in Forest Manor and are used to the international flights going directly over our house. I've only heard a couple since the new runway opened and not at the lower altitudes we were used to. This is the quietest it's been for us in the Ashburn area since we moved here in '95 (Ashburn Farm).

 

Obviously it's not your first year here (based on your statement), but are you sure it's not the winter weather that's the reason? Typically in the winter, more departures are to the north due to the strong winds from the north (correct me if I'm wrong, Cliff or others). As such, you get fewer departures on the NW runway (where they make the sharp turn over Brambleton/Broadlands). Since these int'l flights want to go north, taking off to the North is perfect for them (why they use runway 30 during when other flights are departing to the south).

I've noticed the "seasonal" change each year - during the summer the "heavies" are more common overhead.

 

Um, no. It's not the winter weather. For example the wind today is most definitely not from the north. It's quieter and I've lived in this house for 5 years. It's not even a function of the heavies. We're not hearing many planes of any kind anymore. My husband mentioned it too. I'm very aware of when the heavies take off, especially on the weekend evenings. Those are not the planes I'm talking about, although those have been less frequent directly overhead also. I know what I am hearing and not hearing.