Planes Overhead

We recently moved to Broadlands and did some research in regards to the airport noise countours and the surrounding buffer zones. We used the Loudoun County Mapping site. Our home is not located anywhere any of the three noise contours. Very surprised how loud and how many planes Dulles has landing over our community. Is there a rotation or is it based on weather restrictions? Seems like the last three days have been much worse.

Anyone have input?

 

Living this close to Dulles - an international airport - the noise should have been expected. It's everyday, all day, sometimes at night.

 

I know what you mean but I think you just can't get away from the airplane noise when you live this close. When the runways were being worked on last year the planes were more frequent on the remaining access routes. Now that there is an additional runway it still seems like there are a lot of planes all lined up ready to land after flying over my house. Weather plays a role as well.

It can be frustrating but it seems to be a fact of life. On the other hand, getting to and from the airport to travel or pickup guests is pretty convenient!

 

It's no where near as bad as when we lived in Ashburn Farm and you really do get used to it....I hardly notice any airplane noise at all and we've lived in Ashburn since 1988.

 

I don't even notice it anymore for the most part. Although two nights ago I thought there was a plane that was crashing-it was that loud. I braced for impact while my house shook. In those circumstances, there is a noise abatement department at the airport that you can make a complaint to. Most of the time you probably won't notice it.

 

We moved in from Herndon and were actually closer to the airport and it was never this bad. Actually had to pause TV last night to let the roar go by so we didn't miss part of the show.

I guess I am frustrated based on the data the county publishes on the web.

If you go to loudoun tax assessment page and look up a property:
https://inter1.loudoun.gov/taxadmin/webpdbs2008/disclaimer.aspx

• Then once the property comes up - click on the button near the top that says 'Map It'.
• Then once the map opens, click on the tab that says 'Map Layers' on the left side column of the screen.
• Then under 'Layer Groups', select the 'Boundaries' from the drop-down box. Then click on 'Airport Noise Countours' boxes and click the apply button at the bottom of the page.
• If you then zoom the map out you can see the airport noise contours...

 

Flight and noise easements are recorded in the land records for most our homes. These records put potential buyers on notice before they buy the home and therefore restrict any legal action after they buy it. Most buyers I work with are not aware of this until I teach them about it. The problem occurs when poor and or uneducated sales people do not educate their buyers on the seasonal changes in plane take off and landings. So if you buy in the glide path in spring you are in for a very load winter as planes are much louder as they power up for take off.

The Metro Airport Authority does monitor flight noise and has a web page where you can learn more at: http://www.mwaa.com/dulles/2542.htm

The plane that shakes your house at night is probably an older military aircraft that gets an exemption from current noise restrictions. The German military barracks at Dulles has a very loud one!

Most people due get use to it and when it stops you notice it. Like the days after 9/11, erie...

Steve Campot
www.sgcrealestate.com

 

We heard a plane last night that was probably the loudest we've had in months. Other than that, we really can't complain (at least where we are in Southern Walk). The 11ish plane(s) that flynnibus mentioned are typically the worst, and they're not all that terrible.

Watching historical data on Airscene is pretty interesting:
http://www.metwashairports.com/dulles/2542.htm

You'll notice most of Broadlands doesn't get a ton of air traffic. It seems like most take-offs from the southern-most runway go just south of Loudoun Valley Estates and head straight over Brambleton (we've noticed this when we eat at Brambleton Town Center). Some bank and head north over the Beaver Dam Reservoir as well, but those tend to be far enough west, past Broadlands. Yes we do hear planes, but I'd say Broadlands is probably one of the best communities in Ashburn for getting irregular air traffic instead of the constant one-after-another some other communities get.

The worst noise I've ever heard from Dulles was around Chantilly and Centreville, directly south of the main runways. You have to pause your conversations in the middle of takeoffs. We've got nothing compared to that!

 

Jet noise is cool. 8)

 

Yep, in Brambleton you can almost reach out and touch them. Sometimes on the greenway it seems they are going to land right now.

The catch to understanding the contours is they are a 24 hour average, as far as the airport is concerned they could fly 50 feet above your house once a day and still meet the DNL contours. I confirmed this talking to the airport. You are looking at them like I did, as a not to exceed level.

We've gotten used to it, although it took me a while. Kim it did not bother as much. Me, I bought a calibrated meter and was measuring the planes for a while. Even observed on a spectrum analyzer (pretty obvious who is the engineer around here). Like I said even I got used to it, although dead silence would be nice and as noted even moving further out does not solve the problem (and a pretty dangerous commute on 15).

You can always call and complain, someone will eventually call you back.

Even Dumbarton Oaks in Georgetown has terrible airplane noise. I can't think of a community I'd rather live in around here: low crime (outstanding sherriff's dept), great neighbors and a decent commute for the Rt 28 corridor.

Mike

 

Jet wash is better!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHeldYK-AWo​

 

Jet noise is the sound of freedom. I moved here because I like watching all the planes go over and especially miss the Concorde and the C-5's from Dover AFB doing landing practice. It is truly amazing how quiet the new generation planes are. You shoulda been around Dulles in the 80's! Now THAT was real noise!

 

I was here in the 80's and when the Concorde took off, our whole house shook, but it was soooo cool seeing that plane come in or take off, loved it and do miss it. I love planes!

 

Yes, those were experiences I loved as a child! I grew up in Sterling and it was so much fun hearing the roar of the planes (especially the Concorde). My dad and I would run out of the house and look up in the sky to see which aircraft it was. Dad would always point out what type of aircraft and I would look at the tail to see if I could figure out the airline. I love the airport being so close and love the airplane noise even more. However, maybe I'm too used to it because I never notice the 11pm heavies flying overhead!

 

Mike-and-Kim- I must have missed that whole 24 hour disclaimer. I was looking at it like you said, ‘Not to exceed’. Will not waste my time on the complaints. Will fall on deaf ears, no pun intended.
Peddler – It might be the sound of freedom but would rather have it not in my backyard.
Now I know and will just get used to it. More importantly hope my toddlers get used to it over time and hope the house shaking heavy carries don’t keep waking them up.

 

I never notice those 11pm heavies either.....but if I did, it certainly wouldn't bother me.....

 

I "missed" it too, not sure it's mentioned anywhere. It only came up in discussion with the airport, after I started mentioning that I had SPL readings...the other part is that it is a 24 hour average, but night noise is weighted 10dB hence the DNL is day-night if I'm remembering right.

Mike

 

I looked at the link from '03 Cavalier, but can someone draw the flight paths over our neighborhood? We've noticed that the paths are wind-related and the only time it's intrusive is when we are sitting on the deck...praying that a piece of plane won't fall off and bonk us in the head! But choppers...we hear those occasionally...who is running helicopters over Broadlands?