PTI Noise Study Ready for Public in Greensboro, N.C.

A plan that limits flight paths and offers other ways to lower noise from FedEx jets at Piedmont Triad International Airport is now ready for public inspection.

Committees of residents and government leaders and a noise consultant wrote the noise study over the past two years at a cost of $1.3 million.

Called a "Part 150 Study" in reference to the section of federal code that dictates it, the report is designed to protect as many people as possible from loud jet noise when a FedEx sorting hub now under construction is at capacity in 2014.

At that time, as many as 60 planes could land and take off each night. The hub is expected to open in 2009.

The study suggests that FedEx jets flying at night approach the airport from the southwest side and take off from its northeast side to limit the number of houses directly under the flight paths.

The plan also suggests that the airport buy any property exposed to noise levels above 70 decibels and pay for additional insulation and other measures for houses in areas above 65 decibels.

Twelve houses with 30 people are currently in the 70- decibel region, the report says. Areas with noise above 65 decibels include 314 people and 112 houses.

The report has been in the works for a couple of years, and it holds few surprises for Ted Johnson, the airport's director. "We had hashed and rehashed many of these issues," he said. "There were hours and hours spent with these various committees."

The plan's major recommendations:

l When a second runway now under construction is complete, planes flying at night should land at the southern end of both runways, near Market Street, and take off to the north, nearest the hub building and Bryan Boulevard.

l Flight patterns for planes will be narrowly mandated so they avoid as many homes as possible. One recommendation suggests planes heading to southern destinations fly along N.C. 68 to avoid neighborhoods.

l Power generators for airplanes sitting on the ground should not be any louder than ambient noise in nearby neighborhoods.

l The Piedmont Triad Airport Authority should set up its own monitoring program to keep track of aircraft noise, serve as a liaison with the community and inform the public and air carriers about noise issues.

The document is 200-plus pages and contains long appendices with details on how the study was conducted.

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