Please click here to access the Noise Complaint System
Introduction
In 1987 the Indianapolis Airport Authority commissioned its first noise study in recognition of increased levels of activity anticipated as a result of new runways at Indianapolis International Airport. The Airport was also developing as a major air cargo center with increased nighttime landings and takeoffs.
The noise study was performed in accordance with Federal Aviation Regulations (Part 150). Part 150 is required to be used by airports throughout the United States when conducting noise studies or noise map updates. The Federal Aviation Administration and NASA researchers developed a computer model that identifies areas of noise impact based on factors such as numbers of landings and takeoffs, times of day when operations occur, flight tracks, and types of aircraft. The computer model generates "noise exposure maps" that show where there are different levels of noise impact.
Using this information, the local airport looks first at ways to reduce noise impact. These can include options like designating flight paths, establishing runway usage patterns or requiring certain flight procedures for takeoffs. For those areas where there is still significant impact, the Airport Authority considers ways to provide relief for the residents. At Indianapolis these measures have included purchasing homes and relocating the residents or modifying homes to sound insulate them.
The Airport Authority has conducted full updates of the original study in 1992 and 1997. These updates were impacted by the opening of the new south runway in 1990 and the new north runway in 1996.
Noise Exposure Map (NEM) Update
The Airport Authority, in August 2003, completed a Noise Exposure Map Update project consistent with the Part 150 recommendation for noise exposure map updates every five years. In this process, current activities and revised forecast information was put into the computer model. The resulting new exposure maps are compared to those from the last study to determine if there are any additional homes that should be included in the purchase or sound insulation programs. If there are significant changes in the noise exposure, the Airport Authority could decide to expand the scope of the project into a full Part 150 Update. If there are no changes or even a reduction in noise impacted areas, there may be no additional actions proposed.
The new maps were filed with the Federal Aviation Administration for review and approval following opportunities for public comment. In 2007, the Indianapolis Airport Authority will initiate another Noise Exposure Map update which is anticipated to be completed by the end of the Third Quarter 2008.
Process
The first portion of a Noise Exposure Map Update Project is gathering updated data for the computer model. Some of the information is available from the Airport Authority’s own records. Other significant data like historic records of flight paths in and out of the airport must be obtained from the air traffic control radar archived records at the Federal Aviation Administration.
Another task will be the noise monitoring at many locations surrounding the airport. For comparative purposes most of these sites had been monitored in the previous noise studies. Several new sites may be selected based on noise events reported to the airport. The noise monitoring accomplishes two major objectives. First and foremost it validates the noise assumptions built into the computer model and makes sure that there are no unique geographic or environmental conditions in the area that would markedly skew the basic model. Second, it measures some characteristics of the specific noise events like the time of day, volume, and duration. The information from the noise monitoring is then used in the preparation of the noise exposure maps.
2003 Noise Exposure Map
The Report of the 2003 Noise Exposure Map Update has been published and is available for public review. Click here to review the document.
Contact Us
For information about the Noise Exposure Map Update project, please contact:
Real Estate Services Office: 1-317-487-5114
Noise complaints need to be registered on the Noise Hotline at 1-317-487-5000.