Managing noise

This year’s forum operated under a slightly modified format, taking on board feedback and suggestions provided from previous years. It was structured around five central themes: managing change and growth; night operations and sleep disturbance; military operations/emergency services; circuits & flight training; and helicopters. Each of these issues was presented on and was the subject of further discussion regarding what initiatives the forum participants may be able to collectively pursue.

Airservices kicked off the forum with an overview of the organisation’s achievements and progress in relation to noise management. As part of this overview there were some notable achievements in the 2015-16 period, including commencing the transition to online reporting of noise information, Smart Tracking is being implemented at Brisbane and Perth, as well as pursuing noise monitoring and improvement initiatives at several airports.

The focus for the year ahead will be the continued rollout of Smart Tracking at airports, improving community engagement and transitioning to the new simplified Airservices operating model with a focus on customer service.

This session was followed by some very interesting insights from Bruel & Kjaer on what is happening globally in the aircraft noise management space, including revisiting traditional thinking around noise management and considering a more strategic approach to what influences and contributes to noise related annoyance. Canberra Airport then provided a useful insight into how an airport has managed the noise issues associated with a change in operations and continued growth, with a particular focus on community engagement and the use of technology.

Forum participants were then provided the opportunity to participate in interactive demonstration sessions. These sessions were focused on how we can make better use of technology and tools for managing aircraft noise, including a very interesting demonstration of ARUP’s sound lab and how aircraft noise can be demonstrated in practical, real world scenarios. This was followed by a presentation from the Department of Defence on how it is changing the way it communicates noise impacts and engages with communities, as well as a briefing from Flight Training Adelaide on some initiatives it is pursing to lessen the impact of its operations on the community.

One of the most valuable sessions was when participants were invited to brainstorm in breakout groups on each of the central themes for the forum and then present back to the group with potential objectives and opportunities for further work and collaboration post-conference. This resulted in a number of very useful suggestions and ideas for further collaboration on aircraft noise issues, with the facilitators of each breakout group set to meet in the coming weeks to define the initiatives, as well as develop a strategy and work plan for delivery.

The objective of this work will be to deliver some meaningful progress in improving how aircraft noise is managed and establish some clear goals for what the industry can aim to achieve. This proactive approach is a clear demonstration of the industry’s commitment towards continual improvement and making the most out of events such as the annual noise forum.

The Aviation Industry Noise Forum offers an excellent opportunity for industry stakeholders to meet and work together to better manage aircraft noise in an Australian setting. The forum provides a valuable insight into noise management techniques and strategies that are being championed by airports and other aviation organisations across Australia and globally. This is essential in driving for continuous improvement and more importantly it assists the industry in sharing knowledge and delivering best practice initiatives in aircraft noise management.

The AAA and Airservices will continue to make this important forum available to industry to ensure that the impacts of aircraft noise are minimised and that we continue to work collaboratively towards practical and effective solutions.

The forum provides a valuable insight into noise management techniques.