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Noise Management

The Ohio State University Airport strives to be a good neighbor while meeting its commitment to Airport users. Whenever possible, attempts are made to reduce the effects and exposure of aircraft noise. The Airport staff works closely with aircraft operators, the Federal Aviation Administration and neighborhood groups to help minimize noise impacts on the surrounding community.

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Please be sure to include your zip code and tell us if you would like us to call you back.

To understand noise generated by aircraft, it is important to be aware of the flow of traffic at the Airport. The direction of the prevailing wind determines runway use. In Central Ohio winds are generally from the west or southwest approximately 70% of the time, so a majority of Airport traffic arrives from the east and departs to the west. Other factors that can influence aircraft noise are cloud cover, nearby air traffic, and aircraft type.

Airport staff uses AirScene, a state-of-the-art aircraft operations management system to observe and analyze aircraft operations around the Airport. The system allows staff to match air traffic with noise complaints or inquiries. The WebScene component of the system allows neighbors to use their home computer to research flight activity around the Airport.

Part 150 Noise Study
The Ohio State University began a Federal Aviation Regulations Part 150 Noise and Land Use Compatibility Study in September 2007. The study will document noise levels from current and forecasted future aircraft operations and will look at noise mitigation measures. www.osuairportpart150.com

Submitting a Complaint
Noise complaint processing is a voluntary effort and one of the many tools used by the Airport to learn about aircraft noise. Complaints will be logged in the Airport’s noise complaint system. When filing a complaint, please state if you would like an Airport staff member to call you back.
Use one of the following methods to report a noise concern:

  • Call (614) 292-9055. Leave your name, address, zip code, phone number, date and time of the aircraft activity and any other information pertinent to the complaint.

  • Send an e-mail to noise@osuairport.org with your name, address, zip code, phone number, date and time of the aircraft activity and any other information pertinent to the complaint.

  • Click on WebScene to complete an on-line form. It is not necessary to include flight information from the WebScene flight map. Be sure to include your name address, zip code, phone number, date and time of the aircraft activity. (You can conduct your own research on WebScene. See explanation below.)

    • One complaint will be accepted per phone call or e-mail. If an e-mail is submitted with multiple complaints, the Airport will log only the first complaint.

    • Complaints must be filed within 30 days of the disturbance.

    • Airport staff will not accept complaints filed from locations other than the complainant’s residence.

    • Airport staff will limit research to five (5) complaints per household per month.

WebScene
WebScene is designed to help residents of Airport communities become familiar with the uses of airspace. The system pulls information from aircraft transponders and other sources to produce flight tracks. If you would like to observe current aircraft activity, limited information is available in the real-time window of WebScene. For security purposes, the tracks are delayed approximately ten (10) minutes. However, to find past flight information, use the historical view to replay flights. The information in WebScene is processed overnight. Therefore, it is best to wait 24-hours for the most accurate flight information in the historical view. Altitudes shown in WebScene are Mean Sea Level (MSL). To calculate a track’s approximate altitude, subtract the elevation at your location (available on Google Earth) from the MSL to determine the Above Ground Level or (AGL) figure. You are encouraged to read the help section, identified by the question mark (?) in the upper right corner, for a more thorough explanation of WebScene.

Flight tracking information on WebScene is a public resource of general information. It is intended to display the general location and flow of air traffic around the Airport. While the WebScene system provides a high degree of accuracy, in a small number of cases, equipment or communication failures can occur.

Low-Flying Aircraft
Aircraft can legally fly at altitudes that some residents find annoying or believe to be unsafe. The FAA has regulatory authority over aircraft in flight, on runways and on taxiways. While the occasional aircraft in flight can be bothersome, most complaints of low-flying aircraft pertain to operations that are within the Federal Aviation Regulations. Complaints regarding low-flying aircraft should be directed to the Federal Aviation Administration (www.faa.gov). Once on the FAA website, click on Aircraft, then Flight Standards District Office (FSDO).

Noise Abatement Guidelines
The Ohio State University Airport has established noise abatement recommendations for pilots flying in or out of the Airport. (Click Here) to view them.

Sound Initiative
The Ohio State University Airport is a founding member of Sound Initiative: A Coalition for Quieter Skies, a group encouraging Congress to phase out Stage 2 aircraft, considered the noisiest in the industry.



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