technical report 26 - gw · 2016-05-24 · (2035 with extension) permitted (anb runway capacity)...

Technical Report 26

Marshall Day Acoustics – Operational Noise Assessment

WELLINGTON AIRPORT RUNWAY EXTENSION ASSESSMENT OF AIRCRAFT NOISE EFFECTS

Rp 001 R08 2015130A | 21 March 2016

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Project: WELLINGTON AIRPORT RUNWAY EXTENSION

Prepared for: Wellington International Airport

PO Box 14175

Kilbirnie

Wellington 6241

Attention: Mr Mike Brown

Report No.: Rp 001 R08 2015130A

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We stress that the advice given herein is for acoustic purposes only, and that the relevant authorities and experts should be consulted with regard to compliance with regulations or requirements governing areas other than acoustics.

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Document Control

Status: Rev: Comments Date: Author: Reviewer:

Issued R08 21/03/2016 Laurel Smith Chris Day

This document may not be reproduced in full or in part without the written consent of Marshall Day Acoustics Limited

Rp 001 R08 2015130A (Assessment of Aircraft Noise Effects) 3

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Marshall Day Acoustics (MDA) has been engaged by Wellington International Airport Limited (WIAL) to undertake an assessment of aircraft noise effects resulting from the proposed runway extension which amongst other things would enable the airport to cater for larger and potentially louder Code E and occasional Code F aircraft.

For this assessment we have addressed the following questions:

1. What effect would the proposed runway extension and Code E/F aircraft have on aircraft noise levels received in the community

2. Can aircraft operations on the proposed extended runway comply with the Airport’s current noise controls (i.e. the Air Noise Boundary)

To address the first question, we have predicted the change in overall noise exposure (Ldn) and single event levels (LAmax) due to the proposed runway extension and considered the effects on the community. To address the second question, we have calculated future aircraft noise contours for the year 2035 with the extended runway.

Aircraft noise at Wellington Airport is controlled by rules in Chapter 11A of the Operative Wellington City District Plan. Overall noise exposure from aircraft operations (arrivals and departures) is limited to 65 dB Ldn at the Air Noise Boundary (ANB) shown on Map 35 of the planning maps. In addition to the Ldn limit, operations at Wellington Airport are restricted by a partial night-time curfew. Noise from aircraft operations is monitored continuously by noise loggers at two locations near the ANB. Current noise emissions are four to five decibels below the 65 dB Ldn limit. It is not proposed to alter the Airport’s noise controls including the curfew restrictions.

In 2009 the Land Use Management and Insulation for Airport Noise Study (“LUMINS”) was completed by the Wellington Airport Air Noise Management Committee. The purpose of LUMINS was to determine the future management of land use and acoustic insulation for the properties within the ANB. The study involved an in-depth assessment of the effects of aircraft noise on residents within the ANB which led to consideration of mitigation options such as acoustic insulation for existing houses and more stringent land use controls for new noise sensitive activities within the ANB. Our assessment of the proposed runway extension does not seek to re-examine the LUMINS outcomes. Therefore it is focussed on the change in noise effects resulting from the proposed extension compared with current and permitted noise emissions. The predicted change (discussed below) shows that a small increase in single event noise levels due to the introduction of Code E aircraft would not impact on the LUMINS outcomes.

The Integrated Noise Model (INM) has been used to calculate noise contours at Wellington Airport for current aircraft operations and a future 2035 forecast with the runway extension. These two modelled scenarios include the following number of movements and are compared with the number of movements in the ANB model.

Current (FY2015)

Proposed (2035 with extension)

Permitted (ANB Runway Capacity)

Peak Period Average Daily Movements

266 386 1102

The 2035 forecast includes Code E aircraft operating on ‘fifth freedom’1 routes to Australia and long haul

1 The freedoms of the air are a set of commercial aviation rights granting a country's airlines the privilege to enter and

land in another country's airspace. The fifth freedom allows an airline to carry revenue traffic between foreign countries as a part of services connecting the airline's own country (e.g. Emirates operating Dubai-Sydney- Auckland and return).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airspace



routes to Asia and North America. The forecast includes an average of ten Code E aircraft movements per day occurring during the day time period (7am to 10pm).

The predictions show that 2035 noise levels (Ldn) with the runway extension would be 0 – 2 dB greater than current levels at noise sensitive receivers surrounding the airport. Therefore it is predicted that noise from aircraft operations with the proposed runway extension would comply with the ANB, and for a sufficiently long period into the future.

A change in noise level of two decibels is barely perceptible to the human ear and a change of three to four decibels is just perceptible. The predicted change in overall noise exposure (Ldn) for the 2035 forecast compared with current activity (0 to 2dB) would be barely perceptible and thus is considered to be not a significant noise effect.

In addition to overall noise exposure (Ldn) this report has also considered the change in single event noise levels (Lmax) due to the introduction of larger aircraft. The proposed Code E aircraft movements are predicted to be no more than four decibels louder than worst case noise levels from current aircraft. This is a just perceptible increase in noise and in our opinion this change would be reasonable. Code F aircraft are not included in the 2035 forecast however theoretically these aircraft could operate on occasion. Predicted noise levels for the Code F aircraft are similar to the assessed Code E aircraft and therefore we consider that the effect of Code F operations, if they were to occur, would also be reasonable.



TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 6

2.0 AIRCRAFT NOISE MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................................... 6

2.1 Background .............................................................................................................................................. 6

2.2 Aircraft Noise Controls at Wellington Airport ....................................................................................... 7

2.3 Land Use Controls at Wellington Airport ............................................................................................... 7

2.4 Land Use Management and Insulation for Airport Noise Study (LUMINS)......................................... 7

3.0 PROPOSED CHANGES TO AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS ............................................................................... 8

3.1 New Location of Runway 34 ................................................................................................................... 8

3.2 Code E/F Aircraft ..................................................................................................................................... 8

4.0 AIRCRAFT NOISE LEVELS ......................................................................................................................... 9

4.1 Methodology ........................................................................................................................................... 9

4.2 Day Night Noise Exposure Level (Ldn) ................................................................................................... 10

4.2.1 ANB Capacity Scenario and Historical Levels ...................................................................................... 10

4.2.2 Current Noise Levels (FY2015) ............................................................................................................. 11

4.2.3 2035 Forecast with Runway Extension ................................................................................................ 11

4.2.4 Change in Noise Exposure .................................................................................................................... 13

4.3 Single Event Maximum Noise Levels (LAmax) ........................................................................................ 14

4.3.1 Historical Single Event Levels ............................................................................................................... 14

5.0 ASSESSMENT OF NOISE EFFECTS ......................................................................................................... 15

5.1 Potential Night-Time Effects (10pm – 1am and 6am – 7am) ............................................................. 16

6.0 CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................................................... 16

APPENDIX A GLOSSARY OF TERMINOLOGY

APPENDIX B FIGURES

APPENDIX C WELLINGTON CITY DISTRICT PLAN AIRCRAFT NOISE RULES FOR WELLINGTON AIRPORT

APPENDIX D INPUTS TO WELLINGTON AIRPORT NOISE CONTOUR MODELS



1.0 INTRODUCTION

Marshall Day Acoustics (MDA) has been engaged by Wellington International Airport Limited (WIAL) to undertake an assessment of aircraft noise effects resulting from the proposed runway extension which would enable the airport to cater for larger and potentially louder aircraft, such as Code E and Code F.

We have assessed whether noise from aircraft operations under the proposed operating scenario would continue to comply with the Airport’s noise controls set out in the District Plan. In addition we have considered the change in overall noise exposure (Ldn) and single event noise levels (LAmax) due to the proposed extension and assessed the effects of this on the community.

2.0 AIRCRAFT NOISE MANAGEMENT

2.1 Background

The basis for aircraft noise management at Wellington and other New Zealand airports is New Zealand Standard NZS 6805:1992 “Airport Noise Management and Land Use Planning”. The standard recommends defining an Air Noise Boundary (“ANB”) and an Outer Control Boundary (“OCB”) based on the 65 and 55 dB Ldn contours respectively for a future level of activity at an airport. The future level of activity is based on a realistic forecast of aircraft types and number of movements however future operations are not limited to those included in the forecast. The future aircraft operations could be quite different to the forecast, provided that overall noise emissions comply with the Ldn limit.

Ldn is the day/night weighted average noise exposure level averaged over a three month period2. The Ldn night weighting means that aircraft noise events between 10pm and 7am are weighted by an additional 10 decibels to account for the heightened sensitivity to noise at night. International research has found that the Ldn metric correlates well with community annoyance to aircraft noise and other transportation noise. Much of this research was taken into account when NZS 6805 was developed.

NZS 6805 recommends that noise from aircraft operations be restricted to 65 dB Ldn at the ANB and land use restrictions apply to noise sensitive activities inside the ANB and OCB. The controls for Wellington Airport are based on the NZS 6805 approach although there is just an ANB and no OCB at Wellington. The ANB is based on a runway capacity scenario rather than a future forecast.

NZS 6805 does not set out limits for single event noise levels from individual aircraft events. The standard recommends considering the impact of single event levels at night but does not provide a method or criterion for managing noise from individual aircraft events. Common metrics used to describe noise from individual aircraft events are the maximum level (LAmax) and the sound exposure level (LAE). The sound exposure level (LAE) is the sound level of one second duration which has the same amount of energy as the actual aircraft noise event. Since this metric includes the total energy of the event, it accounts for duration as well as magnitude of a noise event. The maximum level (LAmax) is the highest level that occurs during an aircraft noise event and is more readily understood by the public as there is no averaging over time.

The typical approach to assessing noise effects from aircraft operations is to examine the change in noise exposure using the Ldn metric and also to consider single event noise levels (Lmax ) from aircraft operations at night for sleep disturbance effects. Sleep disturbance effects at Wellington are largely controlled with the partial curfew from 12/1pm to 6am. However, if a change in runway configuration is proposed, it is helpful to assess the resulting change in single event noise levels as residents often want to know how much louder individual aircraft events would be.

2 NZS 6805 recommends averaging over a three month period however Ldn can be averaged over 24 hours.



2.2 Aircraft Noise Controls at Wellington Airport

Aircraft noise at Wellington Airport is currently controlled by rules in Chapter 11A of the Operative Wellington City District Plan (“the Plan”). These rules have been operative since 2000. It is not proposed to alter the District Plan noise controls including the current curfew restrictions. The complete rules are provided in Appendix C. In summary, noise from aircraft operations (arrivals and departures) is controlled by a 65 dB Ldn noise limit at the ANB which is defined on Map 35 of the planning maps (refer Appendix C). There is no OCB defined for Wellington Airport.

In addition to the Ldn limit which includes a night weighting, operations at Wellington Airport are restricted by a partial night-time curfew as follows:

Domestic operations must not occur during the hours from midnight to 6am.

International operations must not occur during the hours of midnight to 6am for departures and 1am to 6am for arrivals.

Some exceptions apply that enable the operating hours to be extended in certain situations (refer complete rules in Appendix C).

Noise from aircraft operations is monitored continuously by noise loggers at two locations near the Air Noise Boundary3. Currently noise emissions are four to five decibels below the 65 dB Ldn limit. Further information on current, historical and future allowable aircraft noise levels at Wellington Airport is provided in Section 4.

2.3 Land Use Controls at Wellington Airport

NZS 6805 recommends that residential activity should be prohibited inside the ANB. Wellington Airport has historically had a large number of houses in close proximity to the runway and therefore a large number of houses are inside the ANB. As such residential activity is not prohibited within the ANB but new and altered noise sensitive activities are required to be acoustically insulated.

The land use restrictions for activities sensitive to aircraft noise inside the ANB were recently strengthened through Plan Changes 72 and 73 following the outcome of the LUMIN Study (refer Section 2.4) which found that stronger controls were appropriate to curb residential intensification in this high noise environment. The changes, which became operative in November 2014, include strengthening the acoustic insulation requirements for new and altered noise sensitive activities within the ANB.

2.4 Land Use Management and Insulation for Airport Noise Study (LUMINS)

The Land Use Management and Insulation for Airport Noise Study (“LUMINS”) was carried out by the Wellington Airport Air Noise Management Committee and was completed in 2009. The purpose of LUMINS was to determine the future management of land use and acoustic insulation for the properties within the ANB.

The study involved an in-depth assessment of the effects of aircraft noise on residents. This led to consideration of mitigation options such as acoustic insulation for existing houses and more stringent land use controls for new noise sensitive activities within the ANB. Recommendations from the study have been implemented through changes to the District Plan to restrict intensification of noise sensitive activities inside the ANB. Furthermore an acoustic mitigation programme to insulate existing dwellings is in the final stage of development and is expected to roll out from 2016. Our assessment of the proposed runway extension does not seek to re-examine the LUMINS outcomes.

3 Between 2005 and 2011 noise was monitored continuously at three locations. In 2011 one logger was removed at the

landowners request and another suitable location is being sought. In the meantime monitoring continues at two locations.



Instead, it is focussed on the change in noise effects resulting from the proposed extension compared with current and permitted noise emissions.

3.0 PROPOSED CHANGES TO AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS

It is proposed to extend the existing runway to the south which could impact noise from aircraft operations in two ways:

1. New touchdown and start of roll4 location for Runway 34 further to the south could change the noise levels received in the community

2. Larger (Code E/F) aircraft could mean increased single event noise levels

Each of these changes are explained below and assessed later in the report.

3.1 New Location of Runway 34

It is proposed to extend the runway towards the south along the existing runway alignment. The AECOM report details the key parameters for the proposed extension. The distance from runway end to runway end would increase by approximately 393 m and the distance from landing threshold to landing threshold would increase by approximately 361 m. Figure 1 below shows the proposed runway extension.

Figure 1: Proposed Runway Extension

The new start of roll and landing threshold locations could impact the shape of the aircraft noise contours for the airport which may affect compliance with the ANB. The effect of these changes on future compliance has been analysed and the results are summarised in Section 4.2.

3.2 Code E/F Aircraft

The extended runway would enable Code E and F aircraft and similar to operate on long haul routes, which is currently not possible. We have been advised that the Code E aircraft outlined in Table 1 are anticipated to operate from the airport if the runway is extended. Occasional Code F aircraft operations could occur however regular Code F services are not anticipated in future forecasts.

4 The location where aircraft commence take-off



Table 1: Code E Aircraft Anticipated on the Extended Runway

Aircraft Type Routes

Boeing 777-300ER Trans-Tasman

Boeing 777-200 Trans-Tasman and Long Haul

Boeing 787-800 Long Haul

Airbus A330neo Long Haul

Airbus A350-900 Long Haul

We understand that the 777-300ER is the most likely aircraft to operate on fifth freedom long haul routes through Australia and on to New Zealand then return. It is noted that in September 2016 a 777-200 service on a fifth freedom route from Singapore through Canberra will commence. As such we have also considered the 777-200 on fifth freedom routes. It is expected that these services would operate once or twice per day during the day time and are not expected to operate between 10pm and 7am due to typical scheduling of fifth freedom flights.

Other Code E aircraft such as the 777-200, 787-800, A330neo and A350-900 are predicted to be the most likely aircraft types to operate on direct long haul routes from Wellington to Asia and North America. Due to typical scheduling of these routes we understand that operations between 10pm and 7am would be very unlikely. At most, there is a remote chance that aircraft arriving from North America may land at around 6am.

Noise from these larger Code E type aircraft was not considered when the ANB was developed or when the noise impact assessment was carried out for LUMINS. As such an assessment of the change in noise levels due to the introduction of these larger aircraft has been carried out and is summarised in Section 4.

4.0 AIRCRAFT NOISE LEVELS

4.1 Methodology

Predictions of aircraft noise around Wellington Airport have been calculated using the Integrated Noise Model (INM) software. The INM was developed by the United States Federal Aviation Administration and is used internationally for aircraft noise modelling. NZS 6805 recommends using the INM for calculating airport noise boundaries. MDA has used the INM for over 25 years to calculate aircraft noise contours for the majority of New Zealand Airports.

The original airport noise contours used to develop the District Plan ANB were generated in INM version 4.11. Since this time there have been a number of upgrades to the software. The current version used for calculating future and current noise contours is INM v7.0d.

Much of the land surrounding Wellington Airport is hilly and this has an effect on how aircraft noise propagates to different areas in the community. Some areas are elevated and therefore closer to aircraft in flight and other areas are screened from the runway by hills. When the ANB was developed the noise model was not capable of allowing for screening by terrain. Therefore the noise contours were calculated based on flat land then an estimated screening adjustment was made manually to produce the ANB.

The more recent versions of INM can allow for terrain effects, however unfortunately the INM does not facilitate terrain data of a high enough resolution to accurately model the steep terrain around Wellington. Therefore in this analysis we have assumed flat land when calculating noise contours.



When calculating noise levels at individual receivers we have entered the actual land elevation at each receiver location. We have also investigated whether the proposed new runway location would alter screening effects for individual receivers particularly around Moa Point and Lonsdale Crescent. This analysis was carried out using another software package SoundPLAN5 which has the required terrain calculation capability. We found that screening effects with the proposed extended runway would not be materially different to the current situation.

Ldn noise contours have been calculated for current aircraft activity using actual movements from 20156 and a future scenario for the year 2035 which includes the runway extension. Details of the INM inputs for these two scenarios are available in Appendix D.

To assess the change in noise levels we have selected 21 receiver locations that are representative of the various residential receivers surrounding the airport. Noise levels for current and proposed aircraft activity have been predicted at the 21 receivers and this allowed us to quantify the change in noise level at a range of different locations.

Maximum noise levels from individual aircraft events have also been calculated in the INM. In order to compare current and proposed operations, the worst case LAmax at each receiver location was determined for each scenario. For example the worst case for some locations is a departure to the north whereas for other locations it is a departure to the south. All possibilities were calculated to find the worst case for each receiver location.

4.2 Day Night Noise Exposure Level (Ldn)

4.2.1 ANB Capacity Scenario and Historical Levels

The ANB is based on modelled noise contours for a runway capacity scenario which includes approximately 402,000 annual aircraft movements. The capacity scenario includes four types of jet aircraft with the largest being the Boeing 767-300, along with a range of turbo-prop and general aviation aircraft. The model includes 576 day time and 55 night-time jet aircraft movements per day. A detailed list of all aircraft movements in this scenario is included in Appendix D.

When the ANB was developed the noise contours were calculated based on flat land. A screening adjustment was made manually to the calculated contour and it was also shaped to fit around property boundaries.

In the late 1980’s before the ANB was introduced, noise levels reached up to 70 dB Ldn in residential locations where the ANB now lies. Noise restrictions were introduced in 1995 and in the lead up to this, airlines made critical fleet changes that significantly reduced noise emissions. The Boeing 737-100 was replaced with a British Aerospace 146 (BAe146) and hushkits were installed on the Boeing 737-200. These two changes alone reduced the overall Ldn noise level in the community by approximately eight decibels7.

Since this time, Ldn noise levels have been reasonably steady at four to five decibels below the ANB limit. The number of passengers has been increasing but the introduction of quieter aircraft with more seat capacity means that the overall noise emissions have remained considerably lower than historical levels.

5 SoundPlan is noise prediction software recognised and used internationally

6 Financial Year 2015 (FY2015)

7 Based on calculated levels (the noise monitoring system was not in place at this time)



4.2.2 Current Noise Levels (FY2015)

Current aircraft movements are approximately 93,000 per year. On average there are approximately 74 day time and 8 night-time jet aircraft movements per day. The current jet fleet is largely made up of Boeing 737-300/800 and Airbus A320 narrow body jets and the occasional Boeing 767-300. This fleet mix is fairly similar to that included in the ANB capacity scenario.

Aircraft noise levels are measured continuously at two permanent monitoring stations located near the ANB. Results from the monitors show that currently noise levels at the ANB are around 60 dB Ldn which is 5 dB below the limit. This means there is still considerable scope for airport operations to grow as 5 dB would allow three times the number of aircraft movements as there are currently.

We have calculated noise contours based on actual aircraft operations in the 2015 financial year using the latest version of the INM and assuming flat land. Details of the aircraft movements included in the 2015 model are provided in Appendix D. The calculated 65 dB Ldn contour for 2015 is shown in Figure B1 (Appendix B). The 2015 contour has not been manually adjusted for screening from terrain in the same way as the ANB was so the calculated noise levels will be conservatively high in some locations.

4.2.3 2035 Forecast with Runway Extension

In order to assess whether future aircraft operations including the Code E8 aircraft on the extended runway can comply with the 65 dB Ldn limit at the ANB, we have calculated future noise contours for the year 2035. The 2035 forecast was prepared by InterVISTAS (March 2016) and provided to MDA by WIAL. Based on movement schedules at other New Zealand airports, WIAL provided predictions for the approximate time of day that Code E aircraft operations would occur. For future domestic and Trans-Tasman services we applied the current ratio of day time to night time movements (10pm – 7am).

The 2035 forecast includes 134,014 aircraft movements per year. An average of 109 day time and 14 night time jet aircraft movements per day are included. The annual aircraft movements summarised by aircraft type and route for the 2035 forecast are listed in Table 2. Compared with the ANB capacity scenario, the 2035 forecast has significantly fewer aircraft movements.

Analysis of historical movement data showed that the busiest 90 day period has had up to 5% more movements than the annual average in some years. Therefore we have scaled up the 2035 movements in Table 2 by 5% for input to the model to allow for the 90 day peak as required by the District Plan. The 2035 noise contours have been calculated in the latest version of INM and assuming flat land. The calculated 65 dB Ldn contour for 2035 is shown in Figure B1 (Appendix B). The 2035 contour in Figure B1 has not been manually adjusted for screening from terrain in the same way as the ANB was so the calculated noise levels will be conservatively high in some locations. Further details of the inputs to the noise model are provided in Appendix D.

8 Regular Code F aircraft operations are not included in the 2035 forecast



Table 2: Aircraft Movements in the 2035 Forecast

Aircraft Type Route Number of Annual Movements9

Airbus A320/A321neo Trans-Tasman / Pacific 3,900

Airbus A320/A321neo Domestic 30,680

Boeing 737-800/737-MAX8 Trans-Tasman / Pacific 6,670

Boeing 777-300ER Trans-Tasman 860

Airbus A330neo Long Haul 520

Boeing 777-200 Long Haul 1,880

Boeing 787-800 Long Haul 310

ATR 72 Domestic 21,260

Q300 Domestic 26,220

Small Turbo-Prop Passenger Services

Domestic 31,580

General Aviation10 Domestic 10,134

Total 134,014

The 2035 forecast contour in Figure B1 shows a localised marginal compliance with the ANB to the west of the runway in the vicinity of Lonsdale Crescent without adjusting the contour for terrain screening (specifically Rongotai Ridge). Records from when the ANB was developed show that the ANB was moved in towards the runway by more than two decibels in this location to account for screening. We have assessed whether the screening in this location would decrease due to the proposed runway extension. The main contributor to noise in this location is aircraft departing to the north. Departures on the extended runway could be higher when flying past this location compared with departures on the current runway however we predict that this would not have a material effect on screening. Therefore it is reasonable to apply a screening adjustment of two decibels in this location which would result in the 2035 contour lying inside the ANB.

For the 2035 forecast it was assumed that all wide bodied aircraft would operate during the day (between 7am and 10pm) as advised by WIAL. We understand there is a remote chance that a long haul service could arrive early in the morning between 6am and 7am which could increase the predicted Ldn due to the 10 decibel night-time weighting. A sensitivity analysis has been carried out to assess the effect of a daily arrival of an Airbus A330neo11 before 7am. The outcome was a negligible impact on the 2035 Ldn noise contour.

9 One movement = 1 arrival or 1 departure.

10 No growth has been applied to GA movements. The effect of helicopter movements on the Wellington noise contours

is negligible therefore helicopter movements have been disregarded.

11 This is the worst case long haul aircraft arrival in the 2035 forecast



In summary, we predict that noise from aircraft operations with the proposed runway extension can comply with the ANB, and for a sufficiently long period into the future.

4.2.4 Change in Noise Exposure

The day/night noise exposure (Ldn) is considered to be the most appropriate parameter for predicting community annoyance and effects from aircraft noise. To quantify the change in noise exposure level for residents we have calculated the difference in level at 21 receiver locations. Figure B2 (Appendix B) shows the difference between the 2035 forecast and the current noise levels. The levels are also summarised in Table 3 below. Figure B3 (Appendix B) shows the location of receivers.

Table 3: Change in Ldn at Receiver Locations for 2015 and 2035 Operating Scenarios

Receiver 2015 Ldn * 2035 Ldn

* Difference 2035 - 2015

A 66 66 0

B 63 62 1

C 60 59 1

D 59 58 0

E 69 68 1

F 69 69 0

G 71 70 0

H 62 62 0

I 63 61 2

J 71 70 0

K 73 73 0

L 69 68 1

M 56 55 1

N 62 62 0

O 60 60 0

P 62 61 1

Q 64 63 1

R 68 67 1

S 53 52 1

T 62 59 2

Newlands 57 56 1

* Calculated without allowing for screening from terrain.



The 2035 levels are 0 to 2 decibels higher than current noise levels. A change in noise level of up to two decibels is barely perceptible to the human ear and a change of three to four decibels is just perceptible.

4.3 Single Event Maximum Noise Levels (LAmax)

Outside the partial curfew, there is no control on single event noise levels from aircraft operating at Wellington Airport other than an LAmax control that applies at night which enables quieter aircraft to operate during the curfew hours. Nonetheless the effect of introducing larger aircraft at the Airport should be considered. The maximum noise level experienced during individual aircraft events (LAmax) is a readily understood method of describing the change that residents would experience with individual larger aircraft.

We have predicted the change in LAmax to assess the impact of the large Code E type jets compared with the existing situation. The Boeing 737-800 is the loudest aircraft currently operating regularly at Wellington Airport. The existing runway can accommodate Boeing 767-300 aircraft which occasionally operate albeit infrequently and only in peak periods. We have based the existing situation on the 737-800 aircraft and we note that the 767-300 is not louder than this at most receiver locations. We understand that Boeing 777-200 services will commence later in 2016 however we do not consider this to be representative of current regular aircraft operations.

Figure B4 (Appendix B) shows the change in worst case LAmax predicted at the assessment locations. The predicted change ranges from a one decibel reduction to a four decibel increase. A four decibel change is just perceptible to the human ear.

The maximum noise level at the worst affected residential receivers is predicted to be 101 dB LAmax which is two decibels louder than the current worst case level. This is a high noise level that would be disruptive at the time it occurred however it is not of a magnitude that would cause pain or hearing damage. A worst case level of 88 dB LAmax is predicted at Rongotai School which is four decibels louder than the current worst case level and is a just perceptible increase.

4.3.1 Historical Single Event Levels

To provide an understanding of the magnitude of single event noise from the proposed Code E aircraft in the context of current and historical noise levels we have overlaid the LAmax “footprint” of departures of various aircraft that have operated at Wellington Airport over time. Figure B5 (Appendix B) shows the 95 dB LAmax contours for departures to the north for the aircraft listed in Table 4 which are representative for each time period. All aircraft are modelled using the same start of roll position for comparison purposes.

Historically the DC8 and 737-100 aircraft were two of the noisier aircraft to operate regular passenger services from Wellington. These were phased out before 1995. The RNZAF operated the 727-100 from Wellington Airport until it was replaced by the 757-200 in 2003. Air New Zealand fitted hush kits to the 737-200 fleet from 1992 until these aircraft were replaced by the 737-300. The 737-800 footprint in Figure B5 is representative of the narrow body jets currently servicing trans-Tasman and domestic routes and the Boeing 767-300ER also currently operates infrequently and during peak periods on international routes. Code E aircraft such as the 777-300ER and A330neo are predicted to operate on the proposed extended runway (these are the loudest Code E aircraft in the 2035 forecast).



Table 4: Representative Aircraft Noise Levels over Time

Time Period

Aircraft Description Departure LAmax at 160m from runway sideline

Historical DC8 Phased out before 1995 107 dB

Historical 737-100 Phased out before 1995 105 dB

Historical 727-100 RNZAF military operations - retired 2003 100 dB

Historical 737-200 hush kit

Operated by Air New Zealand 99 dB

Current 737-800 Narrow body jets domestic & international

93 dB

Current 767-300ER Wide body jets flying infrequently 89 dB

Proposed 777-300ER Code E aircraft 96 dB

Proposed A330neo Code E aircraft 91 dB

5.0 ASSESSMENT OF NOISE EFFECTS

The effects of aircraft noise from Wellington Airport on the surrounding community have been carefully considered and addressed through the LUMINS work. For this assessment we have addressed the following questions:

1. What effect would the proposed runway extension and Code E aircraft have on aircraft noise levels received in the community

2. Can aircraft operations on the proposed extended runway comply with the Airport’s current noise controls (i.e. the ANB)

To assess the first question we have predicted the change in Ldn and LAmax noise levels due to the proposed runway extension. A change in noise level of up to two decibels is barely perceptible to the human ear and a change of three to four decibels is just perceptible. A five to six decibel change is noticeable and seven to nine decibels is considered to be an appreciable change. Subjectively an increase of 10 decibels would sound twice as loud and is considered to be a significant change.

In summary Ldn noise exposure levels with the proposed extension are predicted to increase by up to two decibels over the next 20 years. This change is barely perceptible and the noise levels would still be comfortably below the level provided for in the District Plan.

Based on the 2035 forecast, the change in single event maximum noise levels compared with the current situation would range from a one to four decibel increase depending on the receiver location. Subjectively this would be a barely perceptible to just perceptible change. In our opinion this would not be a significant noise effect and is considered to be reasonable.

Code F aircraft are not included in the 2035 forecast however theoretically these aircraft could operate on occasion. Preliminary analysis shows that the only Code F aircraft (Airbus A380) would be no louder than the 777-300ER and therefore we consider that the effect of Code F operations, if they were to occur, would also be reasonable.

With respect to the second question regarding compliance with the ANB, the analysis detailed in section 4.2.3 shows that noise from aircraft operations with the proposed runway extension would comply with the ANB and for a sufficiently long period into the future.



5.1 Potential Night-Time Effects (10pm – 1am and 6am – 7am)

The period from 10pm to 7am is the normal time period for assessing sleep disturbance effects and it is the same period used for applying the night weighting to the Ldn metric. The partial curfew at Wellington Airport means that under normal circumstances there are no passenger jet operations between 1am and 6am. However between 10pm and 1am and 6am and 7am (‘night-time shoulder periods’) there is the potential for aircraft movements to disrupt sleep.

Currently the loudest aircraft operating regularly during night-time shoulder periods is the Boeing 737-800. In the 2035 forecast, narrow body jets such as the 737-800MAX and Airbus A321neo continue to operate during these periods. We understand that for commercial reasons it is unlikely that Code E type aircraft would operate during the night-time shoulder periods and there are none included in the 2035 forecast.

Hypothetically, there is the potential for Code E aircraft to operate during the night-time shoulder periods as the ANB provides ample capacity for this to occur. For completeness we have investigated the potential effect if this were to occur. The District Plan allows international departures until midnight and international arrivals until 1 am therefore we have predicted the potential increase in LAmax at receivers for Code E departures and arrivals compared with the current levels.

We have calculated that Code E departures would be up to four decibels (just perceptibly) louder than current international departures, and arrivals would be up to six decibels (noticeably) louder than current international arrivals. It should be noted that although Code E arrivals would be louder than current arrivals, they would be 6 – 15 decibels (noticeably to significantly) quieter than current departures.

The exception to this is in areas north of the airport such as Newlands where arrivals are typically louder than departures. The impact of Code E aircraft operations during night-time shoulder periods in Newlands and surrounding areas would not be significant as the maximum noise levels are predicted to increase by only two decibels (barely perceptible).

While there is the potential for a noticeable increase in single event levels for international arrivals between midnight and 1am, in our opinion this would not be a significant adverse effect when we consider the combined mitigating factors including the benefits of the curfew between 1am and 6am and the fact that arrival events are substantially quieter than departures.

We understand that currently it is possible for louder aircraft to operate until 1am therefore higher single event noise levels at this time is not explicitly linked to the proposed runway extension. Nonetheless to manage the potential effects of Code E aircraft arriving between midnight and 1 am it is recommended that if such operations are proposed, then a community engagement and impact review should be undertaken before implementation. The Air Noise Management Committee would be an appropriate group to oversee this process and review the outcomes.

6.0 CONCLUSION

Noise from aircraft operations on the proposed extended runway is predicted to comply with the 65 dB Ldn limit at the ANB and for a sufficiently long period into the future.

Ldn noise levels at residential receivers based on the 2035 forecast activity on the extended runway are predicted to be up to two decibels more than current noise levels. This represents a barely perceptible increase on current levels and in our opinion is reasonable.

Based on the 2035 forecast, the worst case single event noise levels (LAmax) at residential receivers for Code E aircraft would be up to four decibels louder than current worst case noise levels. This represents a just perceptible increase on current levels and in our opinion is reasonable.

Code E aircraft are not expected to operate during night-time shoulder periods (10pm - 1am and 6am – 7am). Our assessment of this unlikely occurrence showed that worst case single event noise levels would not be materially different to existing levels except between midnight and 1am when



international arrivals could potentially be noticeably louder than current arrivals. In the unlikely situation that Code E arrivals are proposed between midnight and 1am then we recommend that the Air Noise Management Committee oversees a community engagement and impact review process to manage the potential noise effects.

Considering the minor changes in noise levels predicted for the proposed operations on the extended runway, we consider that the outcomes of the LUMINS work would not be impacted by the runway extension project.

Since the 1980’s, there has been a significant reduction in noise at Wellington International Airport due to advances in aircraft technology. The proposed runway extension will introduce a small number of only just perceptibly louder aircraft that will not be significant in amongst the general level of aircraft activity. The overall increase in noise level would be barely perceptible and below the level allowed by the District Plan Air Noise Boundary.



APPENDIX A GLOSSARY OF TERMINOLOGY

Noise A sound that is unwanted by, or distracting to, the receiver.

Ambient The ambient noise level is the noise level measured in the absence of the intrusive noise or the noise requiring control. Ambient noise levels are frequently measured to determine the situation prior to the addition of a new noise source.

dB Decibel The unit of sound level.

Expressed as a logarithmic ratio of sound pressure P relative to a reference pressure

of Pr=20 Pa i.e. dB = 20 x log(P/Pr)

A-weighting The process by which noise levels are corrected to account for the non-linear frequency response of the human ear.

dBA The unit of sound level which has its frequency characteristics modified by a filter (A-weighted) so as to more closely approximate the frequency bias of the human ear.

LAeq (t) The equivalent continuous (time-averaged) A-weighted sound level. This is commonly referred to as the average noise level.

The suffix "t" represents the time period to which the noise level relates, e.g. (8 h) would represent a period of 8 hours, (15 min) would represent a period of 15 minutes and (2200-0700) would represent a measurement time between 10 pm and 7 am.

LAmax The A-weighted maximum noise level. The highest noise level which occurs during the measurement period.

Ldn The day night noise level which is calculated from the 24 hour LAeq with a 10 dB penalty applied to the night-time (2200-0700 hours) LAeq.

Lden The day evening night noise level which is calculated from the 24 hour LAeq with a 5 decibel penalty applied to the evening (1800-2200 hours) LAeq and a 10 decibel penalty applied to the night-time (2200-0700 hours) LAeq.

SEL or LAE Sound Exposure Level

The sound level of one second duration which has the same amount of energy as the actual noise event measured.

Usually used to measure the sound energy of a particular event, such as a train pass-by or an aircraft flyover



APPENDIX B FIGURES

Figure B1 Wellington Airport Calculated Noise Contours ANB, 2015 and 2035 Figure B2 Difference in Predicted Ldn between 2035 Forecast and 2015 Actual Activity Figure B3 Assessed Receiver Locations Figure B4 Predicted Change in Worst Case Day Time Single Event Maximum Level Figure B5 Comparison of 95 dB LAmax Departure Footprints Over Time

File: GIS 2015130A 160321 Ldn contoursINM Version/Study/Case: 7.0dSep13/WIAL Extension 2015 40ft Elevation/2035 CaseB & FY15 actual

Prepared By: Laurel Smith Date: 21/03/2016 Time: 8:44:25 p.m.

Legend2015 65 dB Ldn2035 65 dB LdnAir Noise BoundaryExtended Runway

±0 250 500125Meters

Scale @ A4: 1:20,000

Figure B1: Wellington Airport Calculated Noise Contours for Years 2015 and 2035

Imagery Source:http://gis.wcc.govt.nz/arcgis/rest/services

ljs

Callout

Note: The 2015 and 2035 contours have not been adjusted for screening due to Rongotai Ridge

!+1 !+1!0

!0

!+1

!+1

!+1!+1

!0

!0 !+1

!0

!+1!+1

!0

!0

!0!0

!+2

!+2

File: GIS 010 2015130A 100518 Receiver Points Ldn 2035v2013

Prepared By: Laurel Smith Date: 21/03/2016 Time: 9:03:56 p.m. ±0 250 500125Meters

Scale @ A4: 1:18,000

Figure B2: Difference in Predicted Ldn Between 2035 Forecast and 2015 Actual Activity

Imagery source: http://gis.wcc.govt.nz/arcgis/rest/services

Newlands: +1

!B!C

!A!D

!S

!M

!L !E

!F

!G !P

!K

!Q!R

!J

!H

!N!O

!I

!T

File: GIS 010 2015130A 100518 Receiver Points


Scale @ A4: 1:18,000Figure B3: Assessed Receiver Locations


Receiver atNewlands

!+2 !+2!+2

!+2

!+2

!+2

!+3!+4

!+1

!+2 !+2

!+2

!+2!+3

!+1

!1

!+2!1

!+4

!+4

File: GIS 007 2015130A 150427 Receiver Points Lmax Day


Scale @ A4: 1:18,000

Figure B4: Predicted Change in Worst Case Day Time Single Event Maximum Level (Lmax)


Newlands: +2

File: GIS 011 2015130A 150522 Lmax FootprintsINM Version/Study/Case: 7.0dSep13/WIAL Extension 2015

Prepared By: Laurel Smith Date: 21/03/2016 Time: 9:25:59 p.m.

LegendHistorical: 727-100Historical: DC8Historical: 737-100Historical: 737-200 Hush KitCurrent: 737-800Current: 767-300Code E: 777-300Code E: A330neoExisting Runway

±0 250 500 750125Meters

Scale @ A4: 1:25,000

Figure B5: Comparison of 95 dB Lmax Departure Footprints Over Time



APPENDIX C WELLINGTON CITY DISTRICT PLAN AIRCRAFT NOISE RULES FOR WELLINGTON AIRPORT

Last Amended 11 July 2012 Airport and Golf Course Recreation Precinct Operative 27/07/00

11A. AIRPORT AREA RULES

[The following rules apply in the Airport Area. Rules for Earthworks (Chapter 30),

Contaminated Land (Chapter 32) and Heritage (Chapter 21) may also apply.

• The sign rules in Chapter 21D apply for all signs on sites where a listed

heritage building or object is located (except for individual sites on which

listed heritage buildings or objects are located that are also separate

heritage areas).

• The subdivision rules in Chapter 21A apply for any subdivision of a site on

which a listed heritage building or object is located.

• The subdivision rules in Chapter 21B apply for any subdivision of a site in a

listed Heritage Area. ] PC43

11.1 Permitted Activities

The following activities are permitted in the Airport area (as shown on District Plan

Maps), provided that they comply with any specified conditions.

11.1.1 [Any activity related to the primary function of the Airport, is a

Permitted Activity provided that it complies with the following

conditions:] PC57

11.1.1.1 Noise

Aircraft operations in general

11.1.1.1.1 Aircraft operations shall be managed so that the rolling 90 day average

24 hour night-weighted sound exposure does not exceed a Day/Night

Level (Ldn) of 65 dBA outside the Airnoise Boundary shown on District

Plan Map 35.

Aircraft noise will be measured in accordance with NZS 6805:1992 and

calculated as a 90 day rolling average. All terminology shall have the

meaning that may be used or defined in the context of NZS: 6805.

The level of noise from aircraft operations, for comparison with Ldn 65

dBA, is calculated from the total amount of noise energy produced by

each aircraft event (landing or take-off) over a period of 90 days. This

method of control does not directly control individual aircraft events, but

does so indirectly by taking into account their contribution to the amount

of noise generated in a 24 hour period.

11.1.1.1.2 The following aircraft operations are excluded from the calculation of

the rolling 90 day average in rule 11.1.1.1.1:

• aircraft landing in an emergency

• the operation of emergency flights required to rescue persons from

life-threatening situations or to transport patients, human vital organs

or medical personnel in a medical emergency

Wellington City District Plan Page 11A/3

Last Amended 11 July 2012 Airport and Golf Course Recreation Precinct Operative 27/07/00

• the operation of unscheduled flights required to meet the needs of a

national civil defence emergency declared under the Civil Defence

Act 1983

• military aircraft movements which shall be managed in compliance

with rule 11.1.1.1.3.

11.1.1.1.3 The following conditions shall apply to New Zealand Defence Force

Military aircraft:

(a) New Zealand military transport aircraft operations shall be

managed so that the following 90 day average 24 hour night-

weighted sound exposure does not exceed a Day/Night Level

(Ldn) of 55 dBA outside the Airnoise Boundary shown on District

Plan Map 35.

Aircraft noise will be measured in accordance with NZS6805:1992

and calculated as a 90 day rolling average.

All terminology shall have the meaning that may be used or

defined in the context of NZS6805. The level of noise from

aircraft operations, for comparison with Ldn 55 dBA, is calculated

from the total amount of noise energy produced by each aircraft

event (landing or take-off) over a period of 90 days. This method

of control does not directly control individual aircraft events, but

does so indirectly by taking into account their contribution to the

amount of noise generated a 24 hour period.

(b) Movements of New Zealand military combat aircraft shall be

limited to 80 per year.

(c) For the purpose of this rule:

• military transport aircraft means any fixed wing transport or

logistics aircraft including Andover, Boeing 727, Hercules,

Orion and Airtrainer (and their replacements)

• military combat aircraft means any fixed wing strike or

training aircraft including Macchi and Skyhawk (and their

replacements)

• movements of New Zealand military combat aircraft equate

to:

landing = 1 movement

takeoff = 1 movement

touch and go = 2 movements

low level pass = 2 movements.

11.1.1.1.4 No non-noise certified jet aircraft or chapter 2 jet aircraft shall be

operated, except:

• in the event of unscheduled non-serviceability when substitute

aircraft meeting chapter 2 may be used for the period of the non-

serviceability; or

• in the event of Wellington Airport being used as an alternate airport;

or

• in the event of emergencies; or

• military aircraft which shall be subject to rule 11.1.1.1.2.

Chapter 2 jet aircraft are those which are certified with noise levels defined in the

International Civil Aviation Organisation Convention Annex 16. Non noise certified

jet aircraft are those which have no certification within the context of the

International Civil Aviation Organisation Convention Annex 16 - Environmental


Last Amended 19 November 2014 Airport and Golf Course Recreation Precinct Operative 27/07/00

Protection, Volume 1 (Aircraft Noise) Chapters 2 (second edition 1988) or United

States Federal Aviation Regulations Part 36, Stage 2.

Night flying operations

11.1.1.1.5 Domestic operations must not occur during the hours from midnight to

6am.

International operations must not occur during the hours:

• midnight to 6 am for departures

• 1 am to 6 am for arrivals

For the purposes of this Rule ‘operations’ means the start of a take off roll or touch

down on landing.

11.1.1.1.6 The following are exceptions to rule 11.1.1.1.5:

(a) disrupted flights where operations are permitted for an additional 30

minutes

(b) in statutory holiday periods when operations are permitted for an

additional 60 minutes

(c) aircraft using the Airport as a planned alternative to landing at a

scheduled airport, but which shall not take off until otherwise

permitted under rule 11.1.1.1.5

(d) aircraft landing in an emergency

(e) the operation of emergency flights required to rescue persons from

life-threatening situation or to transport patients, human vital organs

or medical personnel in a medical emergency

(f) [the operation of unscheduled flights required to meet the needs of

any state of emergency declared under the Civil Defence Emergency

Management Act 2002 or any international civil defence

emergency.] PC76

(g) aircraft carrying heads of state and/or senior dignitaries acting in

their official capacity

(h) no more than 4 aircraft movements per night with noise levels not

exceeding 65 dB LAFmax (1 sec) at or beyond the airnoise boundary.

For the purpose of (b), statutory holiday period means:

(i) the period from 25 December to 2 January, inclusive. Where 25

December falls on either a Sunday or a Monday, the period

includes the entire of the previous weekend. Where New

Year’s day falls on a weekend, the period includes the two

subsequent working days. Where 2 January falls on a Friday

the period includes the following weekend

(ii) the Saturday, Sunday and Monday of Wellington Anniversary

weekend, Queens Birthday weekend and Labour weekend

(iii) Good Friday to Easter Monday inclusive

(iv) Waitangi Day

(v) ANZAC Day



(vi) where Waitangi Day or ANZAC Day falls on a Friday or a

Monday, the adjacent weekend is included in the statutory

holiday period

(vii) the hours from midnight to 6:00am immediately following the

expiry of each statutory holiday period defined in (i) to (vi)

above.

The purpose of (h) is to allow certain quiet aircraft to operate at Wellington Airport

during the curfew. The 65 L max (1sec) dBA noise limit has been based on noise

levels from aircraft that have been found to be acceptable for operating at night at

Wellington. The level does not purport to be the upper limit necessary to avoid sleep

disturbance.

Engine testing

11.1.1.1.7 (a) Aircraft propulsion engines may be run for the purpose of engine

testing:

• during the hours of 0600 to 2000

• to carry out essential unscheduled maintenance between

2000hrs and 2300hrs

• to operate an aircraft within flying hours but provided the

engine run is no longer than required for normal procedures,

which for the purpose of this rule shall provide solely for short

duration engine runs by way of flight preparation while the

aircraft is positioned on the apron.

(b) No person shall start or run any aircraft propulsion engine for the

purposes of engine testing on the hardstand area south and west of

the Air New Zealand hanger at any time. This area is depicted by the

shaded portion of Map 35.

(c) Restrictions on engine testing from 2300hrs to 0600hrs do not apply

if engine testing can be carried out in compliance with all of the

following:

(i) measured noise levels do not exceed 60 dB LAEQ (15 min) at or

within the boundary of any residentially zoned site

(ii) measured noise levels do not exceed 75 dB LAFmax at or within

the boundary of any residentially zoned site

(iii) noise levels shall be measured in accordance with NZS6801:

2008 Acoustics – Measurement of Environmental Sound.

(iv) the total number of engine test events to which rule

11.1.1.1.6(c) applies shall not exceed 18 in any consecutive 12

month period

(v) the total duration of engine test events to which rule

11.1.1.1.6(c) applies shall be no more than 20 minutes.

Land based activities

11.1.1.1.8 Noise emission levels, from any activity within the Airport area,

other than aircraft operations, engine testing and the operation of

APUs (as provided for in rule 11.1.1.1.9) when measured at any

residential site shall not exceed the following limits:



Monday to Saturday 7am to 10pm 55 dB LAEQ (15 MIN)

At all other times 45 dB LAEQ (15 MIN)

All days 10pm to 7am 75 dB LAFmax

Ground power and auxiliary power units (GPUs/APUs)

11.1.1.1.9 (a) GPUs must comply with the noise limits in rule 11.1.1.1.8.

(b) APUs must comply with the noise limits in rule 11.1.1.1.8, with the

exception of:

• aircraft under tow

• the first 90 minutes after the aircraft has stopped on the gate

• 60 minutes prior to scheduled departure

• the use of APUs to provide for engine testing pursuant to rule

11.1.1.1.7.

11.1.1.2 Screening of Activities and Storage

Sites with yards which abut a Residential or Open Space Area must be

screened from view by a fence not less than 1.8m high.

11.1.1.3 Dust

11.1.1.3.1 Activities must not create a dust nuisance. A dust nuisance will occur if:

• there is visible evidence of suspended solids in the air beyond the site

boundary; or

• there is visible evidence of suspended solids traceable from a dust

source settling on the ground, building or structure on a neighbouring

site, or water.

11.1.1.3.2 With regard to the above provisions where sites are contiguous and

located within the Airport Boundary as defined on the Planning Maps

then any dust nuisance shall be measured at the periphery of the Airport.

11.1.1.4 Vehicle parking

11.1.1.4.1 Parking must be provided at the following rates:

Activity Minimum Parking Requirement

Passenger terminals

Public areas 1 : 27m2 per gross floor area (g.f.a.)

Staff areas 1 : 100m2 g.f.a.

Freight terminals 1 : 220m2 g.f.a.

Maintenance facilities 1 : 120m2 g.f.a.

Recreation activities 1 : 4 people that the facility is

designed to accommodate

Other activities

Retail 1 : 50m2 g.f.a.

Hotel 1 : 15 people the building is designed

to accommodate

Restaurant 1 : per 3 seats




APPENDIX D INPUTS TO WELLINGTON AIRPORT NOISE CONTOUR MODELS

The Integrated Noise Model

Several computer based models have been developed to predict the level of aircraft noise on areas surrounding an airport. The model which is the most widely used and recommended in NZS 6805 is the Integrated Noise Model (INM). The INM calculation procedures use an energy averaging technique to calculate the noise exposure in terms of Ldn.

The INM program calculates the noise contours using the average number of movements at the airport split between day and night times. The average number of daily movements is determined by averaging the total movements over a period of 3 to 12 months.

A model of the runway locations is built, flight tracks are defined and aircraft movements are allocated to these tracks. For each aircraft movement the following information is input:

- Aircraft type

- Time of Day (daytime 0700-2200 or night time 2200-0700)

- Departure, arrival or circuit

- Runway

- Flight track

The INM calculates the noise level at a large number of grid points by summing the ‘noise energy’ from each aircraft movement during a ‘typical’ day’s operation. The ‘noise energy’ is calculated using the hourly Leq value, night-weighted by +10 dBA and then averaged over 24 hours to give the daily Ldn value at each grid point. The grid points with equal noise level are then joined graphically to give a plot of Ldn noise contours.

INM Settings

The INM cases have been setup to modify the NPD curves based on-site specific meteorological conditions. The average conditions for 2013 were sourced from www.wunderground.com and are as follows:

Temperature 56.1⁰ Fahrenheit

Humidity 76.6%

Air Pressure 29.95 in-Hg

Headwind 13.6 knots

Runway Endpoints

Runway Latitude (WGS 84)

Longitude (WGS 84)

Landing Threshold Displacement (ft)

Start of Roll Displacement (ft)

Existing 16 -41.317460 174.807536 424 164

Existing 34 -41.335897 174.806294 349 164

Proposed 16 -41.317460 174.807536 424 164

Proposed 34 -41.339414 174.806057 461 187

http://www.wunderground.com/



Flight Tracks

All aircraft are modelled on straight flight tracks aligned with the runway for arrivals and departures. In practice some aircraft may turn over the water on departure however this would not affect noise in the areas of interest for this assessment.

The 2013 model includes some General Aviation aircraft on circuit tracks however circuit tracks are not included in the 2035 and Capacity Scenario models.

Runway Usage

The average runway usage at Wellington is 60% of movements to the north (Runway 34) and 40% to the south (Runway 16). This typical 60/40 ratio has been applied in the noise models.

Aircraft Substitutions

The INM contains noise data for a large number of commercial and general aviation aircraft. For most of the aircraft in the Wellington operating scenarios, the default INM aircraft have been used. The exception is we have modelled the Boeing 777-300ER using the default INM aircraft for the Boeing 777-300. Predictions for the 777-300ER do not align well with field measurement data for this aircraft at various locations including in close proximity to the runway which is a critical area for the Wellington situation. The 777-300 predictions align well with our measurement data for the 777-300ER.

For some future aircraft such as the A350-900, A330neo and the A321neo there is currently no noise data available. We have researched the most appropriate substitutions to use in the model including contacting the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for advice. The following substitutions have been used:

Future Aircraft INM Equivalent Source

A321neo A320-232 FAA advice

A350-900 777-200 for departure A330-343 for arrival

FAA advice

737-800 MAX 737-800 FAA advice

A330neo A330-343 Researched Airbus publications



Aircraft Movements

The following table summarises the ‘average day’ daily aircraft movements by aircraft type included in each modelled scenario. A dash indicates the aircraft is not included in the model whereas a value of 0.0 means less than 0.05 movements per day are included.

2015 2035 ANB Capacity

Aircraft Day Night Day Night Day Night

737-300 15.5 0.8 - - 541.0 6.0

737-400 - - - - 22.3 27.0

737-800 7.1 2.7 - - - -

737-800 MAX - - 11.9 7.3 - -

757-200 0.4 0.0 - - - -

767-300 0.0 0.0 - - 12.4 15.0

777-200ER 5.4 0

777-300ER - - 2.5 0 - -

787-800 0.9 0

A321neo - - 92.3 7.2 - -

A320-200 51.5 4.9 - - - -

A330neo - - 1.5 0 - -

ATR72 21.4 0.4 59.9 1.3 17.1 0.0

BAE Jetstream 2.6 0.6 1.8 0.2 - -

BAE-146 0.0 0.0 0 0 0.0 7.0

Beech 1900 35.4 0.0 - - - -

Beech King Air 2.0 0.1 0.4 0 - -

Business Jet 0.3 0.0 0.2 0 65.8 0.0

Cessna 172 2.6 0.5 4.7 0.6 - -

Cessna 206 0.5 0.0 1.2 0.1 - -

Cessna 208 26.3 1.3 91.3 1.6 - -

Convair CV-580 1.3 0.0 0.4 0 - -

DHC-6 2.8 0.3 0.9 0.1 - -

EMB-110 - - 0 0 - -

Fokker Friendship 0.6 0.7 0.5 0.1 - -

GA 5.9 0.1 9.3 1.1 263.4 2.8

Helicopter 2.8 0.2 - - - -

Metroliner 0.4 0.0 0.1 0 - -

Piper PA-31 0.7 0.1 0.8 0.1 - -

Piper PA-34 1.4 0.0 0.3 0 - -

Piper PA-38 6.5 0.1 3.6 0.4

Q300 65.2 0.0 74.3 1.1 - -

Saab 340 - - - - 114.9 7.0

Total 253 13 364 21 1037 65

technical report 26 - gw · 2016-05-24 · (2035 with extension) permitted (anb runway capacity)...

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