A Model of Air Traffic Assignment as a Measure for Mitigating Noise at Airports: The Zurich Airport Case

Abstract

One of the biggest problems facing modern airports is the noise generated by air traffic, and the impact of that noise on those living nearby. Noise is an unavoidable consequence of air traffic but it can be reduced in numerous ways, including technical innovations in aircraft design and legislation. This paper presents a model of air traffic assignment as a measure for mitigating noise from air traffic at airports. The model is developed specifically for Zurich Airport (one of the busiest airports in Europe) but could easily be applied to other airports experiencing similar problems. The model is based on the categorization of aircraft according to engine type and wake turbulence category and the assignment of specific runways for take-off and landing for each aircraft category. It incorporates two basic goals: to increase airport capacity and to reduce the noise level in the airport's surroundings. Although these goals are in apparent conflict, it is shown in the Zurich Airport case that the model allows for reductions in noise levels of, on average, 1 dB(A) with a traffic volume increase of 20%. The European Commission's (EC's) ‘long term noise levels’ model is also presented and tested on the same airport case. The results show that the air traffic assignment model produces systematically higher values for noise reduction than the EC model. However, some similarities of results are also apparent.