The noise office will log your complaint in the complaint database. The Noise Management Office investigates all complaints by new callers and callers who desire specific information about noise events and aircraft activity. When appropriate, staff follows up with aircraft operators and/or the FAA to investigate what action can be taken to minimize noise in the future. Staff does not investigate every complaint made by frequent callers because they are often repetitive in nature and the staff may have previously spoken to the caller about their concerns.
The Noise Rules were adopted in the 1980s, then reaffirmed and clarified on April 1, 2019.
In response to community concerns over the FAA’s implementation of its “Nextgen” program, the Hollywood Burbank Airport was instrumental in creating a task force to look into the issues being raised. After seven meetings and over eight months, the Southern San Fernando Valley Airplane Noise Task Force successfully completed its objective to develop a set of recommendations to address community noise issues related to aircraft operations from Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR). At the end of the seventh meeting, which occurred over eight hours on May 6 and 7, 2020, the Task Force members approved a total of 16 recommendations to address the community noise concerns. All 16 recommendations have been submitted to the FAA for consideration. The final task force recommendations can be found at:
For more information on the Socal Metroplex please visit this page: http://www.metroplexenvironmental.com/socal_metroplex/socal_introduction.html
The FAA is proposing a new departure procedure out of BUR and held a public workshop at the end of 2018. The workshop material on the proposed amendments to two existing departure procedures for BUR can be viewed at: https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/community_engagement/bur/
Vehicular traffic and other activity during daytime hours create a higher ambient noise level than during nighttime hours. The greater contrast between the nighttime ambient noise and an aircraft operation may cause the event to seem louder than it would during daytime hours.
The runway orientation at airports is the primary driver in determining where flight paths will occur. Additional items to consider in developing flight paths include the proximity of other area airports and airspace constraints, terrain constraints, and compatible land uses. The idea of “sharing” noise, often involves shifting noise from one community to another. For this reason, it is extremely rare that the FAA implements new flight paths for the purpose of noise mitigation.
The Hollywood Burbank Airport, under regulation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the airport provides for the safe operation of the airport surface facilities. While the airport staff are committed to the safety of aviation and strive continuously to meet all safety requirements within their jurisdiction on the surface of the airport, they do not have authority over aircraft in flight. “The United States Government has exclusive sovereignty of airspace of the United States” — Title 49USC Subtitle VII Section 40103(a)(1). The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Traffic Organization (ATO) controls the flight of aircraft.
General aviation (GA) refers to all aircraft not operated by an airline or commercial carrier. General aviation aircraft can range in size from a single engine Cessna to a Boeing Business Jet. These aircraft are allowed to operate at BUR 24 hours per day as long as they comply with the Airport Noise Rules.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the pilot-in-command of each aircraft have sole jurisdiction and responsibility for flight paths. Accordingly, only the FAA has enforcement capability over these issues. The Hollywood Burbank Airport has no authority or control over aircraft in flight. The FAA regulates all aviation activity with a major emphasis on safety.
According to FAA (Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) Part 91.119), helicopters have no minimum altitude requirements when weather, safety and other air traffic permit.
Runway usage is primarily dictated by the prevailing winds, although it’s important to note that winds aloft can vary in speed and direction from winds at ground level. During certain weather conditions, such as the Santa Ana winds, the FAA will change the flow of arriving and departing aircraft from BUR. Aircraft typically depart to the south and arrive from the west about 95% of the time. However, during calm wind conditions and traffic permitting, it is not uncommon for FAA Air Traffic Control to approve a pilot’s request to depart in the opposite direction.
This question may not always apply to the Hollywood Burbank Airport; only a few helicopters are based here and, when they do operate, they don’t have minimum altitudes to follow like airplanes. Smaller, personal aircraft flown by individual owners, renters or students are more likely passing by Burbank to or from the Van Nuys or Whiteman airports where there is more general aviation (GA) activity. Except for take-off and landing, these planes should be at least 1,000 feet above the ground in populated areas (FAR 91.119). Concerns in this area should be directed to the FAA, https://noise.faa.gov.
The contour lines drawn around the airport are the result of sound modeling performed as part of a Part 150 study. Part 150 specifies several measures that can be used for noise abatement and mitigation—once approved by the FAA. Federal approval makes any those measures eligible for federal funding. A few examples are home sound insulation, land acquisition, or shielding. As per Federal guidelines, only homes within the 65 CNEL noise contour or greater are eligible for sound insulation.
Noise compatibility efforts at the Hollywood Burbank Airport are continuous activities. They include recording noise complaints and making appropriate responses, assessing fines whenever applicable, and regularly reviewing land-use projects or proposals that can further mitigate airport noise.