There's no getting away from the fact that aviation can be noisy. When aircraft land and take off, depending on the aircraft and its altitude, as they fly overhead, they produce a considerable amount of noise.
The highest levels of noise are experienced close to the busiest airports, with noise from Heathrow at a level classified as 'significantly annoying' and impacting more people than any other airport in Europe.
Information on various aspects of aviation noise can be found through the menu on the left.
The challenge for civil aviation: increasing capacity, reducing noise
Government and the aviation industry
have worked to try and reduce the impact of noise by promoting the use of quieter
aircraft, restricting the times airports can operate and the routes that can be
used and, in some cases, capping the total number of flights that can depart
from and arrive into an airport.
With people's desire to fly consistently growing, there's a real challenge ahead: how can aviation grow without worsening the impact of aviation noise?
Noise and the CAA
The CAA's areas of expertise:
- Noise monitoring;
- Noise contours;
- Noise effects;
- Noise model development and analysis; and
- Assessment of the environmental impact of the use by aircraft of airspace.
The CAA has three functions engaged
in aviation noise matters:
1. Airspace change decision-making: environmental impacts
Our Airspace Regulation department manages the process and is responsible
for determining whether the design of airspace (and some air traffic control
procedures) can be changed (in accordance with international standards, relevant
legislation and noise and other government policy). In doing so, the CAA must
consider guidance from the Secretary of State on environmental objectives,
which include guidance on aircraft noise impacts. Detailed information on our
airspace change process is available on our airspace change pages.
Alongside changes to the design of airspace, there are a range of
factors that can make a difference to the noise impact of aircraft from any
particular airport but over which the CAA has no regulatory control. Examples
include changing weather conditions, traffic levels (which impacts where
aircraft fly and so are heard) and variations in the demand for different
flight destinations. More information on these factors is available on our Factors affecting aviation noise page.
2. Noise consultancy
Our Environmental
Research and Consultancy Department (ERCD) is part of our International Group
and operates a consultancy service to customers such as UK Government, airport
operators, air navigation service providers and local authorities.
The main activity is monitoring and predicting noise exposure and
impacts around UK airports, as well as contributing to research into the
effects of aviation noise and how they can be reduced. ERCD offers advice to
Government on the above matters to support the development of policy. ERCD also provides a commercial consultancy
service to airspace change sponsors seeking to develop a noise impact evidence
base for the purpose of developing an airspace change decision proposal.
3. Specialist noise advice
The Office of our Chief Technical Noise Advisor (CTNA) is part of our Corporate Strategy and Policy team and undertakes specialist research and analytical tasks for government, advises the Secretary of State on the call-in criteria for airspace change decision, advises ERCD on technical matters (except on consultancy work for airspace change sponsors), advises our Airspace Regulation team on environmental matters, sign-off the CAA’s environmental assessment for airspace change proposal decisions and provides CAA’s response (on noise impact) as statutory consultee to some planning applications.
The CAA does not:
- Make decisions about the amount of noise that is considered damaging or annoying for people; nor
- Make decisions about particular plans for airports, such as expansions.
Noise publications
The Secretary of State has provided guidance to the CAA on its environmental duty when carrying out its airspace functions which includes making decisions on airspace change proposals.
The CAA has published requirements and guidance on assessing noise impact for the purpose of proposing a change to the design of airspace.
The CAA has also produced academic reports over the years, particularly on the topic of noise modelling.
See our full list of reports
Funding for the CAA's noise work
Approximately 90% of the CAA’s income comes from fees charged to the aviation industry. Most of our work is funded in this way (including airspace and noise information), but noise modelling is funded differently.
Approximately three quarters of our noise consultancy and specialist noise advice is funded by the Government, which includes using the noise model we develop, maintain and operate on behalf of the Government to produce noise contours for the noise designated airports and provide them with technical support and expertise. We offer similar services to other airports, local authorities and the aviation industry, which fund the remainder of this work.
Frequently asked questions