With Noise Lab, you have the ability to obtain reports on noise events and flight activity, view historic and near-real-time flight tracks, and better understand the complex and sometimes confusing world of aviation noise.
Why are planes flying over this area, we're not under a flight path?
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Traffic Control (ATC), not DFW has sole authority and responsibility for routing and separating air traffic across the national airspace system. ATC's priority is the safe and efficient movement of aircraft through the sky above the United States. Because DFW is part of a much larger and complex airspace system movements of aircraft within the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex must be carefully coordinated with other control areas to ensure the safe flow of all planes, this can occasionally result in aircraft being required to deviate from established flight paths to ensure the safety of all airplanes operating in the sky.
What causes planes to take off in the direction of my home?
For safety reasons aircraft always land and take off into the wind. A headwind decreases the amount of runway needed for an airplane to take off and land by increasing the amount of airflow over the wing, which increases lift, allowing the plane to land or take off at a slower airspeed. As a general rule, when the wind speed at the airport is measured to be six knots or higher, the prevailing direction of the wind dictates which runways are used for landing and takeoff.
Who tells pilots where and when to turn?
Commercial pilots flying under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) file a flight plan and follow a particular route from takeoff to landing. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Traffic Control (ATC) guide aircraft along their route, and provide precise instructions on the altitude, heading, and airspeed a pilot should fly their plane. When an airplane departs from or arrives at DFW, only the FAA can direct an aircraft to turn off its filed course. When controllers turn an aircraft and deviate it from its planned path, it is in response to an operational requirement such as maintaining minimum spacing between aircraft, weather in the intended path of the airplane or other operational factors. DFW Airport is responsible for operating and maintaining airport facilities and for ensuring the vast network of runway and taxiways are in good working condition, meet FAA regulations, and are available for use. However, the airport does not have the authority to control air traffic on the ground or in the air.
Why was I woken up last night by aircraft noise; what's going on at the Airport?
Like most commercial airports in the U.S., Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) operates 24 hours per day 365 days per year. There is no night-time curfew at DFW and flight activity during overnight hours can be heavy at times due to cargo airlines which tend to fly during this time when passenger airlines are less active. Understanding the disturbing nature of night-time operations to the community DFW works closely with the FAA to influence how the airport is operated during these hours to help minimize the disruption to residents living around the airport and whenever possible utilize noise-sensitive flight paths.
Can the operator of a loud aircraft be fined?
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport doesn't have the legal authority to levy a fine or otherwise penalize any aircraft operator for the amount of noise their aircraft make. Only airports in the United States that had noise-based operating fines in place before the Airport Noise and Capacity Act (ANCA) was enacted in 1990 are allowed to extract financial penalties from operators based on airplanes exceeding specific noise thresholds at their airport.