May 2021 MCQSC Update: MCQSC and Other Community Groups Ask Airlines to Take Action to Mitigate Harmful Aviation Noise and Other News

The Montgomery County Quiet Skies Coalition is still working hard to keep the skies above our heads more peaceful and quiet.  Airplane activity out of Reagan National Airport (DCA) is still somewhat reduced from pre-Covid levels, but the noise is coming back and we’re sure you’ve noticed. 

Thanks to everyone who submitted comments to the FAA on its Neighborhood Environmental survey!  This important study, which the Agency sat on for four years while continuing to roll out new, highly concentrated flight paths across the U.S., showed that the FAA’s current noise policies significantly underestimate community annoyance to aircraft noise.  The FAA is currently reviewing the over 4,000 comments which it received on this study and on its noise research programs.  Our collective voices are being heard.  Thank you.

46 community groups working to mitigate the impacts of aviation noise nationwide urged Airlines for America, the U.S. airlines’ lobbying group, to take immediate action to “relieve the harm caused by aircraft noise to our communities.” MCQSC leaders were closely involved in coordinating this effort.  The letter is attached FYI and it was written up in the most recent edition of Airport Noise Report, also attached.

Future shock:  according to an April 2021 CNN story, one of the first supersonic jets to be approved in the U.S. since the Concorde might be used to ferry the President and VP around.  That would have a serious impact in the DC area.