2nd Quarter 2019 Report Fly Quiet Program Chicago O’Hare International Airport Visit the O’Hare Noise Webpage on the Internet at www.flychicago.com/oharenoise nd 2 Quarter 2019 Report BACKGROUND On June 17, 1997, the City of Chicago announced that airlines operating at O’Hare International Airport had agreed to use designated noise abatement flight procedures in accordance with the Fly Quiet Program. The Fly Quiet Program was implemented in an effort to further reduce the impacts of aircraft noise on the surrounding neighborhoods. The Fly Quiet Program is a voluntary program that encourages pilots and air traffic controllers to use designated nighttime preferential runways and flight tracks developed by the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) in cooperation with the O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission (ONCC), the airlines, and the air traffic controllers. These preferred routes direct aircraft over less-populated areas, such as forest preserves, highways, as well as commercial and industrial areas. As part of the Fly Quiet Program, the Chicago Department of Aviation prepares a Quarterly Fly Quiet Report. This report is shared with CDA staff, the ONCC, the airlines, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the general public. The Fly Quiet Report contains detailed information regarding Fly Quiet Mode, runway use, flight operations, flight tracks, and noise complaints and 24-hour tracking of ground run-ups. The data presented in this report is compiled from the Airport Noise Management System (ANMS) and airport operation logs. FLY QUIET MODE (FQM) The FAA considers nighttime hours as 10:00 p.m. - 7:00 a.m.1 It is the CDA’s goal for the Fly Quiet Program to occur during the entire nine-hour nighttime period of 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., however due to operational demand by the airlines and traveling public, Fly Quiet is typically limited to a period less than nine hours. Fly Quiet Mode, the period of time in Fly Quiet, starts each night on or after 10:00 p.m., once demand allows for two departure runways and one arrival runway and allows for the use of the preferential flight tracks as outlined in the CDA’s Fly Quiet Manual. Demand for the majority of the night allows for one arrival runway and one departure runway. Once demand increases in the morning where additional runways are needed and preferential flight tracks can no longer be utilized, Fly Quiet Mode stops. Highlights for 2Q 2019 include: Average Start Time: 11:12 p.m. Average Stop Time: 5:43 a.m. Average Nightly Time in FQM: 6:31 Average Nightly Operations in FQM: 96 OPERATIONS O’Hare has seven runways that are all utilized at different times depending on a number of conditions including weather, airfield pavement and construction activities, and air traffic demand. The Runway Use Reports disclose runway utilize for the period and compares the average percentage of use for each runway during the current quarter with the previous quarter as well as with the 12-month average. The percentage of use for departures and arrivals is shown graphically for each runway. This data is presented for all aircraft types during Fly Quiet Mode. The Nighttime Hourly Operations Report compares the arrivals and departures by hour in 15 minute increments to the current quarter with the previous quarter as well as with the 12-month average. Percentage is a ratio whereas a percentage point is the difference between two percentages. 1 Airport Noise Compatibility Planning (14 CFR Part 150) Chicago Department of Aviation Page 1 2nd Quarter 2019 Highlights for 2Q 2019 include: Departures Arrivals Most used nighttime departure runway: 28R – 35% Most used nighttime arrival runway: 10C – 34% 10L night departures increased by 11pp from 1Q 2019 10C night arrivals increased by 13pp from 1Q 2019 28R night departures decreased by 14pp from 1Q 2019 27L night arrivals decreased by 8pp from 1Q 2019 pp = Percentage Points Nighttime operations represent 12% of the overall daily operations Percent of Carrier Category Total United & American 52% Other Domestic 14% Other International 18% Dedicated Cargo 15% General Aviation 1% FQM Total 100% ARRIVAL SUMMARY A detailed airline summary is provided for the two most-used arrival runways (10C and 28C). PREFERENTIAL FLIGHT TRACKS As part of the Fly Quiet Program, the Chicago Department of Aviation worked with the ONCC, the airlines, and the air traffic controllers to identify preferred runways and flight tracks for nighttime operations at O’Hare. The preferred routes direct aircraft over less-populated areas in an effort to limit the effects of noise on the surrounding communities. Adherence to nighttime departure preferential flight tracks is measured by the ANMS. A detailed airline deviation summary is provided for the two most-used departure runways (10L and 28R); the airline deviation is also compared to the data from the same quarter of the previous year. An average deviation graphic and table is provided for all runways. The Nighttime Departure Track Report measures FQM deviation (in nautical miles) from the preferred flight tracks and is divided into three categories: Highlights for 2Q 2019 include: Categories Percent Deviation less than 0.5 miles 89% between 0.5 and 1.0 miles 9% greater than 1.0 miles 2% Chicago Department of Aviation Page 2 2nd Quarter 2019 NOISE COMPLAINTS The CDA maintains a toll-free noise hotline (1-800-435-9569) and an online service at www.flychicago.com/oharenoise, and a free CHI 311 mobile app for citizens to express their concern about particular aircraft events or aircraft noise levels in general. In February 2015, a citizen group created a software script to register aircraft noise complaints via the City of Chicago’s 311 site. In January 2018 the City of Chicago implemented a captcha to improve the performance of its 311 system by reducing the number of non-human submissions. On December 19, 2018, the City of Chicago launched a new software platform for service requests of all types, including aircraft noise complaints. This new platform includes multiple methods to submit a complaint including telephone, Internet and the free CHI 311 mobile app. The Nighttime Noise Complaint Report summarizes the number of complaints received from households with verifiable addresses and where the households were located. The tables illustrate the method of complaints, and nature of complaints during the specified quarter. These totals only include complaints made within the State of Illinois to the O’Hare Noise Hotline toll-free number, online service, or CHI 311 mobile app. Data for noise complaints made prior to December 18, 2018 is available on the CDA’s website at www.flychicago.com/oharenoise. GROUND RUN-UPS Ground run-ups are aircraft engine tests that are performed to ensure that the engines are working properly after maintenance is performed. Ground run-ups typically occur at night and generate high levels of noise for extended periods of time. In 1997, the CDA constructed a ground run-up enclosure (GRE) at O’Hare to help reduce the noise impacts of ground run-ups on the communities surrounding the airport. This facility was the first of its kind in the United States. When it is not possible to use the GRE, run-ups are performed on one of the three identified alternative locations. In the fall of 2017, the CDA relocated the GRE from its original location to a new location approximately 1,100 feet to the northeast, but still located on the Scenic Hold Pad. The Airline Ground Run-up Report displays the total number of ground run ups from the current quarter by airline. The Aircraft Ground Run-up Report displays the total number of ground run ups from the current quarter by aircraft. Both reports compare the percent utilization of the GRE facility to the percent utilization of other locations for ground run-ups. It also compares the current quarter’s GRE usage to the 12-month average and to the same quarter of the previous year. NOISE The Nighttime Aircraft Noise Report summarizes noise measurements from each of the 36 noise monitors located around O’Hare. The data presented summarizes the Equivalent Sound Level (Leq). Leq is used to identify the average sound level over a given period of time (in this case 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.) and is the metric used for this analysis as it is the most appropriate noise measure for periods of time less than 24 hours. The data in this report displays the average Leq for the current quarter and its comparison to the previous four quarters. It also compares the current quarter’s Leq to the 12-month average. Numbers displayed in red represent an increase of at least 1 dB over the aircraft Leq from the same quarter of the previous year whereas numbers displayed in green represent a decrease of at least 1 dB from the aircraft Leq from the same quarter of the previous year. Chicago Department of Aviation Page 3 2nd Quarter 2019 Nighttime Hourly Operations Report Chicago O'Hare International Airport Period: 2nd Quarter 2019 Time of Day: 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Average Arrivals and Departures by Hour 25 FQM START FQM STOP 11:12 PM 5:43 AM 20 15 Average Fly Quiet Duration – 6:31, 96 Operations 10 5 0 5 Average Average Daily Operations 10 15 20 Nighttime Duration – 9:00, 310 Operations 25 10 p.m. 11 p.m. 12 a.m. 1 a.m. 2 a.m. 3 a.m. 4 a.m. 5 a.m. 6 a.m. 2Q19 Arrivals 2Q18 Arrivals Arrivals 12 Month Avg.