13

CHAPTER
NOISE
MANAGEMENT

Management
13Noise

NOISE MANAGEMENT
1 3 . 1 I NT RO DUC T IO N
While the GTAA maintains and
promotes Toronto Pearson Inter-
national Airport as an economic
asset for the Greater Toronto Area
(GTA), it remains sensitive to the
issue of aircraft noise and its
effects on surrounding communi-
ties. Since assuming management
of Toronto Pearson, the GTAA has
taken a leadership role in the
management and mitigation of
aircraft noise for aircraft operating
to and from Toronto Pearson
within an 18.5 km (10 nautical
mile) radius of the Airport, in
accordance with its Ground Lease
with the federal government.
The GTAA uses a number of
strategies to manage aircraft noise
at Toronto Pearson. These include
programs to operate Toronto
Pearson in a manner that mini-
mizes aircraft noise impacts and
promotes compatible land use in
the vicinity of the Airport. In addi-
tion, the GTAA has worked with
other organizations to advocate
and promote a reduction in air-
craft noise levels at the source
through the development of qui-
eter engines and airframes, and by
adopting policies to restrict the
operation of older, noisier aircraft.
Chapter 13 > N O I S E M A N A G E M E N T
13.1
Chapter 13
These efforts are balanced with greenhouse gas emissions. In 2007,
the objective of ensuring sustain- the name of the Committee was
able use of the Airport to support changed to the Community
economic development in Environment and Noise Advisory
the GTA. Committee.
This committee provides a forum
1 3 .2 COMMUNIT Y where community stakeholders
CO NSULTATION can meet with GTAA manage-
ment and other aviation industry
The GTAA is committed to work-
representatives to discuss issues
ing with communities on aircraft
relating to the mitigation of air-
noise issues through a number of
craft noise in the surrounding
initiatives including the
communities and the operation of
Community Environment and
Toronto Pearson in an environ-
Noise Advisory Committee
mentally responsible manner. The
(CENAC) and other public con-
Community Environment and
sultation forums.
Noise Advisory Committee acts in
an advisory capacity to the GTAA,
13.2.1 Community Environment and is an important mechanism
and Noise Advisory Committee for collecting community input
that helps to continually improve
In keeping with the GTAAs sensi-
the GTAAs Noise Management
tivity to the noise impact of airport
Program.
operations on the surrounding
communities, and in compliance
with the Ground Lease with the
federal government, the GTAA
established the Noise Manage-
ment Committee in 1996.
Recently, the Committees
role has evolved to also
encompass other important
environmental impacts of
airport operations that are
of concern to the GTAA
and local communities,
such as air quality and
13.2
Chapter 3 Aircraft
The membership consists of resi-
dent and elected representatives
from the surrounding cities. The
Committee is supported by tech-
nical members from the GTAA,
Transport Canada, Nav Canada,
and the airline industry.
CENAC meetings are held on a
regular basis and are open to the
public.
13.2.2 Other Public Consultation
Forums
In addition to the regularly sched-
uled CENAC meetings, the
GTAA hosts public workshops
and public forums. These sessions
provide an opportunity for an
exchange of information between
the GTAA and residents regarding
airport operations, environmental
and aircraft noise impacts as they
relate to the Noise Management
Program. Interested community
members are able to learn more
about airport operations, and the
GTAA gains valuable feedback
from residents impacted by
those operations.
1 3 . 3 A I R C RAF T NO ISE
C E RT I F I CAT IO N
The International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO) has defined
Chapter 13 > N O I S E M A N A G E M E N T
a series of aircraft noise level cate-
gories. Since the early 1970s,
increasingly more stringent noise
categories have been introduced
by ICAO with which aircraft and
aircraft engine manufacturers have
had to comply. The evolution of
these categories is described in the
following sections. Technical
descriptions of the noise category
requirements can be found in
ICAO Annex 16 (Environmental
Protection), Volume 1 (Aircraft
Noise), Fourth Edition, July 2005.
13.3.1 Non-Noise Certificated
and Chapter 2 Aircraft
The initial category of noise cer-
tificated aircraft was adopted by
ICAO in 1971, and is known as
Chapter 2. All Chapter 2 aircraft
types were certificated before
October 6, 1977, such as the
Boeing 727, McDonnell Douglas
DC9 and older Boeing 737 air-
craft. Aircraft that could not meet
the Chapter 2 noise standards are
known as non-noise certificated,
including the Boeing 707.
13.3.2 Chapter 3 Aircraft
All new aircraft types certificated
on or after October 6, 1977, were
required to meet the next cate-
gory of noise standards, known as
Chapter 3. These include the
Airbus 300, McDonnell Douglas
DC10 and MD80, Lockheed
L1011 and Boeing 757, 767, and
newer 737 aircraft.
13.3.3 Chapter 2 Phase-out
A 1990 ICAO resolution called
for member countries to phase out
non-noise certificated and Chap-
ter 2 aircraft by the year 2002. In
compliance with the ICAO rec-
ommendation, a Transport
Canada Air Navigation Order
required airlines to phase out non-
noise certificated and Chapter 2
jet aircraft with a maximum take-
off weight greater than 34,000 kg
by April 1, 2002. Transport
Canada has issued exemptions to
a very limited number of northern
Ontario operators of Chapter 2
jets for aircraft maintenance
requirements at Toronto Pearson.
Airlines met the Chapter 2 phase-
out requirements by replacing
non-compliant aircraft with
Chapter 3 aircraft and by modify-
ing Chapter 2 aircraft to meet
Chapter 3 standards, by means
such as the installation of hushkits
on the aircraft engines or the
replacement of the engines with
quieter models.
Together with its community
stakeholders, the GTAA actively
advocated for the federal Chapter
2 phase-out initiative through the
Toronto Pearson Noise Manage-
ment Committee, now CENAC.
The percentage of jet aircraft
operations at Toronto Pearson that
meet Chapter 3 requirements has
increased significantly over recent
years, from 64 per cent in 1996,
when the GTAA took over respon-
sibility for the operation and
development of Toronto Pearson,
to virtually 100 per cent in 2006,
 13.3

F I G U R E 13 -1 during the most sensitive night-

Percentage of Chapter 3 Jet Operations at Toronto Pearson
time period. Toronto Pearson has
100 the most restrictive night flight
90
80 restriction program in Canada.
70
% Chapter 3

60
50 Through an arrangement with
40
30 Transport Canada, limits have
20
10 been placed on the total number
0
1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 of annual flights that may occur
during the restricted hours from
as illustrated in Figure 13-1. The models of the Boeing 737 and 747 12:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. to ensure
very few non-certificated and aircraft, meet the tougher Chap- that the number of flights during
Chapter 2 operations that remain ter 4 standards. Due to the fre- this restricted time remains
at the Airport (less than half of one quent use of these quieter aircraft proportional to overall traffic lev-
per cent in 2006) are associated types at Toronto Pearson, approxi- els. The GTAA carefully manages
with small jets under the weight mately 80 per cent of the Airports nighttime flights to ensure that
classification applicable to the jet aircraft operations in 2006 met the annual limit is not exceeded.
Chapter 2 phase-out order and the more stringent Chapter 4 stan- Toronto Pearson is the only air-
military operations. dards. ICAO has not issued, nor port in Canada that has an annual
expressed an intention to issue, a nighttime operations budget.
Hushkitted aircraft, which tend to
resolution calling upon member
be noisier than aircraft of a similar Restrictions on the hours of oper-
countries to phase out Chapter 3
size that were designed to meet ation are shown in Table 13-1.
aircraft as they previously had with
Chapter 3 standards, accounted Restrictions are more stringent for
Chapter 2 aircraft.
for as much as 15 per cent of jet noisier categories of aircraft.
operations at Toronto Pearson in
2001, but have since decreased to 1 3 .4 NOISE MANAGEMENT Operating extensions may be
approximately two per cent of jet P R OGRAM granted within the restricted hours
operations in 2006. on the day of operation for flights
The GTAA has developed and delayed by weather, emergencies,
maintains a comprehensive Noise air traffic control issues, or
13.3.4 Chapter 4 Aircraft Management Program. The pro- mechanical difficulties, but only
gram consists of a number of site- for Chapter 3 or 4 aircraft. In
In 2001, ICAO adopted the latest
specific operational initiatives addition, a limited number of
and most stringent category of
introduced to minimize the impact exemptions for Chapter 3 or 4
noise standards to date, known as
of aircraft noise on the surround- operations may be approved in
Chapter 4. All new aircraft types
ing communities. The primary ele- advance, depending on the ability
certificated on or after January 1,
ments of the Noise Management of the GTAA to remain within the
2006, including the new Airbus
Program are described in the annual nighttime budget.
A380 and Boeing 787 aircraft, are
following sections.
required to comply with the new
Chapter 4 standards. In addition,
some of the quieter Chapter 3 air- 13.4.1 Night Flight Restrictions
craft in operation prior to 2006,
A night flight restriction program
including the Airbus A320, A330
has been implemented at Toronto
and A340, Boeing 777 and new
Pearson to minimize aircraft noise

Chapter 13 > N O I S E M A N A G E M E N T
13.4

The Preferential Runway Utiliza-

TABLE 13-1 RESTRICTED HOURS OF OPERATION
tion and Noise Abatement Proce-
Non-Noise Certicated 8 p.m. 8 a.m.
dures elements of the Noise
Chapter 2 12 a.m. 7 a.m.
Chapter 3* 12:30 a.m. 6:30 a.m. Management Program have been
*Chapter 3 restricted hours also apply to Chapter 4 aircraft designed to minimize aircraft
noise impacts on the surrounding
Previously, the restricted hours The preferred runways, in order of
communities, but these proce-
of operation only applied to jet priority, are Runways 23, 33R,
dures also result in increased air-
aircraft weighing more than and 24R for departures, and
craft fuel burn and emissions. It is
34,000 kg (74,970 lbs). As a Runways 05, 15L, and 06L for
anticipated that potential tradeoffs
result, the GTAA was not able to arrivals. Non-preferential runway
between noise and emissions will
limit the number of operations of use during these hours is limited
be of significant interest in the
smaller jet or propeller aircraft as much as possible, but may be
future as community concerns
during the restricted hours, many necessary due to weather, airfield
regarding air quality and green-
of which were noisy and created maintenance, or other operational
house gas emissions continue
significant community impacts. circumstances.
to rise.
This problem was rectified in 2004
when, with the support of com-
13.4.3 Noise Abatement
munity stakeholders and the Noise 13.4.4 Engine Run-Ups
Procedures
Management Committee, the
Occasionally, airline maintenance
GTAA was successful in amending Noise abatement procedures have
staff must perform engine run-ups
Toronto Pearsons night flight been developed at Toronto Pearson
after engine repairs have been
restrictions to include all aircraft, for both arrivals and departures to
completed. At all times, these run-
regardless of weight or engine type. reduce the impact of aircraft noise.
ups must be approved by the
The GTAA continually monitors Arrival procedures include altitude GTAA in advance and conducted
adherence to the annual nighttime restrictions prior to lining up with at designated times and locations
budget of restricted hour move- the runway, and the requirement to minimize their impact on the
ments, and approves operating for aircraft to maintain a three- surrounding communities.
extensions subject to the Airports degree angle of descent on final Between midnight and 7 a.m.,
ability to remain within the approach to the runway and to engine run-ups are approved only
budget. minimize the use of reverse thrust for aircraft scheduled to depart
as a means to slow the aircraft that morning. Additionally, engine
after touchdown. Departure pro- run-ups are prohibited for all
13.4.2 Preferential Runway
cedures include restrictions on Chapter 2 aircraft between
Utilization
power settings, specified flight midnight and 5 a.m.
The GTAA uses a preferential paths, minimum turning altitudes,
runway system to minimize the and speed restrictions.
impact of aircraft noise at night,
Noise abatement procedures apply
when the surrounding residential
to jet aircraft at all times, and to
communities are most sensitive to
propeller aircraft between 11 p.m.
noise. In effect from midnight to
and 7 a.m. Unless safety is in
6:30 a.m., the system utilizes
question, pilots are required to fol-
approved flight paths that impact
low the GTAA noise abatement
the fewest people.
procedures.

Chapter 13 > N O I S E M A N A G E M E N T

Aircraft Noise Monitoring Terminal
13.4.5 Noise Complaints and
Enforcement
The GTAA Noise Management
Office monitors compliance
with the Airports Noise Manage-
ment Program. Staff use the
Airport Noise Monitoring and
Flight Tracking System which cor-
relates aircraft radar data from
Nav Canada with noise readings
collected from a system of
22 noise monitoring terminals in
the surrounding communities.
The locations of the noise moni-
toring terminals are shown in
Figure 13-2.
In addition, GTAA staff register,
investigate, and respond to aircraft
noise complaints received from
the public. A total of 1,920 noise
complaints were logged by the
Noise Management Office in
2006, down from a high of
approximately 7,700 in 1998.
The GTAA Noise Management
Office undertakes investigations of
potential violations of the GTAA
Chapter 13 > N O I S E M A N A G E M E N T
Noise Management Program,
which may arise from registered
complaints or ongoing monitoring
carried out by the GTAA. If an
investigation indicates that a viola-
tion has occurred, the details of
the case are provided to Transport
Canada for further action, as only
the federal government has the
authority to impose financial
penalties on aircraft operators. The
GTAA and the Noise Manage-
ment Committee worked pro-
actively to encourage Transport
Canada to publicly identify airlines
and pilots fined as a result of a
violation of the noise abatement
procedures so that the public can
make informed choices.
The primary goal of the enforce-
ment function is to promote
adherence to the GTAA Noise
Management Program through
effective communication and
education with the aviation
community.
1 3 .5 REGUL ATION OF
L A ND USE
An important way to minimize
the impact of aircraft noise is
through proper land use planning
in the vicinity of the Airport.
The GTAA participates in the
land use planning process on a
local level through the review of
Official Plans and development
applications. The GTAA also
liaises with the provincial and
federal governments on matters
related to land use policy. The
GTAA can only participate in this
13.5
process in an advisory role, as
land use is a municipal and
provincial jurisdiction.
13.5.1 Noise Quantification
Transport Canadas Noise Expo-
sure Forecast (NEF) model is the
official methodology used in
Canada to quantify noise expo-
sure in the vicinity of airports for
land use planning purposes. The
resulting NEF value represents a
cumulative noise index which
quantifies long-term aircraft noise
exposure over a busy summer day
when both aircraft noise levels
and community sensitivity to
noise tend to be maximal.
In addition to the number of
arrivals and departures at the
Airport, the NEF model also takes
into consideration the mix of air-
craft types used by the operators,
the distribution of the arrivals and
departures across the various run-
ways and the site specific arrival
and departure procedures. To
Monitoring Aircraft Noise Readings
13.6

Chapter 13 > N O I S E M A N A G E M E N T

TABLE 13-2 COMPOSITE CONTOUR AREA/POPUL AT ION
Contour Band
40 +
35 40
30 35
25 30
Total
(1) The population counts are based on the 2006 Statistics Canada census.
account for the greater sensitivity
toward aircraft noise during night-
time, the NEF model also applies
a penalty to all night operations.
The resulting NEF values in the
vicinity of an airport are com-
monly depicted by means of con-
tour lines connecting points of
equal noise exposure. It is impor-
tant to note that the NEF number
associated with a contour line
does not represent a decibel level
for an individual flight, but rather
a cumulative noise index of the
overall noise environment that has
been correlated to community
noise annoyance levels.
Contour maps that forecast noise
exposure five to 10 years in the
future are referred to as NEF con-
tour maps. Noise Exposure Projec-
tion (NEP) contour maps are
similar in nature, and are pro-
duced using the same model, but
show projected noise exposure up
to 20 years into the future.
13.5.2 Federal Land Use
Guidelines
The Transport Canada publica-
tion Land Use in the Vicinity of
Airports (last amended May
2005) discusses the impact of air-
craft noise in the vicinity of
Chapter 13 > N O I S E M A N A G E M E N T
Area (km2) Population(1)
20 800
27 2,200
64 52,000
129 342,000
240 397,000
airports, and presents the federal
governments recommended land
use guidelines to encourage com-
patible land use near airports.
The Transport Canada guidelines
indicate that the impacts of aircraft
noise may begin as low as 25 NEF/
NEP, and that areas around exist-
ing airports exposed to 30 NEF/
NEP or greater are incompatible
for noise sensitive land uses such
as residential development.
The GTAA actively supports the
federal land use guidelines, and
encourages their application in the
local jurisdictions around
Toronto Pearson.
13.5.3 Provincial Land Use
Policies
The Transport Canada guidelines,
however, are merely recommenda-
tions, since land use is a municipal
13.7
and provincial jurisdiction. In
Ontario, the Provincial Policy
Statement (last amended March
2005) contains land use policies
prohibiting new residential develop-
ment and other sensitive land uses
within the 30 NEF/NEP contour
line, consistent with the Transport
Canada guidelines.
13.5.4 Toronto Pearson
Composite Contour
Toronto Pearson has an approved
NEF contour map (2000 NEF) as
well as an approved NEP contour
map (1996 NEP). The outer enve-
lope, or composite, of the two
contour maps is used for land use
planning purposes, thereby pro-
tecting for the worst case of the
two noise situations. This com-
bined NEF/NEP contour map for
Toronto Pearson is referred to as
the Composite Contour, and is
illustrated in Figure 13-3.
The impact of the composite
noise contour on the surrounding
communities can be seen in
Table 13-2, which provides the
area and population within each
contour band.
13.8
The Composite Contour provides
sufficient protection for the noise
exposure resulting from the opera-
tion of the present and planned
Chapter 13 > N O I S E M A N A G E M E N T
runways at the Airport, and is
therefore appropriate for land use
planning purposes.
13.5.5 Airport Operating Area
For ease of implementation of the
provincial land use policies for
noise sensitive land uses, the

GTAA, in conjunction with the
local municipalities, has defined a
fixed Airport Operating Area
(AOA) based on the 30 NEF/NEP
contour of the Composite
Contour. The AOA perimeter
approximates the location of the
30 NEF/NEP line by following
readily identifiable natural (water-
ways), transportation (roads, rail
lines) and planning (property
boundaries, and land use desig-
nation boundaries) features.
The boundaries of the AOA
within the Region of Peel were
reflected in the September 1998
Region of Peel Official Plan. The
boundaries of the AOA in the
City of Toronto were identified
within the City of Torontos 2002
Official Plan. These official plans
establish policies restricting the
development of new noise sensi-
tive land uses within the AOA.
Chapter 13 > N O I S E M A N A G E M E N T
The AOA, illustrated in Figure
13-4, encompasses an area of
approximately 123 km2 and a
population of approximately
57,000 based on the 2006 census.
The AOA establishes and stabilizes
the noise impact area for the pur-
pose of land use planning, which
benefits both the air carriers and
the surrounding communities.
The GTAA will continue to work
with the provincial government
and local municipalities to ensure
that new land uses within the
AOA are compatible with airport
operations, and will vigorously
oppose development that would
be sensitive to aircraft noise.
13.5.6 Developer Noise
Agreements
Contrary to the GTAAs recom-
mendation, some areas inside
the 30 NEF/NEP line of the
13.9
Composite Contour were
exempted from the policies of the
AOA by the Ontario Municipal
Board, on the basis that the appli-
cations for development predated
a 1997 amendment to the
Provincial Policy Statement
that changed the threshold for
noise sensitive land uses from
35 NEF/NEP to the current level
of 30 NEF/NEP.
With no mechanism available to
prevent incompatible residential
development in these AOA exempt
areas, the GTAA responded by
negotiating a number of noise
agreements with the developers
and the City of Mississauga to
forewarn prospective purchasers of
the potential aircraft noise prob-
lem and to mitigate noise intru-
sion into these homes to the
extent possible.
These agreements require aircraft
noise warnings to be provided
on signs at sales sites, in sales
information given to prospective
purchasers, in the Agreement of
Purchase and Sale, and on perma-
nent signs in the communities in
an attempt to deter noise sensitive
people from purchasing a home
in these noise impacted areas.
The agreements also require the
Aircraft Noise Warning Sign
13.10
incorporation of noise mitigation
measures into the home design,
such as central air conditioning
and a higher standard of con-
struction offering a higher degree
Chapter 13 > N O I S E M A N A G E M E N T
of noise attenuation than is
normally required.
It must be recognized, however,
that these measures are by no
means as effective as preventing
residential construction within
incompatible areas in the first
place, as the GTAA had pro-
posed at the time the AOA was
established.

Departing A330
13.5.7 Future Operations
Studies conducted for the environ-
mental assessment associated with
the addition of new runways at
Toronto Pearson indicated that
there would be little change in
the noise environment around the
Airport resulting from the addi-
tion of the planned sixth and
final runway, namely 05R-23L.
While the primary objective of
adding Runway 05R-23L would
be to increase the airfield capacity
of the Airport to meet the future
aviation demand of the region,
the mitigation of aircraft noise
impacts in the vicinity of the
Airport was also a key considera-
tion in the siting of this future
runway.
Chapter 13 > N O I S E M A N A G E M E N T
As has been discussed in Chapter 5,
the planned sixth runway would
be parallel to and closely spaced
from existing Runway 05-23 (to
be renamed 05L-23R), similar to
the existing pair of closely spaced
parallel runways at the south side
of the Airport (06L-24R and
06R-24L). As a result, the flight
paths associated with future
Runway 05R-23L would be simi-
lar to those associated with existing
Runway 05-23, thereby mini-
mizing potential noise impacts.
In addition, as noted in Chapter 5,
the sixth runway is not expected to
be required until sometime in the
2013-2019 time period, depending
on the rate of traffic growth. Over
the intervening years, the aircraft
fleet mix at Toronto Pearson will
13.11
continue to evolve, including a
continued decline in the use of the
older and noisier Chapter 3 air-
craft, particularly the Chapter 2
aircraft that were hushkitted to
meet Chapter 3 standards, and a
continued increase in the use of
aircraft that meet the most strin-
gent Chapter 4 noise standards.
Due to the location of planned
Runway 05R-23L, and the
expected timeframe for its con-
struction, it is anticipated that any
potential expansion of the noise
contours attributable to its opera-
tion would be offset by the con-
tinued conversion of the fleet mix
to quieter aircraft.
Consequently, the continued
application of the Airports current
Composite Contour and AOA for
land use planning purposes is
expected to adequately reflect the
aircraft noise environment result-
ing from the future operation of
the six-runway system at
Toronto Pearson.