FAA to Host Meetings on Improved Aircraft Navigation System That Could Reduce Aircraft Noise from Centennial Airport

March 8, 2011 from 5 pm- 8 pm
Denver Marriott South, The Littleton Room
10345 Park Meadow Drive, Littleton

The Centennial Airport Community Noise Roundtable (CACNR), made up of representatives from 10 cities and counties (Arapahoe and Douglas,) is working on recommendations to the Arapahoe County Public Airport Authority on ways to help reduce noise from aircraft at Centennial Airport.

“It has been difficult work to learn the many components which impact the operation of Centennial Airport and the CACNR has made great progress during its short existence,” said Brad Pierce, Aurora City Councilmember and Treasurer of the CACNR.

One issue, which the CACNR has been studying, is Area Navigation (RNAV). RNAV is a method of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) navigation that allows an aircraft to choose any course within a network of satellites, rather than navigating directly to and from ground-based beacons. This can conserve flight distance, reduce congestion, reduce aircraft noise, and allow flights into airports without beacons.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is in the process of determining RNAV routes for Denver International Airport. Along with Denver International Airport, the FAA is reviewing the entire area including the satellite airports of Centennial and Rocky Mountain Metro Airports.

“One benefit we do know from RNAV is that Centennial Airport planes will fly higher than DIA planes creating less noise than they currently do now,” expressed Karen Blilie, Chair of the CACNR. Currently, Centennial traffic flies under DIA traffic keeping the aircraft lower and nosier over residential neighborhoods.

The FAA will host three public scoping meetings to inform the community about the environmental process for reviewing the potential environmental impacts implementing RNAV procedures and to receive public comment on the environmental review process. A future meeting, after development of the Draft Environmental Assessment, will disclose the potential environmental impacts (if any) of implementing the procedures being developed by the FAA. Scoping comments may be submitted through April 10, 2011. In addition to the meeting for Centennial Airport, the CACNR encourages anyone interested to attend any or all three of the meetings:

Rocky Mountain Metro Airport
March 9, 2011 from 5 pm-8 pm
Airport Terminal, Mount Evans Room
11755 Airport Way, Broomfield

Denver International Airport
March 10, 2011 from 5 pm-8 pm
International Airport Crowned Plaza Hotel
15500 E. 40th Avenue, Denver

The CACNR is currently developing a website designed by Keith Gardner, City of Centennial Councilmember, to keep Centennial Airport area residents informed of the CACNR’s work. As of now, information about the CACNR can be found at http://www.centennialairport.com/.

Upcoming Board Meeting!

The next board meeting is coming up... mark your calendars for Thursday, March 3rd @ 7pm in the High Plains Elementary School Library. See you there!

Click here for the agenda.