WILMINGTON — After more than a year of conducting a study regarding the breadth of noise that comes from the Wilmington International Airport, the public is invited to attend another workshop to learn more.
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On Wednesday, Nov. 19, Kory Lewis from Coffman Associates will be at at Snipes Academy Auditorium (2150 Chestnut St.) at 5 p.m. to give a presentation; afterward, a workshop will be held in the gymnasium from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Participants are welcome to drop in at their leisure to learn more, ask questions and provide feedback.
The 18-to-24-month process of the study began in 2024 to measure all aviation flying in and out of ILM. It was spurred after the airport received complaints at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021 when a “fixed-base operator” held a $4-million Department of Defense contract to refuel military aircraft, which did trainings at ILM. Military pilots are exempt from FAA noise restrictions.
In 2022, a permanent noise abatement memorandum of understanding agreement was reached between the FAA and the military. Complaints subsided, going from 133 in 2021 to only 25 at ILM the following year.
Still, the airport authorities decided to conduct a study, as people who lived by the airport complained the noise rattled their windows and homes. The military will partly contribute to the study by providing operating information and types of military aircraft used at the airport, as well as input on study materials by participating on the planning advisory committee.
But it doesn’t only focus on military aircraft. The Part 150 Study will identify, encourage, determine and/or establish:
- Current and projected annualized aircraft noise levels at ILM using the Day Night Average Sound Level (DNL) noise metric
- Measures to reduce the noise impacts within the noise exposure contours from aircraft operating to and from Airport through changes in aircraft operations or airport facilities.
- Future land uses which are compatible with aircraft noise, such as commercial or industrial in undeveloped areas
- Methods to reduce the adverse impacts of noise above FAA thresholds in existing residential areas
- A procedure to implement, review, and update the program
According to Lewis, the Nov. 19 meeting will include information from two chapters, including aviation noise and noise impacts.
“Chapter 3 describes the noise contour modeling assumptions and methodology,” Lewis explained in an email to PCD. “Chapter 4 compares the noise exposure contours to existing and future land use mapping. Chapters 1 through 4 comprise the Noise Exposure Maps which will be submitted to FAA for acceptances prior to moving forward with the Noise Compatibility Program element of the process.”
More can be learned about the study here. It is being paid for with an FAA grant, covering roughly 90% — or $1.1. million — and Wilmington International Airport is contributing just more than $100,000.
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