The Williamsburg neighborhood is not normally bothered by noise pollution from jets taking off and landing at the National or Dulles airports. At National, major air carriers generally “fly the river corridor;” that is, they fly up or down the Potomac River for ten miles to the north of the airport and five miles to the south of the airport. This represents a major advantage of our community and (for many of us) a factor in our decision to buy in this part of North Arlington vice a neighborhood closer to the river.

However, FAA personnel have wide latitude in where they tell the aircraft to fly. In some cases, they have moved the planes over to a new route for some period of time, to improve airport capacity or adjust to seasonal weather patterns. If there is a crush of airline flights trying to take off within a short time period like the day before Thanksgiving, air controllers may send the planes out of the noise abatement pattern earlier than the 10 mile limit.

As a result, our community may experience increased airport noise pollution from time to time. We also need to be alert to any changes in flight patterns and efforts to increase flights at National, since such measures may increase airport noise in our community.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is currently conducting a study on airport noise, the first in a decade. A group known as the Part 150 Advisory Committee, chaired by Arlington County Board member Barbara Favola, was formed to help focus the study and make input. Arlington Journal Article on the Advisory Committee Particular emphasis was placed on the community participation component of the study. Part 150 Study Advisory Committee

How You Can Help:

National Airport's Aircraft Noise Complaint Number: 703-417-8020. Call if you notice increased aircraft noise over your home.

Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority – Community Relations and Noise Abatement: 703-417-8745

For more information on airport noise:

Airport Issues Committee: The Arlington County Civic Federation has an Airport Issues Committee with member representatives from seventeen Civic Associations within Arlington County. The committee has been actively participating in the Part 150 Noise Study that is underway at Reagan National Airport. Over the next year, the committee's principal focus will be participation in the noise study, as this represents the best chance within the next ten to fifteen years for citizens of Arlington County to protect our quality of life. Suggestions for abating aircraft noise over Arlington are outlined in a position paper located on the Federation's website. The Airport issues Committee has a monthly meeting, held on the third Thursday of each month, at a place to be announced. For more information on the AIC, or to participate in the monthly meetings, please contact Steve Geiger (steveg@civfed.org; 703-522-0026) or Steve Baur (Steveb@civfied.org; 703-525-5580).

Citizens for the Abatement of Aircraft Noise (CAAN) has a very informative web site at www.cann.org. CAAN's mission is "to reduce aircraft pollution in the Metropolitan Washington area by working to balance economic interests with the environmental and human costs of air transportation." You may also email CAAN at nonoise@caan.org. CAAN also provides speakers for civic association programs on aircraft noise issues; the contact point for a speaker is (301) 320 - 5905.

The Airports Advisory Committee is composed of local residents appointed by the Governor of Virginia, the Mayor of the District of Columbia and the Governor of Maryland. In monthly meetings, the Committee discusses issues of importance to the Airports Authority and to users and neighbors of Washington Dulles International and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airports. In 2000, the Airports Advisory Committee focused on areas of the airports operations such as the impact of additional flights at Reagan Washington National on noise and the impact of the new taxi contract at Washington Dulles on service to airport patrons. Email the committee. Postal mail can be sent to the Committee at:

Airports Advisory Committee
c/o Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
1 Aviation Circle
Washington, DC 20001-6000

Committee On Noise Abatement At National And Dulles Airports (CONANDA) is a committee of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG). CONANDA's mission is to provide a regional policy perspective on airport noise matters on behalf of the Washington area's local governments.

Federal Aviation Administration FAA Noise Ombudsman: (202) 493 - 5047

Washington National Airport Air Traffic Manager: (703) 413-1530

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