Meeting Notes : Navigation Committee
Committee notes reflect the views and opinions of the committee members and not necessarily those of the Noise Compatibility Study Group, Coordinating Council, Regional Airport Authority of Louisville and Jefferson County, or the Consultant Team.
Attendees: Jim Anderson, Robert Barker, Dorn Crawford, Mike Eplion, Mary Rose Evans, George Hudson, Larry Parker, John Sistarenik, Bob Slattery, Mike Zanone
The meeting began at 7:05 PM. The agenda, and notes of the 21 March committee meeting, were reviewed and approved. The chair noted that Study Group Meeting #6A has been scheduled for 13 June 2002. Before and during that meeting, the committee and the Study Group have important tasks involving
• Review and refinement of study text as drafts are completed
• Continued study of additional material consultants and committees may develop
• Completing the noise abatement package for endorsement by the RAA
• Adopting mitigation measures based on screening results presented during and after Meeting #6
With several other committees having specific interests in mitigation slated to report at the Study Group meeting, the chair proposed that Navigation retain its focus on remaining elements of the abatement program that still need refinement. These elements, briefly, are:
• arrival and departure procedures
• extended flight paths
• navigational standards
• data collection/metrics
• management/oversight
• ‘emerging’ measures
The committee reviewed these measures briefly, noting that its efforts should focus primarily on the first two, since
(1) navigational standards have already been determined in general, and now simply need to be applied to the SDF fleet by the consultants; and
(2) the other remaining measures are within the purview of other committees.
Members then turned their attention to the extended flight path sketches discussed in the last meeting (see notes of 21 March), agreeing that these represent a reasonable objective set for the design of approach and departure procedures. Annotation of these paths with the specific objective of each ("follow I-65," "river route," etc) was judged a suitable refinement for the final study report, as presented for Study Group endorsement at Meeting #6 (see Meeting #6 presentation).
The committee then turned to necessary elements for standard approach and departure procedures, using an outline drawn from previous committee discussions.
Members determined that standard instrument approach procedures should be established or modified to provide for the following essential elements:
• Prescribe approach altitudes that maintain a 3-degree glide slope from at least 5000 feet above field elevation to touchdown on all approaches; eliminate current provisions for early descent to 2500’.
• Establish navigational fixes and way points to channel arriving traffic along minimal-impact corridors throughout Louisville airspace, as depicted in the charts presented at Study Group Meeting #6, focusing on major highways and the river.
• Based on the above, set final approach fixes at or near the river in the north, and I-265 in the south; exclude visual approach clearances until after arriving aircraft intercept those fixes.
• Include noise abatement flight procedures in standard approach descriptions; in particular, include provisions to implement a 'decelerating approach' procedure for arrivals, once validated here.
Standard instrument departure procedures should likewise include specific elements essential to reducing noise exposure:
• Prescribe turns at specific points, rather than altitudes or radial thresholds, so as to help departing aircraft follow specific flight corridors.
• Establish navigational fixes and way points to channel departing traffic along minimal-impact corridors throughout Louisville airspace, as depicted in the charts presented at Study Group Meeting #6, focusing on major highways and the river.
• Based on the above, set departure turn points at or near the river in the north, and I-265 in the south, based on specific navigational fixes rather than radar headings.
• Include noise abatement flight procedures in standard departures to fit the runway environment: close-in procedures for departures to the north, and distant procedures for departures to the south.
Participants recognized the importance of developing these elements as fully and specifically as possible, so as to
(1) use readily available means to resolve specific community concerns, and
(2) insure that Federal offices charged with designing detailed procedures get local information as focused and complete as possible.
The same objectives apply to remaining measures needed to complete the Louisville noise abatement strategy for endorsement by the full Study Group and the Regional Airport Authority. With these objectives in mind, the chair undertook to circulate draft material for the Study Group presentation in advance, using the committee’s discussion, and any new study material provided by the consultants, to compile a full set of recommended measures for the final abatement package.
The committee agreed to convene again as necessary to refine the package and incorporate further findings and recommendations from consultants, other committees, or the airport authority to optimize the noise compatibility program.
The meeting adjourned at 9:10 PM.