CONSULTATION PAPER
ON THE LIMITATION OF THE IMPACT OF NOISE FROM AIR TRANSPORT


I. Introduction

1. The Community started to legislate on noise from individual aircraft almost 20 years ago. At each stage the legislative process has been composed of two interrelated steps: firstly the prohibition of the addition of non-compliant aircraft to the fleets of Community air carriers, followed by the obligation to gradually phase-out these non-compliant aircraft at Community airports. This legislation is considered to constitute a fair compromise between what it is acceptable for the air transport industry and the need for environmental protection.

        
2. Thus, initial action to reduce noise from aircraft was taken by the Community through Council Directive 80/Sl/EECI on aircraft noise, which prevented any further non-noise certificated transport aircraft from being added to the civil air registers of Member States and required the removal of such aircraft already on the registers by 31 December 1986. An exemption enabled a small number of these aircraft to continue flying until 31 December 1988. An amendment, Council Directive 83/206/EEC2, has prevented foreign registered non-noise certificated aircraft landing in the Community since 1 January 1988, although some exemptions were granted until 31 December 1989. Since that final cut-off date non-noise certificated transport aircraft have stopped to be an environmental nuisance in the Community.

3.    On 4 December 19893 the Council adopted a non-addition rule for civil subsonic jet aircraft that
do not meet the standards specified in Chapter 3 of Annex 16 to the Convention on International
Civil Aviation.

        
4. As a next step in its policy of reduction of aircraft noise at source the Council adopted on 2 March 19924 a Directive which provides for the gradual phase-out between 1 April 1995 and 1 April 2002 of all Chapter 2 aircraft. Certain technical amendments to this Directive have recently been adopted by the Commission5.

        
5. That Community initiative has already resulted and will continue to result in an improvement of the noise climate around airports, due to resultant changes in fleet composition. Currently about 85 % of the fleet of all Community air carriers is composed of Chapter 3 aircraft.

However, despite the benefits resulting from the disappearance of Chapter 2 aircraft at Community airports the growth in air transport has increased the frequency of exposure to aircraft noise for many people. In addition, there appears to be a growing sensitivity nowadays to any increase in air

transport noise.

OJ n- L18, 24.01.1980, p. 26.

2 oJ n- L117, 04.05.1983, p. 1983.

3 OJ n- L363, 13.12.1989, p. 27.

4 OJ n- L76, 23.03.1992, p. 21.

5 COM(96)413 final, 04.09.1996.

V11 411775/96 MT/gs
11.11.1996

The large number of letters received by the Commission from individuals or associations expressing concern about aircraft noise and its impact on human health and quality of life is evidence of the dissatisfaction of people living around airports about existing noise abatement measures.

On the other hand due consideration needs to be given to the legitimate interest of the air transport industry to have adequate airport capacity available for its operations. The increasing number of representations by air transport operators complaining about additional operational restrictions on environmental grounds at airports affirm the concern about the impact of such restrictions on scarce airport capacity.

6. With the view to ensuring an adequate level of protection against noise for the population living in the areas surrounding airports, while enabling the air transport industry to plan its operations in an environment of legal certainty, the following policy instruments are available

  1. . technical standards with the view to reducing aircraft noise at source

  2. . noise monitoring, noise zoning and land-use control measures in order to ensure that no new noise-sensitive activities are allowed near airports

  3. . noise abatement landing and take-off procedures with the view to reducing the impacted noise area and the avoidable noise nuisance.

It is obvious that the development and demonstration of these instruments have significant implications for the Community's Research and Development Programs, such as the 4th and 5th Framework program.

Measures taken at Community level may be reinforced by more specific actions taken by local or regional authorities to meet particular problems at individual airports. These measures may include night flying restrictions, insulation and "buy back" programs.


7. Economic instruments, such as noise related airport charges, can also contribute to a reduction of the noise impact of air transport by encouraging the use of the least noisy aircraft. The stakeholders have already had the opportunity to express their views on this policy instrument in the context of the Consultation paper on airport charges issued in 1995 by the Directorate General for Transport.


8. The purpose of this Consultation Paper is to look into the different policy instruments individually or in concert in terms of their technical feasibility both in the short and long term, their economic impact (giving due consideration to the world-wide nature of air transport). and their environmental benefits. It seeks also to identify for each of the instruments the scope for Community involvement, legislative or otherwise.

This Paper has been prepared by the Directorate-General for Transport in close cooperation with the Directorates-General for Industry, Environment and Research and Development.


II. Future development


9. Although future growth rates for air transport vary depending on their source, time horizon, geographical area and service characteristics as well as the underlying macro economic assumptions, the general trend seems to be that air transport will grow faster than any other sector of transport in the next 10 to 20 years. The predicted annual growth rates vary between 3.6% and 6% for passengers, 6.5% and 7.4% for cargo and between 3.2% and 6% for aircraft movements. A summary of the various forecasts figures in Annex 1.


10. This strong growth will put pressure on airport capacity and affect the noise environment around airports. In the context of the activities of the ICAO Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP) case studies of a small sample European and American airports have been carried out with a view to assessing the noise climate around airports after the completion of the Chapter 2 phase-out, namely between 2003 and 2015. The outcome of these case studies does not allow a definitive conclusion concerning the general trend after 2003. Much will depend on local circumstances, such as the existence of capacity constraints at the airport, restrictions on the growth of aircraft movements, requirements concerning the fleet composition and the implementation of land-use control measures.


11. Despite this lack of precision on the future noise climate around airports, the Commission services note that, whenever public consultation on airport development plans takes place, the expected increase in aircraft noise is perceived by the local communities as the most important environmental issue associated with the extension of airport capacity and the ensuing growth of air transport activities.


12. The air transport sector should contribute to "sustainable mobility"' and show that it is responsive to concerns about quality of life as perceived by the population living around airports. The Commission services feel that the appropriate and most cost effective noise abatement measures should be taken at each level of responsibility: the aircraft manufacturing industry, the air transport industry, the local, regional and national authorities as well as the Community working whenever possible in the wider context of the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) and ICAO.

        
III. Future noise stringency

Technical feasibility

Short term

        
13. Existing Community legislation has had a significant impact on the overall noise of aircraft fleets through the elimination of older aircraft types. However, perceived nuisance from aircraft is a function not only of the noise emitted by individual aircraft but also the volume of air traffic as well as the time of day or night at which the noise occurs.

In the light of the predicted growth of air transport, the Commission services believe that due consideration should be given to progressively increasing the stringency of the permitted noise standards for aircraft newly added to the civil subsonic fleet of Community air carriers to a level which realistically represents the current noise performance attainable by the majority of modern aircraft.

To this end, both the Commission services and ECAC have been studying the feasibility of new non-addition rules. Initially the focus has been on the so-called "hush kitted" aircraft. These aircraft would have normally been retired to comply with Council Directive 92/ 14/EEC but have been modified acoustically to meet Chapter 3. They are marginal Chapter 3 aircraft and with the phased withdrawal of the Chapter 2 aircraft will be the noisiest types flying.
In terms of transport policy sustainable mobility can be defined as a policy based on a global approach which aims at ensuring both the effective functioning of the Community's transport systems and the protection of the Environment.

Medium term

        
14. It is recognised that the short term measures could only be regarded as an intermediate step aimed essentially at avoiding any increase in the perceived noise nuisance from aircraft. However, the international nature of the aircraft industry means that global rules are, in general, the best way to ensure that distortions of competition are avoided. As a future step, therefore, the Community should work through ICAO towards further technically feasible and economically reasonable increase in the stringency levels of the noise certification standards.

        
15. When considering the next steps, it should also be borne in mind that the Commission services adopted a position on increased stringency for the CAEP negotiations prior to the plenary meeting in December 1995, namely:

. an increase in stringency of 3 EPNdB at the fly-over measurement point

. no change at the lateral measurement point

. an increase in stringency of 3 EPNdB at the approach measurement point.

In the light of the progress made in aircraft design over the 20 years since Chapter 3 was adopted this seemed feasible and economically reasonable. Accordingly due cons deration should be given to the most appropriate means of perusing these objectives.

Long term

Targets put forward by the Task Force on New Generation Aircraft and R&D activities on noise abatement.

        
16. The challenge is to respond to current and future public concerns related to aircraft noise by initiating appropriate R&D (research and technology development) activities related to aircraft noise abatement in the future.

In order to match the pressure both from the society for quieter or even "whispering" aircraft and international competition, the European aeronautics industry recently - in the framework of the Task

Force on New Generation Aircraft established by the Commission in 1995 - identified a present and future need for R&D on the Environmentally Friendly Aircraft' covering also the noise issue.

        
17. Considerable effort has already been devoted to techniques for minimising the generation of aircraft noise. For example, the introduction of the turbofan engine 20 years ago, and subsequently the high bypass turbofan with about 10 decibels lower noise level than their predecessor, the pure turbojet engine, was a major advance and enabled the ICAO Chapter 3 standard to be implemented.

TEFA-Final Core Team Report presented to the Comrnission in December l99S.
        
18. Research funded by the Community in the field of jet aircraft exterior noise has until now been rather limited. Only one project, "FANPAC" (APAS-94), has been undertaken with the aim of developing technologies to reduce fan noise in high bypass ratio engines by optimising acoustic liners. This has been supplemented by national actions with the development of aeroacoustic design methods, feasibility studies of the development and application of active noise controllers and definition of directional measurement systems. It should also be noted that Europe has world class facilities of anechoic windtunnels operated by research establishments and developed through the last 15 years with the help of national funds.

However, the last 20 years of design optimisation have resulted in a further average reduction of 4 decibels in certificated noise levels, with very little improvements in recent years, and it is unlikely that further reductions will occur unless a significant effort is initiated.

        
19. Thus, at present time a coordinated strategic approach at European level is essential and major efforts need to be devoted to techniques for further reduction of exterior aircraft noise to overcome today's technology barrier. Hence, the objective for R&D is to enable a breakthroughs in noise control strategy.

It is worth noting that the European effort is now lagging behind the effort initiated two years ago in the US with a yearly budget for the next 7 year period of 30 million dollars on noise abatement research specifically dedicated to subsonic jet aircraft.

In order to match this, the target is to obtain sufficient funding for European Community R&D to enable an improvement of 4 to 6 decibels in the short term (5-10 years) and possibly of 7 to 10 decibels in the longer term (10 to 15 years).

        
20. While fan and jet noise are the major sources of noise on today's high bypass ratio turbofan aircraft, turbine machinery noise and airframe noise need special attention as they will increase on the even higher (very and ultra high) bypass ratio engines and very high capacity aircraft being developed.

The reduction and control of noise at source requires improved areoacoustic codes to be developed and validated; as well as the analysis of noise generation by the propulsion system and the airframe itself, the latter being particular important for the emerging high or very large capacity aircraft.

The validation of improved prediction codes must include state of the art measurements on static component rigs, in wind tunnels and in flight tests, if all the interrelated effects of engine noise sources and of the airframe are to be understood, for generating the necessary technological breakthrough.

As a complementary approach, assessment and investigation of the potential for noise reduction through use of specific flight procedures and active control technologies should be pursued.

Operational noise measurement

        
21. Should it prove impossible to work within the ICAO framework the Commission services together with ECAC could consider future rules based primarily on operational rather than certificated noise. A recent ECAC group summarised the problem thus;
Accordingly consideration could be given to making the margin of compliance for the nonaddition rule more stringent to ensure that Community air carriers can no longer add to their fleet older, hush-kitted aircraft which, although certificated to Chapter 3, only just meet Chapter 3 limits.

"It is clear that European aviation would benefit from a standard European classification. Therefore, the concept of noise classification needs to be supplemented by additional classification limits ... on the basis of the ranking of noise levels actually produced by aircraft operations in the vicinity of airports."

Such a scheme would necessitate an objective comparison of available noise certification data and noise monitoring results around European airports.

Accompanying measures

Noise abatement operational procedures

        
22. These methods of noise abatement complement progress in other areas of aircraft noise reduction, by actually operating the aircraft in the quietest way consistent with safety. In general, such methods appear to be cost-effective and intervene the least with both the interests of the air transport industry and the population living around airports. Operating procedures have been developed, and are still being continuously improved, to ensure that the safety of flight operations is maintained while minimizing exposure to noise on the ground.

        
23. The procedures are of two basic types:

        
. horizontal, through the establishment of noise preferential routes, that is routing the aircraft away from populated areas, or where that is not safe or practicable, rationing the impact of - noise between populated areas, either by concentration or dispersion.

The development of advanced flight management systems (FMS) in combination with advanced Area Navigation (RNAV), global navigation satellite system (GNSS), and datalink technologies are all helping to improve the accuracy of the implementation of horizontal noise abatement procedures. The Community is funding considerable research into the development of these systems in Europe.

. vertical, that is using approach and climb-out procedures which either:

keep the aircraft high as long as possible before landing and as soon as possible after take-off, so that the noise source is further from the ground; and/or

        
o use thrust management techniques in co-ordination with aircraft configuration so as to reduce the volume of noise produced.

Until relatively recently, the emphasis on noise abatement through the development of operational procedures in the vertical dimension has been on the take-off phase of flight, since that was broadly the most intrusive in terms of the emission of noise and its perception on the ground. Procedures for thrust and configuration management are already highly developed, being of two basic objective-related types:

. the Distant Procedure (A), aimed at the abatement of noise in a distant community

. the Close-in Procedure (B), aimed at the abatement of noise close to the airport.
    
More attention is now being given to noise during landing, and noise abatement approach procedures developed such as raising the glideslope intercept altitude. This procedure has been adopted at Heathrow, for instance, so that aircraft join the Instrument Landing System (ILS) glideslope at 3000 feet rather than 2500 feet, and being higher have a lesser noise impact on the ground.

        
24. In studying and applying the potential of navigational technologies to horizontal procedural measures, and researching the most effective and safe vertical measures appropriate to changing aircraft technology, the Commission services are of the opinion that due consideration should be given to the international dimension. Air transport is a global industry, and the procedures, hardware and techniques appropriate to defining and implementing noise abatement criteria at European airports must be compatible with world-wide standards and aircraft equipment.

        
25. That ICAO is the appropriate forum for this work, and that the Procedures for Air Navigation Services - Aircraft operations (PANS-OPSl) is the authoritative expression of internationally acceptable procedures, is confirmed by the noise abatement procedures incorporated in the proposed

ECAC Joint Aviation Requirements - Commercial Air Transportation (Aeroplanes), (JAR-OPS 1). JAR-OPS comprise common technical requirements and procedures for commercial air transportation developed by the national aviation authorities within the Joint Aviation Authorities. JAR-OPS 1.235 states that "an operator shall establish operating procedures for noise abatement during instrument flight operations in compliance with ICAO PANS-OPS Volume 1". They add that "take-off climb procedures for noise abatement specified by an operator for any one aeroplane type should be the same for all aerodromes".

Noise measurement and noise monitoring

        
26. The general framework of the Commission's overall noise policy is set out in the forthcoming Green Paper entitled "Future Noise Policy".

In its White Paper on the future development of the Common transport policy2 the Commission stressed the need to ensure that the areas surrounding the airports are adequately protected against an increase in noise volume, due to the growth in air transport, and that no new noisesensitive activities are allowed near airports. To that effect measures were announced with a view to

. introducing a standard noise exposure index

. establishing a standard method of calculation of noise exposure levels

. implementing noise monitoring, noise zoning and land-use rules around airports.

It was further highlighted that such measures would need to give due consideration to the characteristics of individual airports.

        
27. A study' into the indices and methodologies which are in use in the Community for determining the noise exposure due to aircraft operations in the vicinity of airports has shown that a large

PANSOPS - ICAO Document 8168.

2 CO M(92)494 final of 2 December 1992.

A study into existing methodologies for the calculation of noise exposure levels in and around airports, National Aerospace laboratory, the Netherlands, 1992.

variety of indices and methodologies are used in the different Member States. The Commission services see great merit in introducing a common noise exposure index2 as well as a standard methodology for the calculation of noise exposure around airports in the Community. Such common standards would make it possible to carry out a valid comparison between existing noise exposure levels and limits. They would also provide a general reference framework for assessing the compatibility of airport capacity provision with environmental objectives.

Community R&D activities should where necessary provide technical support to the introduction and the implementation of legislation on common standards.

        
28. The above-mentioned study recommended the use of the following general form of noise exposure index



where T = reference time period i = index denoting the i'th aircraft movement N = number of aircraft movements in the reference period g(i) = weighting factor for the i'th aircraft movement; this factor is dependent on the time of the day or night
L(i) = single event noise descriptor of the i'th aircraft movement.

The single event noise descriptor, i.e. the measure used to quantify the noise of a single aircraft, that is used by the majority of the Member States is the sound exposure level, SEL or Lae. The majority of Member States use a 24-hour day as their reference period. In most instances this reference period has been determined on the basis of a long term average, in general a year. The weighting factors in use differ for the different Member States, most Member States use a weighting factor that gives a penalty to night time movements.

29. The Commission services feel that the use of this index should be recommended Community wide, if necessary during a transitional period parallel to the existing index in use in each Member State.

It seems also appropriate to harmonize the day and night time period, for instance, as follows:

day time : from 07.00 to 23.00
local night time : from 23.00 to 07.00 local

        
2 A noise index can be defined as an expression to rate noise in terms of subjective annoyance over a defined period of time.

        
30. Member States use different methodologies to calculate the noise load around airports. Recently, the Commission services have participated in the activities of an ECAC subgroup which was responsible for the revision of the methodology set out in ECAC document n- 29 of 1986 "Standard method for computing noise contours around civil airports". The commission services are of the opinion that this common methodology, as revised, should be recommended Community-wide as guidance material with the view to establishing noise contours' around an airport.

31. Noise contours are mainly used

  1. . for airport planning purposes

  2. . as an input for an environmental impact assessment of airport projects

  3. . for noise monitoring, noise zoning and land-use planning purposes

            
  4. . to provide the primary information for the establishment of a noise exposure limit within a given contour, for the identification of special land-use requirements and the setting up of insulation schemes

            
  5. . to simulate changes in noise exposure level due to changes in traffic, aircraft characteristics or operational measures

            
  6. . to provide aircraft noise data for socio-psychological surveys on air traffic noise annoyance.

        
32. In order to be fully effective a noise abatement policy should include aircraft noise monitoring' as an essential component.

The main objectives of noise monitoring are

        
. to measure the noise level in built-up areas and other noise-sensitive areas around an airport and check' compliance with established maximum noise exposure levels

        
. to assess the evolution of the noise situation around an airport

        
. to assess complaints about aircraft noise

        
. to provide information to the public on the actual noise situation around an airport.

A noise contour can be defined as a line of constant value of a noise scale or index around an airport, due to the noise of a traffic mix of aircraft under normal operating conditions and using normal flight paths.

Aircraft noise monitoring can be defined as the routine measurement of noise levels created by aircraft on and in the vicinity of airports for the purpose of compliance with and checking the effectiveness of noise abatement requirements.

    
When combined with flight data from the airport surveillance radar the noise monitoring system allows compliance with prescribed standard flight procedures and tracks to be checked. Such an integrated flight track and aircraft noise monitoring system makes it possible to detect immediately violations of standard procedures, and to trace offenders against established noise limits.

In most Member States noise monitoring equipment has already been installed at least around the larger airports.

        
33. The Commission services are of the opinion that a common framework on noise monitoring could contribute to ensuring a more adequate level of protection against exposure to aircraft noise

Such a framework should contain minimum requirements on

. the method of noise monitoring

. the processing of data obtained through the monitoring process

. the presentation of information to the public on the noise situation around airports.

        
34. It is worth mentioning that in the context of the Guidelines for the development of the trans European transport network one of the priority actions for airports of common interest concerns projects for noise and flight track monitoring equipment, noise abatement infrastructure, noise information and protection facilities. Such projects are eligible for Community funding as projects of common interest in the sense of Article 129C of the Treaty on European Union.

Noise zoning and land-use planning around airports

        
35. The guidelines on noise zoning as set out in the ICAO airport planning manual' provide for the establishment of at least two zones for the purpose of land-use planning with regard to aircraft noise in the vicinity of airports.

These zones are

Zone A: where high noise exposure levels may be encountered and as a consequence, noise sensitive land-uses need to be restricted, and most such developments not permitted.

Zone B: where moderate noise exposure levels may be encountered and there may be some need to restrict land-uses and developments.

These zones can be subdivided for land-use planning purposes or with the view to identifying differences in noise insulation requirements.

        
36. The absence of noise zoning and land-use rules makes it difficult for an airport to develop its activities in an environmentally compatible way and does not offer acceptable long term environmental protection for the local population.

Doc. 9184-AN/902, ICAO airport planning manual, Part 2, Land-use and environmental control, second edition 1985 as proposed for amendment at CAEP/3 in December 1995.

The Common Transport Policy Action Programme2 (1995-2000) calls for the development of a common framework for land-use rules around airports. The Community has what can be described as a shared competence in the area of harmonisation of Member States' land-use planning rules and procedures. Under Article 130S of the Treaty of Maastricht, unanimity among Member States is required to adopt initiatives in this area.

        
37. The Commission services feel that it is important to prevent additional encroachment of incompatible land-uses as in the short term noise contours might retreat closer to the airport boundary due to the gradual phase-out of Chapter 2 aircraft at Community airports, but as discussed in Section 1 of this paper the long-term situation is uncertain.

In this context the Commission services endorse the initiative of ICAO, following the recommendations of the CAEP meeting of December 1995, in addressing a State Letter to its Contracting States. This letter highlights the vital role of compatible land-use planning with a view to ensuring that the gains achieved by continuous reduction of aircraft noise at source are not squandered by further unsuitable residential development and other noise sensitive activities around airports.

Also, it urges ICAO Member States to apply land-use planning and control measures around airports.

Currently the situation varies widely in the Community. In some Member States maximum noise exposure levels for the purpose of establishing noise zones around airports have been set by national

law. These noise zones are usually subject to land-use rules, which provide for planning constraints such as special provisions on noise-sensitive buildings.

The responsibility for the implementation of the land-use rules varies throughout the Community: from national, regional and/or local authorities to airports.

IV. Supersonic Transport (SST)

Preliminary thoughts

        
38. There is a revival both in Europe and the US of the interest in supersonic civil transport aircraft. In particular the US is planning and appears to be committed to the introduction of a second generation supersonic aircraft after the year 2005 with a predicted fleet of 500 to 1000 aircraft.

Clearly the introduction of the possible future supersonic aircraft fleet has to be in compliance with the increasing public concern and demand for environmentally acceptable, sustainable and nevertheless cost-effective and efficient air transport. As for subsonic aircraft, this requires the development of advanced, environmentally friendly technologies for the possible next generation supersonic aircraft.

    2 COM(92)302 of 12 July 1995.

39. Since 1989 US has supported its aeronautics industry (mainly Boeing and McDonnell-Douglas) through its aeronautical agency NASA, which has initiated a major R&D program over 10 years with a budget of 2 billion dollars, called the high speed research program (HSRP). Besides technology development and acquisition, the program is devoted to environmental issues related to possible impact of such a fleet on the depletion of the ozone layer and to noise issues. Within ICAO the US is pressing to achieve an internationally agreed noise standard for the yet unregulated supersonic aircraft at the CAEP/4 meeting scheduled in 1998, which would be a major milestone for going ahead with the product development phase until 2005.

        
40. Major efforts need to be devoted now to the development of technologies for reducing noise emissions and to meet the above target date.

During subsonic flight phases the goal is to achieve at least noise levels no worse than those of today's subsonic jet aircraft.

This implies that during the landing and take-off (LTO) cycle the possible future supersonic aircraft should at least meet Chapter 3 of the ICAO regulations or indeed a future increase in stringency for subsonic aircraft. To match this a major research effort is needed on variable cycle engines, i.e. high bypass ratio turbofan for subsonic and turbojet/low bypass ratio turbofan for supersonic flight.

For optimum high speed, i.e. supersonic noise, which requires a low bypass ratio cycle (almost turbojet engine), there still remains the problem of noise from the high speed exhaust jet.
Additionally concerning supersonic cruise there is the need to investigate sonic boom phenomena, including the most promising methods for their mitigation.

V. Conclusions

        
41. It seems clear that there is neither a simple nor a single solution to the problem of aircraft noise nuisance affecting the population living around airports.

This Paper has explored several policy instruments, which can individually or in concert contribute to preventing a further increase in aircraft noise nuisance due to the expected growth in the demand for air transport.

It is obvious that for each of these instruments due thought needs to be given to their technical feasibility, economic reasonableness and environmental benefits.

The possible solutions lie in the areas of

. appropriate R&D activities
. stringency standards for noise emissions from individual aircraft
. noise monitoring and zoning as well as land-use rules around airports
. noise abatement operational procedures.

42. As regards 'technical standards' the Commission services believe that

        
. in the short term, there may to be scope for Community legislation on a non-addition rule for 'hushkitted', and marginally compliant Chapter 3 aircraft to ensure that new additions reflect most recent technology

        
. in the medium term, the Community should work through ICAO for the adoption of more stringent, technically feasible and economically reasonable noise certification standards
        
. for the long term, Community R&D activities should be intensified to provide the means for a technological breakthrough enabling further reductions in subsonic aircraft noise and hence, an increase in stringency of 4 to 6 decibels within a 5 to 10 years time-horizon and possibly of 7 to 10 decibels within a 10 to 15 years time horizon

        
. for any possible future supersonic aircraft the research efforts should lead to the development of an aircraft which should at least meet the current ICAO Chapter 3 noise standards or any new increase in stringency for subsonic aircraft during the landing and take-off (LEO) cycle.

        
43. The Commission services feel that it is worthwhile to explore, preferably within an international framework, the scope for operational noise measurement.

The international framework appears also to be the most appropriate one for the further development of noise abatement operational procedures.

        
44. In the area of noise measurement, monitoring zoning and land-use rules the Commission services are of the opinion that there is merit in introducing Community framework legislation covering a standard noise exposure index, a standard method of calculation of noise exposure levels and minimum requirements for noise monitoring.

Community R&D activities should where necessary provide technical support to the introduction and the implementation of such legislation.

With the view to establishing long term environmental protection for the population living around airports the introduction of noise zoning and land-use rules appears to be the key issue.

In addition to these measures at Community level, complementary actions need to be taken at other levels to offer the best protection to European citizens.

        
45. The Commission services involved in this Consultation Paper invite all parties concerned to submit before 28 February 1997 their observations on this Paper to the Directorate-General for

Transport.

Annex 1

TABLE: SUMMARY OF AIR TRANSPORT FORECASTS

AVERAGE ANNUAL GROWTH RATE    .
SOURCE    FORECAST GEOGRAPHICAL
    PERIOD     PASSENGERS     CARGO     AlRCRAFT     AREA COVERED
                   MOVEMENTS

DG Vll study'    1990-2005     3.6%                Europe

Financial    1992-2003     5 %     6.5 %           World
Times2

Airbus3    1992-2011     5.4%     7.4%           World

Boeing4    1996-2015     4.6 %     6.7 %           Europe

Mc Donnell    1993-2013     5.7%     7.3%     3.2%6      World
Douglas5

AEA7    1996-2008     6 %          6 %      Europe

IATA8    1993 -2010     4.5 %                Europe

Eurocontrol9    1994-2001               4.5 %      Europe

Mittel und Langfristprognosen der Personenverkehrsnachfrage, Ifo Institut fur Wirtschaftsforschung, Munchen, Marz 1995.

The future of international Air Passenger Transport, into an era of dynamic change. Michel Donne, FT Management Report, London 1995.

3 Airbus Industrie, February 1993 Market perspectives for civil jet aircraft.

4 Boeing 1996 Current market outlook.

5    Mc Donnell Douglas, 1995 Outlook for commercial aircraft 1994-2013.

6 Scheduled passenger services only.

7 Association of European Airlines, Yearbook 1996.

8    Air Transport Action Group, European traffic forecasts, 1980-2010, 1996 edition.

9    European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, June 1995 Doc. no. 95.70.10.