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Summary Reagan National Airport Community Working Group

Regular Meeting (19) – January 25, 2018 Date: January 25, 2018 Time: 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. Location: Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) Terminal A – Historic Lobby Conference Center Agenda: November 30, 2017 Summary, FAA Update, Working Group Discussion Working Group Members Present:

Dick DeiTos Metropolitan Washington Airlines Committee Marcio Duffles District of Columbia - Ward 3 Ken Hartman Montgomery County John Mitchell Prince George’s County - Accokeek Ron Montague Arlington County Tracy Montross American Airlines Jim Phelps Fairfax County – Dranesville Mike Rioux Fairfax County – Mount Vernon Susan Shipp Montgomery County - Outside Beltway Steve Thayer City of Alexandria Edward Williams Prince George’s County - Ft. Washington

Alternates:

William Noonan Montgomery County – Inside Beltway Janelle Wright Montgomery County - Outside Beltway

Agenda Item 1 – Welcome and Updates: Margaret McKeough, MWAA Chief Operating Officer:

Welcomed Working Group.

Facilitated the introduction of staff representing Maryland U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin. 1A) Approval of November 30, 2017 Meeting Summary and 2 Addendums to October 26, 2017 Meeting Summary:

o Approved.

Agenda Item 2 – FAA Update:

Margaret McKeough:

o MWAA received notification Thursday afternoon that FAA was unable to participate in

the meeting.

o FAA informed MWAA that community outreach for the Reagan National Working Group

will now be managed by FAA’s new Eastern Regional Administrator, Jennifer Solomon.

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o FAA stated they need a 30-day notice to accommodate Working Group agenda topics to

ensure the availability of appropriate FAA staff to compile and present information.

Discussion:

Mike Rioux:

o Fairfax County - Mount Vernon District will contact elected officials (Board of Supervisor

Dan Storck and Chair Sharon Bulova, Congressman Don Beyer) to express frustration

regarding FAA’s lack of community outreach participation.

o Mount Vernon District is frustrated and perplexed by FAA’s recent lack of participation, “Lack of

Participation = No Progress.”

Ron Montague:

o Working Group needs the appropriate FAA staff at the table; Eastern Regional

Administrator is not the right person to solve DC airspace procedure problems.

o Communities cannot tell Air Traffic Control how to fly the aircraft; we can advise them

about our concerns but FAA must fix the problem.

o There are a number of airports filing lawsuits (BWI, PHX, SNA) due to the FAA’s lack of

community participation.

Steve Thayer:

o In 2015, FAA touted the Reagan National Working Group as their model for community

outreach because it had participation from FAA, Airports Authority, Airlines and Citizen

Representatives.

o Without FAA, Working Group loses access to FAA 7100.41 updates for airspace

procedure changes already in motion.

Margaret McKeough:

o Until Fall 2017, Working Group had dedicated FAA airspace procedure (design) resources

under Lynn Ray’s leadership as FAA VP Mission Support Services ATO.

o Working Group no longer has direct access to the same dedicated resources (John

Belk/FAA PBN Lead and Bennie Hutto/FAA NACTA).

o Recently, FAA clearly stated that the Working Group’s primary communication contact

will be thru the newly-appointed Eastern Regional Administrator in New York, who will

identify resources to respond to Working Group requests.

o For most issues, airports typically work thru their local FAA representative (Airport

District Office) and their Regional Administrator, however, it is a change for the Working

Group to be directed to the Regional Administrator’s office.

Ken Hartman:

o On January 3, 2018, BWI Working Group Chair sent an email to their members stating the

following information received from FAA:

PBN Working Group process is over; FAA doesn’t intend to take any other action

beyond moving departure corridors.

FAA doesn’t intend to re-create arrival/departure dispersion or increase altitudes.

FAA is scheduled to attend BWI Roundtable meeting in February or March 2018.

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o Lack of FAA correspondence to Reagan National Working Group indicates that FAA is

going to do minimal work.

o As an MWAA Working Group, it’s difficult to send formal letters to elected officials or

work with delegations. It’s up to Working Group members to notify their elected officials

and delegates that the Working Group appears to be at an impasse with FAA.

Janelle Wright:

o BWI Roundtable also shared that FAA is holding another PBN .41 meeting in February

2018.

o Potomac Consolidated TRACON tour revealed that .41 meetings don’t include noise

experts to advocate for choices that would generate better community outcomes. Will

MWAA attend and advocate for our communities and recommendations?

Mike Jeck / MWAA Noise Office:

o MWAA has not received an invitation to the PBN .41 February 2018 meeting.

o MWAA will contact the FAA regarding the FAA PBN 7100.41 meeting scheduled for

February 2018.

o PBN Working Group meetings are proprietary, technical meetings between air traffic

controllers, airspace designers, chief pilots; they know the overall issues and have

received the DCA Working Group’s recommendations.

Margaret McKeough:

o MWAA will continue to challenge FAA to align the .41 process with the Working Group’s

Recommendations, specifically, South Flow Departures.

Agenda Item 3 – General Working Group Discussion: 3A) Master List - Outstanding Tasks:

o Distributed.

3B) By-Laws:

Brian Stout: o By-Laws Sub-Committee met by tel-con on January 24, 2018. o Sub-Committee is still amending the Draft By-Laws, which are derived from the Working

Group Charter, to address process improvements, funding and additional resources including a mechanism for hiring consultants.

o Goal is to complete Draft By-Laws in February for action at the February Working Group meeting.

3C) Airline Perspective on Noise: Airlines for America (A4A) Presentation: Airlines and Aircraft Noise Management & Reduction Nancy Young / A4A VP Environmental Affairs

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Presentation Discussion:

Nancy Young: o U.S. aviation industry has a strong noise reduction record. o Since 1975, passenger enplanements have quadrupled while population exposure has

decreased by 94% inside the 65 DNL contours. Population counts are based on census data; noise exposure based on an average

24 hour period around an airport. In 2018, FAA is scheduled to release a report culminating their research on 65

DNL and other metrics. o Airlines continue to work closely with aircraft manufacturers to support R&D programs

and aircraft technology improvements for engines and airframes. o Aircraft noise standards are set at the international level and the U.S. adopts those

standards into law. Noise policies are intended to augment noise standards, i.e. - sound insulation programs, Part 150 studies that may be funded by Airport Improvement Programs (airlines) and passenger facility charges.

o Overall goal has been to reduce the number of people exposed to aircraft noise. o NextGen has been equated with increased noise exposure, however, it also a critical

infrastructure for the U.S. that provides benefits: Reduced delays and operating costs Improved safety Improved fuel burn and carbon dioxide emissions Efficiently transfer radar-based navigation to satellite-based navigation

Mike Metcalf: o Noise levels may be reduced overall but increased over specific neighborhoods.

William Noonan: o Mitre Corporation completed an FAA study that estimated DCA fuel savings to be 2.5

gallons/flight.

Nancy Young: o Airlines are keenly focused on fuel burn and emissions reductions which can be achieved

through: Airspace improvements Lighter aircraft Operational changes Engine technology

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o Even though there are multiple benefits to NextGen, including reducing the number of people exposed to aircraft noise, there are always negative implications associated with procedure changes.

o Challenge is to implement an improved airspace navigation system that brings the U.S. air traffic control system into the modern age while addressing negative impacts, i.e. –

Changing the people exposed to aircraft noise Impacts of focused routes

Janelle Wright: o In 2012, the original intent of NextGen was improved cross-country, direct routes that

would save fuel and reduce emissions. That process has not happened. o Instead, NextGen redesigned terminal airspace around 35 Metroplexes, including DC, to

increase capacity and reduce separation minimums.

Nancy Young: o NextGen is a comprehensive process being phased into the system. FAA can’t turn it on

all at one time. o A4A is not the FAA but our organization has been pushing FAA to do a better job with

NextGen implementation.

Susan Shipp: o You stated that aircraft are currently 50% quieter than 10 years ago. How is that

measured?

Nancy Young: o Aircraft noise levels are compared using Part 36 – Noise Standards: Aircraft Type and

Airworthiness Certification, where aircraft noise levels are measured under strict certification standards at 3 different points along the flight (approach, departure and sideline).

o Airlines continue to invest in new products; new generation equipment is ~15-20% quieter than legacy equipment.

For example, American Airlines has retired ~460 aircraft since their merger and replaced with new generation equipment.

o At the end of 2017, Stage 5 standard became effective for new commercial aircraft. Every new noise standard pushes the industry to make better, quieter aircraft.

From a marketing perspective, airframe manufacturers will drive existing, in-production aircraft to meet that new standard because airlines only want to purchase aircraft that meet current noise standards.

o Airlines work on procedures to reduce noise exposure and precision navigation can help: PBN blueprints Continuous Descent Approach:

Airlines are supportive of CDA procedures and will incorporate where feasible.

Aircraft are gliding, versus applying thrust, which reduces noise exposure and emissions.

o A4A members continue to work on environmental issues: Development/incorporation of alternative fuels. Reduction of NOx that contribute to local air quality problems. Previously eliminated smoke and carbon monoxide.

o There is no “Silver Bullet”, the noise reduction process is more comparable to “Silver Buckshot” where several things come together to reduce noise.

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Tracy Montross: o By 2020, American Airlines will retrofit their Airbus fleet with vortex generators to reduce

whistling noise. o Another option is to develop procedures that model RNP (such as an RNAV GPS

procedure) but do not require RNP avionics.

Margaret McKeough: o RNAV GPS proto-type was previously developed by FAA in response to a Working Group

request to position aircraft over the river during inclement weather. It is still an open item that the Working Group has not endorsed or opposed due to a lack of requested data.

Mike Jeck: o 90-95% of aircraft can fly RNAV o 40-45% of aircraft can fly RNP which requires special equipage o GPS is an RNAV; although a GPS procedure can closely mimic a curve, it doesn’t quite

have same high level precision as an RNP.

Mike Rioux: o In Europe, air traffic infrastructure is designed for Constant Descent Approach. o Future Working Group Agenda Item: What is the possibility of implementing Constant

Descent Approach procedure at DCA?

Tracy Montross: o Thanked Nancy Young for A4A presentation. o Reiterated the industry is committed to reducing noise. American Airlines is actively

engaged with communities, FAA, Chief Pilots and airframe manufacturers. American Airlines has representation on several community roundtables (DC,

Charlotte, Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles). o American Airlines is also taking pro-active measures related to diversions at DCA. At

American Airlines’ Integrated Operations Control Center in Dallas, TX, there is an internal working group that evaluates irregular nighttime operations/diversions into DCA and discusses the impact of diverting that aircraft to IAD.

o Chief Pilots also discuss DCA procedures at their Annual meeting in the spring.

3D) DC Noise Study and Lawsuit Oral Arguments:

Marcio Duffles: o DC Noise Study: Phase 1 analysis of existing noise monitoring data has been completed;

Phase 2 funding has been established and will provide 30-days of continuous monitoring. o Lawsuit: Attended oral arguments. Judge’s ruling expected in 3-4 months.

Agenda Item 4 – Other Business/Next Meeting Agenda: 4A-B) ANEEM / B&K Software Update:

Mike Jeck: o Mobile Complaint App for DCA and IAD will be available to download from the App

Store on February 5, 2018 (Apple and Android). o Bruel & Kjaer is tentatively scheduled to attend an upcoming Working Group meeting

to discuss software updates. o 2017 complaint data will be released after Bruel & Kjaer Community Complaint

Dashboard software issues have been resolved.

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4C) DCA Tower Tour:

Mike Jeck: o FAA offered one tour for 6 people. o FAA requested Working Group pick one date: February 20, 21 or 22, 2018. MWAA

previously distributed offered dates to the Working Group. o Working Group consensus was February 22, 2018 with at least one member from each

jurisdiction. o MWAA will distribute Working Group member signup to attend the DCA Tower Tour

tentatively scheduled for February 22, 2018 with at least one member from each jurisdiction.

o MWAA will contact FAA to schedule a DCA Tower Tour for February 22, 2018, with an additional request for more tours.

4D) Next Meeting:

Meeting Schedule: o Next Meeting: February 22, 2018

Action Items – Prior to Next Meeting or Future Meeting:

MWAA:

MWAA will contact the FAA regarding the FAA PBN 7100.41 meeting scheduled for February 2018.

MWAA will distribute Working Group member signup to attend the DCA Tower Tour tentatively

scheduled for February 22, 2018 with at least one member from each jurisdiction.

MWAA will contact the FAA to schedule a DCA Tower Tour for February 22, 2018, with an additional

request for more tours.

Working Group:

Fairfax County, Mount Vernon District will contact elected officials (Board of Supervisor Dan Storck and Chair Sharon Bulova, Congressman Don Beyer) to express frustration regarding FAA’s lack of community outreach participation.

Future Working Group Agenda Item: What is the possibility of implementing Constant Descent Approach procedure at DCA?