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Information Session on Milton and Planes

Cindy L. ChristiansenMassport Community Advisory Committee (MCAC)

Milton RepresentativeFebruary 28, 2018, Board of Selectmen Meeting at the Council on Aging,

Milton, MA

1

What is the Massport Community Advisory Committee (MCAC) and what does it do?

• Created by State Law, Acts 2013, Chapter 46, Section 55• MCAC is a State Agency• 25 Public Meetings held in 2017 – all follow MA Open Meeting

Laws• 40 Representatives, appointed by authorities in 35 cities and

towns in MA (Boston has 6 representatives)• Most members are volunteers

2

MCAC Representatives in 35 Cities and Towns

Indicates General Membership

John Nucci, East Boston, Appointed to Massport Board

Indicates Executive Committee Member

Chair of the Aviation Subcommittee

Dorchester is not represented

3

What is the MCAC and what does it do?• Five Statutory Purposes and All the Necessary Power to Carry Out Purposes

• Appoint a Massport Board Member: John Nucci; East Boston• Make recommendations on Massport’s annual budgets (MCAC has not done this)• Hold hearings (MCAC has not done this)• Review and comment on Massport annual reports (MCAC has not done this)• Make recommendations to governor and general court (MCAC has not done this)

• The MCAC has no direct connection to the FAA• “Roundtables” in San Francisco, DC, elsewhere are similar to MCAC except,

to my knowledge no other airport community committee has MCAC’spurposes and power through state legislation

4

Take Away: What is the MCAC and what does it do?

•MA law created MCAC; made it a state agency• It is big – 40 communities around Massport’s 3 airports and all other Massport activities, e.g. maritime

• It is difficult to manage in many ways, but is trying

5

What flight paths affect Milton?

R4R Arrivals about 52,000

jets/year

R27 Departures; Southbound about

6,000 jets/year

R33L Departures; Southbound about

4,500 jets/year

Current Instrument Flight Paths

R4L receives arrivals under Visual conditions and only after R4R is backed up

R4L Visual Arrivals about 6,000 jets/year

6

What flight paths affect Milton?

R4R Arrivals

R27Departures

R33LDepartures

Planned and Current Instrument Flight Paths

• FAA is doing an Environmental Assessment about the planned R 4Linstrument approaches

• R4L does not have an instrument approach• Runway 4L is the 3rd

longest runway at Logan

R4L Arrivals

7

-

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

Two Years of Jet Traffic to 4R and 4L by Month

R 4L R 4R 4R closures

6 jets to 4R for every 1 jet to 4L during this time

period (91k to 14k)

8

R 4R Arrivals 121*/day

At about 2,000 ft

R 4L Arrivals 18/day

At about 2,000 ft

R 27 Departures(southbound)

17/day At about 5,000 ft

R33L Departures (southbound)

15/dayAt about 10,000 ft

Average number of operations per day over Milton over the last 25 months

*4R was closed completely for 5 weeks and partially for 4 months in 2017

Arrivals 139*/day

Departures (southbound)

32/day

Arrivals and Departures 171*/day

9

Take Away: What are the flight paths over Milton?

• Currently:• Instrument approaches to R4R• Visual approaches to R4L• Southbound departures from R27• Southbound departures from R33L

• Not implemented but under Environmental Review• Instrument approach to R4L parallel to R4R• JetBlue Special Instrument approach to R4L• Both of these include sidestep procedures that move landing on R4R to R4L

• Most sidesteps will occur over Milton and Dorchester

• Milton is affected by about 20% of all Logan arrival and departures combined

• Not as high as close-in communities but high for communities at a comparable distance from the airport

10

Logan Runway InfrastructureHow are runways named?

1. Magnetic North Direction (e.g. 35o)2. Round to factor of 10 (e.g. 40o)3. Drop the 0 on the right (e.g. 4, call it

runway “4”)4. Are there 2 runways with the same

name? If yes, call one right, the other left (e.g. “4L” and “4R”)

11

Hull, Cohasset, Scituate

Boston, Brookline

Chelsea, Somerville, Medford, Cambridge, Belmont

Milton, Dorchester, Quincy

Runway, Arrival, Departure Names and Directions

- Watch where the nose points

Winthrop, North Shore

400

900

15002200

2700

330000 or 3600

Magnetic North

12

Logan Runways and Common Configurations, often based on Wind Direction/Speed

Some affected communities

• NE; Runways 4/9 (arrival/departure)• Arrivals: Milton, parts of Boston, Quincy• Departures: Small number in Winthrop

• SW; Runways 22L&27/22R • Arrivals: Winthrop & North Shore• Departures: Hull, Cohassett, Scituate

• NW; Runways 27&32/33L and 33L/27 (2 configurations)• Somerville, Chelsea, Cambridge, Medford, Arlington, Belmont, Milton, Hull,

Cohasset, Scituate, parts of Boston depending on the Configuration• SE; Runways 15R/9

• Arrivals: Chelsea, Somerville, Cambridge, Medford• Departures: Small number in Winthrop

• Overnight Runway 33L/15R• Arrivals: Hull, Cohasset, Scituate• Departures: Hull

13

A Northeast (NE) wind means that the wind is FROM the NE

4R & 4L ArrivalsR9 departuresExpect this configuration to handle about 35% of operations


Chelsea, Somerville, Medford, Cambridge


NE configuration

Boston, Brookline


14

Shows 2 NW configurations

Runways 27 & 32 Arrivals33L departuresANDRunway 33L Arrivals and Runway 27 departures


Chelsea, Somerville, Medford, Cambridge,

Milton , Dorchester, Quincy

NW configurations

Wind restriction on R32

Boston, Brookline


15

Overnight configuration

“Head to Head”

typically uses 15R for departures and 33L for arrivals, midnight to 5am


Boston, Brookline



Overnight Configuration


16

4L departure and 22R arrival noise restrictions (M&F&T)


Boston, Brookline



RestrictionsM=MassportF=FAAT=Tracon (FAA)

14/32 is unidirectional; arrival to R32 if NW wind>10kts; R 14 not used for departures (M&F)

15L/33R is too short to use for jets

R9 not used for arrivals (F)

17

NAME THE AIRPORT: RUNWAY LAYOUT AND WIND DIRECTION

6 RUNWAYS; 6 DIRECTIONSMaximum Arrival Capacity/hour = 61






BOSTONNW WINDS 37%, SE 17%SW 28%, NE 18%; WINDS<10 KTS ABOUT ½ THE TIME

SAN FRANCISCO

LOS ANGELES, LAX95% OF THE DEPARTURES AND ARRIVALS HEAD SW INTO PREVAILING ONSHORE WINDS

DENVER

JOHN WAYNE AIRPORTORANGE COUNTY, SNA95% of aircraft depart to the south and arrive from the north due to prevailing wind from the ocean.

LAGUARDIA18

Take Away: Logan Runway Infrastructure and Use• 6 Runways at Logan; One is too short, three have limited-use

directions, the other 2 are “just right” for Arrivals AND Departures (4R/22L and 15R/33L)

• 4R4L/9 is a NE wind configuration; 33L/27 and 27/33L are NW wind configurations

• Use restrictions at Logan that help some communities but none that help residents under the 4R4L approach paths

19

Why has air traffic over Milton (and elsewhere) changed?

• FAA is moving from a radio navigation system to a satellite navigation system

• Satellite Navigation allows• Reduced separation• Lower altitude levels for final decision to land• Concentrated and possibly shorter flight paths

• Satellite navigation is a major component of the FAA’s NextGen Program = modernization of US air-space

20

FAA Navigation SystemsRADIO/RADAROLD, Ground, radar/radio, reliable, requires more air-space to be safe

SATELLITENEW, more precise, low maintenance costs, requires less air-space• Global Navigation Satellite System GNSS

• Global Positioning System GPS; USA’s version of GNSS

21

Two Aircraft Equipment Technologies needed• ADS-B OUT; a transponder required in all aircraft flying in US by

1/1/2020• Like an ankle bracelet for planes

• GPS Receiver• For more precise instrument landings need receiver to have WAAS;

FAA’s corrected GPS• EXAMPLE: If your GPS thinks your home is next door, not a big

problem. If a pilot’s GPS thinks the runway is 50 feet to the left, could be a big problem

• Vertical and horizontal accuracies of 1 or 2 meters • In 2013 RTCA, a not-for-profit aviation association that serves

as the ‘private’ in a public-private relationship with FAA, identified WAAS as an in-progress enabler for approaches.

New Cockpit Equipment

22

Performance Based Navigation (PBN) Procedures

• PBN flight paths are Instrument procedures, all enabled by satellite systems that include GPS and WAAS-enhanced GPS.

• “Performance Based” means that PBN operations describe an aircraft’s (and pilot’s) capability to navigate using performance standards, e.g. stay within a certain lateral distance of a path’s center line

23

PBN Procedures – 5 categoriesFINAL APPROACHES

• RNAV approaches: GPS or GPS enhanced by WAAS• Example: Runway 4R approaches over Milton, Dorchester, and South Boston

• RNAV Required Navigation Performance (RNP) approaches: Highly accurate approaches, self-monitoring avionics, enable curved approaches

• Example: Canarsie, Curved approach to R13 at LaGuardia Airport

ARRIVALS• RNAV Standard Terminal Arrivals (STAR): Arrival part of the operation up to about 10

nautical miles from runway end; can use Optimized Profile Descents (OPD)

DEPARTURES• RNAV Standard Instrument Departures (SID): RNAV SIDs provide fixed, precise paths

for aircraft from takeoff to en-route airspace• Examples: R27 Departure, R33L Departure

EN-ROUTE• Q- and T-Routes: RNAV en-route procedures 24

Why has air traffic over Milton changed?

Dec 15, 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

FAA updates 4R approach for WAAS-equipped aircraft

R 27 Departure SID changed with more concentration over Milton

FAA attempt to implement R 4L(GPS) and 4L(JetBlue GPS/Visual)

Closely spaced parallel runway approach separation reduced to 1 NM

FAA finalizes STARS and some SIDS at Logan

R 33L Departure SID implemented

Wake turbulence changes for arrivals/departures (decreased separation)

Almost 100% Logan aircraft equipped for RNAV approach; about 50% equipped for RNP approach

Updates to aircraft equipment increased over time, gradually increasing the concentration of approaches over Milton

FAA transitions to Satellite Navigation, PBN, precision approaches

25

TAKE AWAY: Why the changes over Milton?• Air Travel Demand is predicted to increase• Airport Capacity is limited at Logan and elsewhere• Two ways for capacity to accommodate demand

1. Increase Infrastructure• Costly• Political Constraints• Geographic needs and barriers

2. Adopt New Policies and Procedures to make more out of less (use concentration, reduced separation, “more efficient” paths)• Inexpensive to airlines because it shifts costs• Implemented w/o thought to political consequences• Implemented w/o consideration of health and quality of life for those on the

ground

Because the airlines prefer, Congress

allowed, and the FAA encouraged #2 over

#1 to solve the predicted increased

demand problem

26

How did this happen?

Two federal laws are primary contributors to the problems Milton and many other communities experience

•Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990 (ANCA)

•FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012

27

Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990 (ANCA)• Referred to as “Ford’s Edsel” because of its consequences and

because it was sponsored by Senator Wendell Ford of Kentucky (large UPS hub in Louisville Kentucky)

• Goal was to allow airport expansion w/o having to address airport noise; get rid of differing noise rules across the country and let there be one set of rules, under the control of the FAA

• ANCA is a reason that local communities/states cannot• Require nighttime curfew of aviation flights• Introduce noise based landing fees• Slow or select airline operations• others

28

FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 • Established deadlines for existing NextGen navigation and

surveillance technology adoption• Mandated development of PBN procedures at the nation’s 35 busiest

airports by 2015 (including BOS)• Requires reports of Performance Metrics to measure the FAA’s

NextGen (modernization of US airspace) progress• Metrics that create problems for those on the ground

• Metric #1: measures the management of airport capacity• Metric #4: use of PBN procedures• Metric #5: average distance flown from key city-to-city pairs

• Other metrics related to passenger satisfaction and claimed environmental benefits

• Gate-to-gate time, average delay for all arrivals, Fuel usage, time from pushback to take-off, use of continuous climb/descent,

29

Who can lead us to solutions? • Our Federal Senators and Representatives

Who needs to help, to advocate?• Our State Elected Officials • Our Town Elected Officials• Massport Community Advisory Committee (MCAC) Representatives• Airplane Noise Advisory Committee to BoS – check out the ANAC town website• Grassroot groups including Fair Skies Nation, Milton-based• Town residents

But the solution needs to happen at the Federal Level

30

Warren & Lynch: Consensus Report BillsAir Traffic Noise and Pollution Expert Consensus Act of 2017

Lynch with Capuano and other co-sponsors HR.3938A Bill to Require a Study on the Health Impacts of Air Traffic Noise

and PollutionWarren with Markey co-sponsor S.2422

• Both require a National Academy Consensus Committee be formed to study and report on the public health effects of the current use of Performance Based Technology in the FAA's NextGen program.

• Not another typical health or exposure study• Experts review all scientific literature and write a “consensus report” on their

findings• A National Academies independent consensus report about a public health issue

often accelerates policy changes.31

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/3938?q=%7B%22search%22:%5B%22hr+3938%22%5D%7D&r=1

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/2422/text?q=%7B%22search%22:%5B%22S+2422%22%5D%7D&r=1

Take Away: How did this happen and who can fix it?Primary Causes: Changes to Aviation Law

• Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990• FAA Modernization Act of 2012

Societal Causes:• Demand• Passengers want On-time arrivals, inexpensive tickets

Airline Industry, Airport, Political Causes:• $$$• Economic growth

Who can fix it?• Congress

Who needs to help?• We all do; we all have a role; we all have things we can do to be helpful 32

MOU, RNAV, MIT Study – call it what you want but what is it?

• On 9/27/2016 FAA and Massport signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to study ways to reduce noise impacts caused by the FAA’s implementation of NextGen Performance Based Navigation, including RNAVs

• Some MCAC reps involved, came as a surprise to many others including some legislators.

• Prompted a press release from federal representatives and letter regarding need for community involvement in the study.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEOctober 21, 2016

Warren, Markey, Capuano and Lynch Call on FAA to Increase Community Participation in Process to Address Airplane Noise

Letter Follows Concerns Raised by Milton Board of Selectmen About Involvement in Process

33

SEPT 2016 • Elected officials learn of MOU; demand Community InputNOV 2016 • Milton MCAC Rep asks for Hearing… To Implement Community Outreach/Input, and to obtain

important study information (timeline, scope of work, etc.)FEB 2017 • Forum by Massport, NOT MCAC, NO Request for Information made by MCAC

• 4R/4L Arrivals: Residents/legislators repeatedly urged dispersion tests of 4R Arrival Paths and altitude increase

NOV 2016 -APR 2017

• Milton MCAC Rep discusses 4R/L concerns and test proposal with communities affected by 4R/L arrivals

MAY 5 2017

• US Senator, Congressional, State Legislator's support for 4R/4L tests recorded• 4R/4L Test proposed, requests to meet with FAA Consultant as part of outreach• 4R/4L NOT included in Block 1; Community input not incorporated• Only some departures and 33L arrivals included; WAYPOINTS needed for some of Block 1• Block 1 Test Criteria are equally met by 4R/4L

MAY 31 2017

• 4R/4L Test proposed, requests to meet with FAA Consultant as part of outreach• 4R/4L Tests are as do-able as 33L, 22L, 15R in Block 1• Asked not to bias testing in favor of 33L, 22R, 15R communities or disregard community requests

34

What happened next? Community Input Gathered and Multiple Requests Made for Inclusion in Block 1

34

Despite what Massport and the consultant say, approaches have changed

• Arrivals per hour for those under 4R&L paths and those sandwiched between the two has increased substantially. One of many examples:

• July 31, 2017 470 planes flew over the same homes and schools for 14 hours; one plane every 109 seconds

• LPV(WAAS) RNAV GPS Approaches were available for Logan Runways 12/15/2011

• 2012/2013 Massport Environmental Data Report (EDR) states it is obvious that arrival paths have been concentrated (p 186)

• Several changes from 2009 4R Procedure Chart compared to current Chart

• Sidestep to 4L• Final Approach Fix altitude was 1800 ft for the instrument approach and now

is 170035

36

DNL has increased in

Milton, decreased elsewhere

• DNL (a noise metric) in 2009 vs 2015

• Census blocks above the diagonal line had increased noise in 2015.

• Similar # of arrivals in each year.

More details provided in an “extra” slide at the end

36

Take Away• Many attempts made to balance the work for Block 1 to

include 4R/4L approaches• Work for 4R/4L would be just as doable as for the procedures

chosen for Block 1• Community Input was consistent and elected official

messages the same: • Use NextGen technology to replicate as closely as possible the

flights as flown prior to NextGen• Findings from my research on how and why approaches to

4R&L have changed were not considered37

“Block 1” (phase 1) MIT Procedure Recommendations to FAAD = Dep.A = Arr. Procedure Primary Benefits

D1Reduce climb speed for jet departures from Runways 33L and 27.

Reduced airframe and total noise during climb below 10,000 ft (beyond immediate airport vicinity). Those under 33L and 27 departures. Could be a benefit to Milton

D2Modify RNAV from Runway15R to move tracks away from Hull. (mostly used at night)

Departure flight paths moved north away from Hull

D3Modify RNAV from Runway 22L and 22R to initiate turns sooner after takeoff. Move tracks away from Hull and South Boston.

Departure flight paths moved north away from Hull and South Boston

A1

Implement an overwater RNAVapproach procedure with RNPoverlay to Runway 33L that follows the ground track of the jetBlue RNAVVisual procedure as closely as possible. (Nighttime procedure)

Arrival flight paths moved overwater instead of over the Hull peninsula and points further south

38

Reduced speed departures for Runways 27 & 33Lmostly used in NW winds. Could help communities away from the airport up to altitudes around 10,000 ft MSL



Milton , Dorchester, Quincy

Boston, Brookline


39

Reduced Speed DeparturesHansman 9/28/17

Limit climb speed on RNAV SID departures to reduce airframe noisecontribution (i.e. 220 Knots through 10,000’)

• Standard departure procedures vary by airline• Baseline: Typical profile includes thrust reduction at 1,000’ Above

Ground Level (AGL) followed by an acceleration to 250 kt climb speed and flap retraction

• Proposal: Thrust reduction at 1,000’ AGL followed by an acceleration to 220 kt climb speed or minimum clean operating speed, whichever is greater until a TBD altitude (i.e. 6,000’ or 10,000’)

• Increasing Speed Increases Airframe Noise

40

“Issues”Hansman

• Reduced speed climb profiles impact total trip fuel burn and flight time

• Magnitude varies by speed and aircraft type• Potential throughput reduction• Nonstandard relative to normal operating procedures

CLC• I’ve asked but am not clear if lower noise for slightly

longer period is considered better by those on the ground• Use and Enforcement

42

Modify 15R Departure RNAV to help Hull(mostly used at night)

43

15Rdeparture flight tracks from July 2016

Modify 22L/22R Departure RNAV to help Hull and South Boston

45

22L/22Rdeparture flight tracks from July 2016

47

Common SW wind configuration: use R22R for departures and R27 and R22L for arrivals. Want to move the departures away from Hull, but “head to head operations” require a 3.0nmseparation.

This also will be important for the Carnasie “over the water” approach to 4R

48

33L RNAV Public approach to help Hull and southshore

Mostly for midnight to 5amwhen demand is low.

Very likely approved by FAA soon.

Take Away: Block 1 of the MIT Study• 3 departure and 1 arrival procedure studied• Delayed acceleration on the Runway 27 departures might

reduce noise over Milton but we need to know more• The other 3 Block 1 study items help those burdened by

• Nighttime operations• A well-used SW wind configuration where the departures could

be moved further north “over the water”• Head to head operations, like landing on R27 and departing

on R22R require a 3.0nm separation

49

Milton’s requests for Block 2 (same as requests made for Block 1)

1. Test dispersion of several 4R and 4L arrival paths in a manner that provides overflight noise impacts that are comparable to pre-RNAV distribution.

2. Test higher altitudes and steeper glideslope for arrivals to 4R and 4L.

3. Conduct field work to1. observe the westward shift of the 4R arrivals from the

centerline flight path, 2. witness the approaches to closely spaced parallel runways that

are unique to Logan Airport, and 3. observe Milton’s geography and terrain.

50

DISPERSIONAlthough this MIT graphic was included in an early MIT presentation to show location of those filing complaints, it also reveals that the current instrument approaches (RNAVs) have condensed flight paths when compared to the one with no current RNAV. Can you identify it?

51

LOOK AT THAT DISPERSION IN 4L

APPROACHES; ESPECIALLY

COMPARED TO THE 4R RNAVAPPROACH

Don’t be fooled by the study’s dispersion graphics

52

6,009 arrivals 4,067 arrivals 6,596 arrivals

3,769 departures 2,134 departures 3,768 departures

The more flights the more it looks like the planes were dispersed. Number of flight track overlays cannot be distinguished from a few to many.

Which arrival map do you think had the fewest tracks

1. March 20102. October 20133. May 2016

Which departure month?1. December 20102. November 20133. December 2016

From Hansman’s 6/8/17 presentation

This is a “density plot”. Don’t be fooled by the study’s density plots

53

Don’t be fooled by the MIT density plots• “Red” = 9 or more fly overs/day, on average, in a year

• 9/day is 3,300 /year• 139/day, like in parts of Milton, is 50,700/year• 3,300/year is tolerable; 50,700/year is not tolerable

• The “zoom” is so high that it masks the concentration of flights at 2000 feet and lower, like they are over Milton and Dorchester

• Departures are higher sooner and this is less of a problem in their density plots

• Other serious, obvious mistakes put into question the quality of the work

• For example, no information on how high a plane has to be to be counted

54

4R (GPS/REPORTED)

4L (GPS/REPORTED)

4L (VISUAL)

IF THE ANGLE FOR THE 4L (VISUAL) IS POSSIBLE, A

SIMILAR MIRRORED ANGLE FOR A 4R (VISUAL) SHOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR

THE PURPOSE OF DISPERSING THE FLIGHTS SIMILAR TO THE SPREAD

PRE-PERFORMANCE BASED NAVIGATION

55

DISPERSIONWhy not “strings of the harp”, i.e., a “family of RNAV paths” within this triangle? We know that the FAA thinks it can have the two 4L RNAVpaths shown. If these two are possible, then so are others to the east of 4R. 4L(Visual) meets up with 4R(GPS) at about 3.0 nm from the runway end.Are greater angles at the intersection possible?How many paths are possible?How can multiple paths to the same runway ends be rotated? Hourly? Daily?

Use PBN technology to fix the problem PBN technology caused.

Procedures to Increase Arrival AltitudeAlthough community input here and across the country is consistent: planes on approach are lower now and we want them higher, like they used to beProfessor Hansman has rejected studying steeper approach paths on “safety grounds” in his 9/28/2017 (p59) briefing:

•Note: Team also reviewed and rejected based on environmental or safety grounds

• Steeper approaches on arrivals• R4R Arrivals Expressway alignment

56

We should talk about this

rejection someday too

Increased Arrival Altitude is a safety concern?• Consultant simulated noise impact improvements from

two types of steeper approaches• Reported that higher altitudes and steeper approaches

are a safety concern because of “landing excursions”• Landing excursions are accidents where aircraft veer off or

overrun the runway due to difficulties with speed management

• Cited 14 fatal accidents over a 10-year period between 2006 and 2015 that were classified as landing excursions.

• He did not report any further work.

57

58

Hansman, 5/5/2017, page 58 and 59

Increased Arrival Altitude is a safety concern?• Upon my review there is no documentation indicating that these

14 accidents were caused by a steep approach.• None of the 14 accidents occurred in the United

States. One accident occurred in each of these locations: Russia, Norway, Indonesia, Angola, Brazil, Thailand, Honduras, Sudan, Netherlands, Japan, India, Columbia, Ghana, and the Republic of Congo

• The last 2 accidents, in Ghana in 2012 and in the Republic of Congo in 2015, involved 30-year old cargo aircraft.

• Four of the fourteen were associated with wet runways and weather.

• No relevant data or reference given to indicate that a steep approach is associated with runway excursions.

59

Increased Arrival Altitude is a safety concern?• No runway excursion accidents in the United States or Canada in the

last 10 years even though there are many approach paths with greater than 3.0-degree glideslopes here.

• San Diego's Runway 27 is a 3.5-degree glideslope• Las Vegas Runway 1 has a 3.4-degree glideslope• Van Nuys has a 3.5-degree glideslope• Toronto has 2 runways with 3.2-degree and greater glideslopes• Many others

• Heathrow Airport Study, 2016, 3.2o Slightly Steeper Approach Trial Report, found

• No increase in missed approaches• No unintended consequences• Fewer noise complaints• Substantial noise reduction• Contrary to pre-study pilot opinions, speed management was not a problem

and was slightly improved for the higher 3.2-degree approach glideslope.60

Increased Arrival Altitude is a safety concern? (another example – skipped for talk)

• Silent Aircraft Initiative steeper approaches, p9• UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) guidance on steep

approaches indicates that approach• angles up to 3.5° are considered “routine” for any certificated

aircraft, • angles 3.5-4.5° are unlikely to produce significant problems in

normal operations• angles above 4.5° need specific operational and airworthiness

approval.

Therefore, the Silent Aircraft approach angle of 3.9° appears reasonable from a regulatory perspective.

Development of Approach Procedures for Silent Aircraft, Hileman JI (MIT), Reynolds TG, de la Rosa Blanco E, Law TR, Thomas S (Cambridge University), 45th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, January 2007 61

Why field work?• See the shift in the actual flight paths

compared with what is shown on the Massport flight monitor

• Many in Milton report this• Residents in Dorchester too

• Witness the sandwich created by simultaneous approaches to 4R and 4L

• Only configuration like this because the 22R/22L (opposite direction) have restrictions

• Observe the terrain, home/school locations

• Field work request by Milton on 5/5/2017; current request made through the Aviation Subcommittee Chair has gone unanswered

62

Take Away: Milton’s requests for Block 2 work• Items requested but currently not planned in Block 2 work

• Approach dispersion• Increased altitude for approaches• Field work

• Could be difficult to get any of these 3• Massport/FAA/some MCAC think nothing has changed• Consultant has removed increased altitude for approaches based on

undocumented safety concerns• Massport/consultant mention “equity” and mean that moving paths

from one community to another is a problem• But none of these barriers should stop us; much elected official

support for these efforts63

Open SID depatures could help Milton if it allowed departures to be spread out much like this “before

March 2013” graphic shows but we also should ask for relief for those living in locations closer to the runway

end too 64

FAA requires 3.0+ nm separation between “head to head” simultaneous operations.

Cannot accept a procedure that adds to the noise burden of an area already heavily hit, like Hull

The consultant has shown approaches to 4R that would not go over Hull but would go over areas with little current air traffic in parts of Weymouth, Hingham, and even over the highway, but these are being labeled as having “equity issues”.

Why “over the water” 4R approaches might not work

68

69

CLC ISSUESNeed to be careful to ask 1st for PBN procedural study and changes that will benefit us the most. Those are

• dispersion using RNAV families (more strings on the harp)• increased altitude

What are some of the challenges to Milton? I think safetyAPPROACH PROCEDURES• 4R RNAV (GPS)• 4R CAT I, II, III (so all weather conditions)• 4L RNAV(GPS)• 4L RNAV (VISUAL), an instrument gps approach in visual conditionsSIDE STEPS• 4R(GPS) to 4L; on the chart for 4R(GPS)• 4R to 4L, part of 4L RNAV(visual) that allows pilots lined up around NABBO to aim toward WITRR instead of MILTT and then to join up with

the 4L straight-inGLIDESLOPES - important for safety because of separation• 4R RNAV (GPS) 3.0• 4L RNAV (GPS) 3.1• 4L RNAV (VISUAL); From some calculations I did I think it is 3.0, which is not consistent with 4L RNAV (GPS)• Side step 4R (GPS) to 4L 2.77 degree descent angle; from an FAA email: "Minimum angles do not apply to sidestep maneuvers so I

dismissed problems of angle being below 3.00 VGSI angle."SEPARATION MINIMUMS• CLOSELY SPACED PARALLEL RUNWAY ORDERS now down to 1 NM through “reCat” of wake turbulenceAIRPORT ARRIVAL RATE - AAR• The 4R/4L arrivals with 4R/4L/9 departures has an AAR of 61, about another 33% of what is landing nowOur Challenge: FAA thinks• That it can SAFELY land 61 planes/hour to these 2 runways using the PROCEDURES, SIDESTEPS, GLIDESLOPES, AND MINIMUM

SEPARATION LISTED ABOVE• And that this will have NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE RESIDENTS IN MILTON, DORCHESTER AND SOUTH BOSTON WHO LIVE UNDER

THESE FLIGHT PATHS70

What are some of the challenges to Milton? I think our location and the imbalance in communities’ representation.• 20% of all Logan operations; we get 1 vote out of 40 just like town/cities that have 0%

of operations. No Dorchester rep, inactive reps in Canton and Randolph; few others to combine our voices with because the R4/L approaches mostly affect Milton, Dorchester, then S Boston

• Incorrect statements made by Massport about “Milton’s planes” and “nothing has changed”

• We have grass, parks, school campuses – all places that the FAA likes to fly-over• We are in the direct path of 2 closely spaced parallel runways, FAA prefers straight-in

approaches• No community complaints about departures when 4R&L/9 configuration is used• Equity concerns related to shifting flight paths even though the current shifts and

concentrations were done without consent of those on the ground in these sacrificial neighborhoods 71

What are some of the challenges to Milton? We have residents under arrival and departure paths.

• A much-needed runway use plan needs to accommodate the fact that Milton, and several other non-abutting communities, are affected by more than 1 configuration

• The Logan CAC runway use plan and study did not• Risk of forming “sides”, in-fighting which works against the

cause• Need education, do our own field work to experience what

others live with, better understanding of experiences in other communities

• As demand for nighttime operations increase, Milton and the entire region are at risk for increased nighttime noise (won’t be able to use head-to-head configuration) 72

What can residents do?• Continue to educate yourself, like you are doing tonight; we need all

the brain power we can get• Contact federal elected officials and ask that they change or replace

ANCA of 1990 and the 2012 FAA Modernization Act to protect the quality of life, health, and property values of people on the ground

• Continue your advocacy work, file complaints, because that will help your federal officials set this as a priority

• Expect your local and state elected officials also to be advocates –which they are

• Focus some efforts towards temporary or small fixes• Airlines and vortex generators• Help to get the consensus report bills passed• Advocate that the MCAC or Massport develop a community-sensitive runway

use plan73

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Ending with a rosy picture because there are reasons for hope and reasons for not giving up.

Thank you for coming, listening. I hope you will now participate in the discussion.

(The next 4 slides are just extra information.)

March MCAC Meetings (check massportcac.org for updates and changes)

• 15th of March, usually 3-4pm, Executive Committee Meeting, Transportation Building, Boston, 10 Park Plaza, Floor just above the food court

• 15th of March, 4-6pm General Members Meeting• 21st of March, late afternoon, time not set, Aviation Subcommittee

Meeting, with MIT Study consultants, Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) Board Room, Boston City Hall, 1 City Hall Square

• Date not set; likely 4pm on a Monday in March, Meet the 2 candidates for the MCAC Executive Director position

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22L and 27 Arrivals22R departuresExpect this configuration to handle about 30-40% of operations




SW configuration

Boston, Brookline


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15R arrivals and Runway 9 departures

Seldom used;FAA likes to have 2 arrival runways

Hull, Cohasset, Situate



SE configuration

Boston, Brookline


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DNL has increased in Milton, decreased elsewhere

• Milton• 60% of the 405 census blocks had increases of 1 dB or greater in 2015

compared with 2009, 10% greater than 2 dB, 5% greater than 2.5 dB, and, as in Dorchester, the greatest increases occur along the 4R&Lapproach paths

• Only 0.5% of Milton’s census blocks had decreases in 2015 compared to 2009, with the greatest decrease being only 0.12 dB

• Braintree and Weymouth• All the 33 census blocks in Braintree and all the 130 census blocks in

Weymouth that are included in the EDR had DNL < 45 in 2009 and remained less than 45 in 2015

• No census block in either community had an increase in DNL in 2015 when compared to 2009

• Although all census blocks started with DNLs < 45, each decreased further in 2015 with 38% of the blocks in Braintree and 46% of the blocks in Weymouth dropping by 1.5 dB or greater

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