The Umwelt- und Nachbarschaftshaus regularly receives questions by telephone or by e-mail on individual matters, in particular, of course, on air traffic noise, the current situation, but also on the expected developments. Articles in the press often identify interesting aspects which it is worth pursuing. 

This page is not meant to represent the usual FAQ page, but rather highlight interesting questions, anonymising these as necessary, and then provide generally comprehensible answers. The answers do not always provide concrete information; often it is sufficient when information and facts are placed side by side so that any interested party can form his or her own opinion.

In connection with the “noise abatement package” it is being discussed that the west should be given further noise breaks at the expense of the east based on the use of operating direction 07 (landing in the east direction).

Whether this burden is comparable (landing direction east / landing direction west) can be debated under two different aspects:

- the number of overflights on approach
- the altitude during overflight

The following contains some figures for the second aspect.

Note: The numbers in brackets reflect the observed coordinate window. The evaluation was made on the basis of transponder data which do not reflect all flights and in some cases are not very precise. For this reasons the results should be treated with caution. 

 A higher approach angle means a greater overflight altitude on approach to the airport and thus less noise arriving in the residential areas below the approach corridor. The standard is 3 degrees which applies, for example, in Frankfurt. For the new North-west runway 3.2 degrees is also to be made available. Some people are asking why not go even higher, to 3.5 degrees or more? In London, for example, they go up to 5.5 degrees!

The ICAO provides the answer itself:
(quote from the original regulations)

PANS – OPS,  Doc. 8168- VOL I, Part I, Section 7 “Noise Abatement”, Chapter 3.4, page I-7-3-2f

“When it is necessary to develop a noise abatement procedure … glide path or approach angle  should not require an approach to be made … above an angle of 3° except where it has  been necessary to establish, for operational purposes, an ILS … greater than 3°.”

In short: no approach angle over 3 degrees except for operational reasons (e.g. obstacle).

By the way: Any pilot who wants to land in London City at 5.5 degrees needs a special permit:

Source: UK AIP for LONDON CITY,  Page: AD 2-EGLC-1 - 7 Airport Regulations

No aeroplane registered in the United Kingdom shall use the aerodrome unless there is contained in its Flight Manual data and procedures for approach path angles of 5.5° or steeper and no other aeroplane shall use the aerodrome unless it has data and procedures for approach path angles of 5.5° or steeper which have been approved or otherwise authorised by the regulatory authority of the State in which it is registered.