Satnav and aircraft noise: also see respite
More technical information about aircraft satnav - also known P-RNAV
Basic Area Navigation (B-RNAV) is what was in operation across the UK up to the start of 2017.
Under B-RNAV, aircraft could fly up to 5 miles either side of the centre line of a flight path. For Newcastle Airport, this looked like the image above.
This 5 mile lateral dispersion meant that the noise was shared and less frequent and occasional bad noise events mattered less. Most people could live with that.
Aircraft Noise Action Group wants Newcastle Airport to revert to this mode of operation and stop using the P-RNAV enforced 1 mile lateral dispersion.
Newcastle Airport is not short of airspace and does not need to use the satnav driven P_RNAV.
Precision Area Navigation (P-RNAV) is what came into operation at Newcastle the start of 2017 (and at some other UK airports).
Under P-RNAV, aircraft are limited to flying 1 mile either side of the centre line of a flight path. For Newcastle Airport, this looks like the image above.
The 1 mile lateral dispersion means that noise is not shared, is more frequent and bad noise events happen more often and therefore matter a lot more. A lot of people can't live with this.
Aircraft Noise Action Group wants Newcastle Airport to stop using this mode of operation and revert to using the 5 mile lateral dispersion in force before 2017.
Newcastle Airport is not short of airspace and does not need to use satnav driven P_RNAV.