Night flights: ADM changes direction

Set up in September 2006, this procedure had for main objective to reduce plane noise between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. over residential areas in St. Laurent and Ahuntsic-Cartierville. It required the pilots to make a left turn as soon as they took off from runway 06G to then fly over highway 13.

What seemed to be a good idea on paper wasn’t as effective as it should have been. Data showed that only about 30% to 40% of the planes were able to execute the manoeuvre. Many pilots weren’t able to gain the required altitude quickly enough to make the turn. It resulted in most planes not being able to fly close enough to the highway while being less than 2,500 feet above residential areas.

“Even with all the efforts put in by everyone involved, we realized that the left turn doesn’t solve all the problems,” said president of the Comité consultatif sur le climat sonore de l'aéroport, Normand Boivin. “We’ll keep looking for other ways to reduce noise level,” he added.

In about a year, ADM should come up with a new suggestion that will take in consideration the minimum altitude and number of decibels recorded of planes flying over residential sectors.