ILM holds noise study workshop as residents voice concerns about excessive loud noise from planes

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Dozens of residents attended a workshop meeting held by Wilmington International Airport as part of their in-depth noise study.

The study looks at the impact of noise from commercial and military planes on neighborhoods near the airport.

It will also look at the predicted growth of the airport over the next 5 to 20 years.

The study will help guide how land around the airport could be zoned and ways to mitigate noise, if necessary.

While the study won’t impact the number of military and commercial flights landing and taking off, airport director Jeff Bourk said these sessions allow nearby residents to share their concerns.

“Its a very good process that has been in place for a very long time,” Bourk said. “We’ll be able to objectively evaluate the noise exposure around the airport. And then we can look at mitigation measures and other things available. And we can also look at voluntary procedures to help make improvements.”

Many residents voiced their concerns about the military’s use of the airport and feel the study doesn’t address their main issues.

UNC-Chapel Hill Professor Jeffery Edwards said the Day-Night Average Sound Level or DNL the study will look at won’t properly represent military aircraft’s noise impact.

“The point I’m making is that this line with this pattern also averages out to 60 decibels too, just like the blue line. so the DNL metric that this study is based on, required by the FAA, required for a 150 study, can’t tell the difference between these two lines,” Edwards said. “And so the spike pattern, which is the concern of the citizens, we know its a foregone conclusion it won’t be detected, won’t be differentiated from noise that is just at a consistent level.”

The study is federally funded and will take between 18 and 24 months to complete.