Burlington International Airport (BTV) Announces FlightTracking and Noise Monitoring System

New System Allows BTV Airport to Analyze Noise Data and Community Members to Track

Noise Events Through Online Portal

Burlington, VT – Today, the Burlington International Airport announced the installation of a

flight tracking and noise monitoring system, paid for by grant funding from the Federal

Aviation Administration (FAA). Through the use of permanent noise monitors located in

affected areas, the Airport will be able to measure noise levels associated with aircraft

operations and provide information to individuals and communities affected by Airport

operations through an online portal.

“This system is a representation of the collaborative effort among the local community and

I am grateful for these partnerships,” said Nic Longo, Acting Director or Aviation. “Without

the support and funding provided by the Federal Aviation Administration, through their

Airport Improvement Program (AIP) Noise Compatibility Program, this project would not

be possible. I feel this system will allow community members to have a tool at their

disposal to provide noise feedback, which will inform future noise analysis.”

BTV applied for and was awarded Airport Improvement (AIP) funds to install a system to

track flights and monitor noise. The information collected through the tracking system,

Vector, will correlate to a database as well as feedback submitted by individuals. This

database will allow the Airport to more accurately analyze noise trends, as well as provide a

basis for the airport to develop a noise abatement program. It should be noted that not all

military operation paths will be visible on the flight tracking system, but their associated

noise will be recorded. A public portal will be made available for individuals to view at:

www.btvsound.com. Materials are available translated into Swahili, Mandarin, Arabic, and

Bosnian.

This tool will show decibel levels (dbA) for single noise events, which are not used within

the required FAA Noise Models and will allow residents throughout the area to view noise

events from single aircraft.

Currently the newly acquired operational noise monitors are located at Winooski City Hall

and the Chamberlain School in South Burlington. A third monitor is to be installed in

Williston, whose site has been located, and will be operational by the end of the year. The

Airport expects to maintain operations of these monitors for up to 3 years.

"I would like to thank the Burlington International Airport for hearing the voices of

Winooski residents who have asked for more transparent access to noise data. I hope this

public portal will allow concerned residents in the flight path to understand the extent of

their noise exposure with a monitor placed right in downtown Winooski,” said City of

Winooski Mayor Kristine Lott. “We appreciate the ongoing partnership with the City of

Burlington and the Airport as we continue to move forward with noise mitigation efforts

and look forward to continuing conversations about how to address concerns and work

together."

“I am pleased with this installation, as it provides good knowledge and information about

noise for the local community, which allows for better conversation regarding noise

mitigation,” said Helen Riehle, South Burlington City Council Chair and Airport

Commissioner. “I am appreciative of the effort the Airport put into applying for the grant to

install this system and bringing it into operation.”

Background

A system of this kind was included in both the 1990 approved Noise Compatibility Program

(NCP); the 2008 updated NCP, and is more clearly defined in the newest submission of the

2020 Updated NCP. Through both public comments during the NCP open comment period,

as well as through emails, the community requested that the Airport provide noise and flight

tracking data for all operations at the airport. This program will allow residents throughout

the area to view noise events from single aircraft.

This system compliments the existing Noise Exposure Map (NEM) published in 2019.

However, should not be confused with the NEM Day-Night Average (DNL) noise levels, which

averages noise over a 24-hour day with weighted penalties for night operations, over the

course of a year, which is a required average noise measurement by the FAA.

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Please visit www.btvsound.com for further information regarding Burlington International

Airport’s Noise Compatibility Program and Sound Mitigation efforts.

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