Noise break model 4 brings relief for Offenbach's population

On more than 70 percent of the days of the year, the weather is westerly: this is when Offenbach's population suffers most from the incoming aircraft. The city lies under all three flight paths of Frankfurt Airport and has been fighting for effective active noise protection for more than 15 years. "We are still calling for a ban on night flights from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., which would relieve the burden on all municipalities around the airport," emphasizes Mayor and Head of Airport Peter Schneider. "But we also recognize that the Hessian Ministry of Economics is making an effort for the first time to provide the population affected by aircraft noise with more peace and quiet, at least temporarily, with the noise break model presented." However, a noise break model could only distribute the noise, it would not reduce it. "In my view, however, everything must be done to provide real relief."

Noise break model 4 - one of a total of five models presented by the Hessian Minister of Economics last September - promises an important hour more peace and quiet for many Offenbach residents. Even though the Aircraft Noise Commission (FLK) expresses fundamental doubts about all models and has passed a so-called neutral resolution, on Wednesday it spoke out in favor of supporting a trial of Model 4 for westbound operations. It provides for no landing approaches to the center and northwest runways in the evening between 10 and 11 pm. On the other hand, there is to be quiet under the approach runway to the south runway between 5 and 6 a.m. in the morning.

According to the decision, a review by the Noise Breaks Working Group set up jointly by the FLK and the Airport and Region Forum (FFR) has shown that this model results in a mathematical situation in which the number of people who receive a noise break is significantly greater than the number of people affected whose noise break times are restricted. However, this only applies to westbound operations, i.e. approaches from the east. According to the FLK, these mathematical advantages do not exist in model variant 4 for so-called eastern operations, i.e. for departures in an easterly direction over the Offenbach city area.

Mayor Schneider supports the FLK's decision as the best option for Offenbach. He already informed the city councillor groups accordingly at a committee meeting on January 19, 2015: "Irrespective of the question of how the noise break models are to be implemented technically and operationally, variant 4 with western operation represents the greatest overall relief for the citizens of Offenbach." According to Schneider, the bottom line is that around 22,000 to 24,000 residents will experience real relief. However, this model also has winners and losers, both in the region and in Offenbach itself. A graphic created by the city (see pdf in the appendix) clearly shows the shifts in the burden and relief in Offenbach as a result of Model 4. The exclusive use of the southern runway for landings between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. means that the 45,000 Offenbach residents living below the approach path for the northwest runway in particular will have more peace and quiet (area marked in blue), as will around 16,400 people living north of the approach path for the center runway. To compensate for the noise pollution in the evening, around 13,800 affected residents in the southern districts (red area) will hear less noise for one hour in the morning. Only the Center and Northwest runways will then be approached.

"For the south of Offenbach in the evening, this corresponds to the level of noise that it had to bear before the northwest runway was built," says Schneider. "However, significantly more citizens suffer from the approach to the northwest runway. That is why the city council has repeatedly and vehemently spoken out against the construction of the northwest runway." The number of people affected in Offenbach had increased significantly with the commissioning of the Nordwestbahn. For this reason, it would definitely be a benefit for Offenbach if approaches to this runway were to stop an hour earlier at night in future. "In order to provide greater relief for the south of Offenbach, we are calling for the so-called segmented approach - not only, but also for noise break model 4 - to be seriously examined and implemented. This is particularly important if more flights are to use the center and south runways."

In addition, according to the Mayor, the ten-point catalog in which the City of Offenbach bundles its demands by resolution of the City Council continues to apply without restriction:

1. Significant reduction of aircraft noise pollution in Offenbach through a noise cap and a cap on the number of aircraft movements
2. Preparation of an air traffic forecast taking into account current national, European and international developments
3. Significant reduction in aircraft noise pollution in Offenbach through a noise cap and a limit on the number of aircraft movements
4. Ban on night flights during the statutory night from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
5. Gradual reduction of the tailwind component
6. Permanent financial compensation for all municipalities affected by noise
7. Increase the approach angle to 3.5 degrees
8. Move landing thresholds on the southern runway 1,500 m inwards
9. Regular use of the segmented approach procedure
10. Upstream, open-ended public participation

"The City of Offenbach will continue to persistently defend these demands in the future, both politically and in the ongoing legal disputes. We will not be dissuaded from this." Noise break variant 4 is now to be tested from April 2015. "If the relief effect for a net 22,000 to 24,000 Offenbach residents, as predicted by all experts, materializes, we will work towards a permanent regulation," concludes Schneider.