§ Mr. Sandelsonasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement about the action he is taking to reduce aircraft noise under the eastern approaches to Heathrow.
§ Mr. Clinton DavisThe Civil Aviation Authority, in co-operation with my Department, has revised the air traffic control procedures for aircraft on approach to land at Heathrow from the east. The revised procedures are to be introduced on 30th December and have been designed to assist pilots to make greater use of two noise abatement approach techniques—"continuous descent" and "managed drag".
These techniques were described at a Department of Trade presentation given on 21st May and copies of a document summarising this presentation have been placed in the House of Commons Library.
It is not possible to forecast the precise scale of benefit but some noise reduction is anticipated in places between five and 14 miles from the airport due to (a) aircraft following a generally higher flight profile up to a point some 10 miles from the airport, (b) avoidance of engine power to arrest descent and maintain level flight before commencing final approach, (c) higher speeds, enabling aircraft to be flown with less drag and so less power, and (d) slightly reduced flight times over the affected areas.
The trials are planned to last for six months and an extensive programme of monitoring has been planned. At the end of the trial period the procedures will, if successful, become the standard method of operation for approaches from the east at Heathrow and studies will be made regarding their extension to approaches from the west and to other major United Kingdom airports.