After meeting for the past three months, the O’Hare Noise Compatibility Commission’s (ONCC) Ad Hoc Fly Quiet Committee has begun consensus building for a January vote to modify the Fly Quiet nighttime noise abatement program. The committee was formed following a series of meetings in the summer in response to concern from citizen groups.
“It is my hope that the Ad Hoc Fly Quiet Committee can reach a consensus on modifications to the Fly Quiet program that can be implemented in a relatively short time frame to provide the most immediate relief to residents,” said Committee Chair and Village of Niles attorney, Joe Annunzio. “In order to accomplish those goals, recommendations must also be considered feasible to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and to the pilots,” Annunzio said.
Modifications to the program must also take into account changes that have occurred at O’Hare during the O’Hare Modernization Program (OMP), and the interim conditions that currently exist prior to full OMP buildout. Two important criteria that all options must meet are safety and efficiency. Committee recommendations will be presented to the full ONCC commission for a vote. The options must be approved by a super majority or two thirds of ONCC membership. The CDA will then submit the plan to the FAA for review and action.
At the December 14 meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee, members heard a presentation by JDA, consultants for the Suburban O’Hare Commission (SOC). Their recommendations included: adding a second departure runway during Fly Quiet Hours; avoid early termination of Fly Quiet departure procedures; assess departure flight paths from new runways and preferred departure headings for noise abatement; review existing noise headings; examine RNAV (GPS) procedures to determine how they can be better implemented; implement a runway rotation plan.
The committee will focus discussion on three initiatives: Performance Based Navigation - utilizing existing and potentially new procedures and how it can be better implemented; consideration of having three Fly Quiet Programs – evening, overnight and morning; and implementing a Fly Quiet Rotation program and making a recommendation regarding the frequency of rotation, as well as a possible rotation schedule.
Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) consultants Landrum & Brown (L&B) provided background and explanation on the initiatives and took questions from Committee members.
One modification that several committee members supported as a viable option were the RNAV departure procedures or heading modifications that would redirect departures over less populated areas. This concept was also presented and supported by JDA.
In other committee news, Schaumburg Director of Transportation Karyn Robles was selected to serve as committee vice chair.
“I want to keep the momentum for additional discussions and clarification of the options to continue throughout the coming months,” said Annunzio. “For that reason I recommended Karyn for vice-chair. I was very pleased that the committee agreed with me and voted unanimously on her leadership role,” he said.
“I look forward to serving the Committee,” said Robles. “I am confident that we can work through the options and come to a consensus, through thoughtful discussion, and have some good initiatives that we can present to the full commission that meet the safety and efficiency criteria and can be approved by the FAA,” she said.
Chairman Annunzio stated that he hoped that the Committee will continue to discuss the initiatives and alternatives and begin voting at the next Ad Hoc Committee meeting, scheduled for January 25, 2016.
According to the FAA 2005 Record of Decision, the FAA will give consideration to suggestions for changes in the Fly Quiet Program developed by the ONCC and requested of the FAA by the City of Chicago. “This is a great opportunity for the members of ONCC. We are being given a role in determining airport policy and we should not take that lightly. We will examine all of the options and choose the ones that can be implemented in the timeliest manner,” said Annunzio. “The airport has changed since the Fly Quiet Program was developed 20 years ago. It is appropriate that we are reviewing it now so that it takes into account current conditions,” he said.