Turn before Runway End

Transcription

1 Metropol litan Air rports Commission Runw way 12L Dep parture Turn before Runway End

2 Runway 12L Departure Turn before Runway End Table of Contents Executive Summary... 2 Introduction... 3 Background... 3 Recent Technology Enhancements... 4 Runway 12L Departure Turn Penetration Gate... 5 Aircraft Departures Off Runway 12L November Discussion... 8 Review of Corridor Compliance... 9 Noise Level Trends Recent Historical Use of Runway 12L for Departures Supplemental Analysis Summary

3 Minneapolis - St. Paul International Airport Noise Oversight Committee Runway 12L Departure Turn before Runway End Report January 2014 Executive Summary The report presents an analysis based, in part, on new NextGen data that provides the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) the capability to carefully examine flight tracks beginning on the runway surfaces and near the runway ends at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP). The historical information presented provides the context, intent, previous MAC/Noise Oversight Committee/Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)/User actions, and related background information that serves as a baseline for on-going review of the Minneapolis - St. Paul International Airport Runway 12L Departure Turn before Runway End into the future 1. Using the FAA s Airport Surface Detection Equipment Model X (ASDE-X) flight track data made available to the MAC in November 2013, a penetration gate analysis was completed at the end of Runway 12L to detect early turns of aircraft before the flight track reached the end of the runway. This report found that a small number of air carrier departures, primarily regional jets, crossed the north edge of Runway 12L, while in flight, prior to reaching the end of the runway. The exact cause for a low number of specific flights crossed the edge of Runway 12L in November 2013 is unknown. However, it is highly probable that wind, weather, FAA instructions and pilot actions were contributing factors to varying degrees of influence. The implementation of the turn procedure after reaching the end of Runway 12L in 2005 was, and is, designed to reduce the number of flights crossing the northern boundary of the Eagan Mendota Heights Corridor. The procedure has served that purpose well, based on relevant data provided in the Supplement Analysis of this report, which shows that a very small percentage of Runway 12L departures have flight tracks north of the northern boundary of the Corridor. Monthly average aircraft Day-Night Average Sound Level (DNLs), as measured by equipment that monitors flight operations on Runway 12L, have declined steadily in recent years. 1 Additional technical data and discussion are included in the Supplemental Analysis of the report. 2

4 Minneapolis - St. Paul International Airport Runway 12L Departure Turn before Runway End Supplemental Analysis Introduction The 2014 Work Plan for the MSP Noise Oversight Committee (NOC) includes a task titled Eagan Mendota Heights Corridor Runway 12L Turn Compliance. In basic terms, Runway 12L turn compliance means that the aircraft departure turns off of Runway 12L are to be initiated after the departing aircraft has reached the end of the runway. This Supplemental Analysis provides additional information regarding the turn compliance topic. Background On January 19, 2005 Mendota Heights NOC Representative Ultan Duggan offered the following request on behalf of the Mendota Heights Airport Relations Council (MHARC) for NOC consideration: Can the balance between airport capacity off of the parallel runways and maintaining the integrity of the Mendota Heights Eagan Corridor be better done by having the tower order a 090 track effective from the end of the runway rather than at wheels-up? The intent of the request was to have aircraft begin 090 turns at the end of Runway 12L, in order to avoid to the extent possible, departing aircraft operations outside of the northern corridor boundary and subsequently north of Highway 110 due to a mid-field, or wheels up, 090 heading turn. Having aircraft departing Runway 12L stay inside of the north boundary of the corridor is the goal of a long-standing noise mitigation operational procedure at MSP that directs as many aircraft operations as possible over more noise compatible land uses in Eagan and Mendota Heights. These land uses within the Corridor date back decades and contain significant numbers of industrial, commercial, and office buildings that were concentrated purposely in this largely commercial/industrial zoning and development area. Further, public review of the Corridor dates back to 1968 and in 1969 the Preferential Runway System (PRS) formalized a public/airport/user consensus to concentrate departing aircraft over the unpopulated Minnesota River bottoms and lands zoned industrial/commercial. Considering this Corridor history, the NOC met on March 17, 2005 and unanimously directed staff to enter into discussions with the FAA and the Northwest Airlines Chief Pilots to investigate the feasibility of the MHARC s proposal presented at the January 2005 NOC meeting. Following this NOC directive, MAC staff had discussions with the respective parties and it was determined that the proposed procedure did not impact safety or runway capacity during good weather conditions, nor did it present pilot concerns, and it could be implemented by having air traffic control instructing departing aircraft to turn upon reaching the end of Runway 12L. In 3

5 addition, the discussions brought to light the necessary discretion that could be exercised by an air traffic controller based on safety, poor weather, low visibility, wind conditions and similar factors to issue a 090 heading before the departing aircraft crossed the end of Runway 12L. Further, during the discussions the FAA conveyed a view that the proposal had the potential to increase compliance with the long-standing Corridor operations policy at the airport and that further environmental analysis was not required. On May 17, 2005 the City of Mendota Heights City Council passed Resolution No : A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT THE FAA NOT ISSUE 90 HEADINGS OFF RUNWAY 12L UNTIL DEPARTING AIRCRAFT REACH THE END OF RUNWAY 12L With this information in hand, on May 26, 2005 the NOC endorsed implementation of the procedure and recommended approval by the MAC Finance, Development and Environment Committee (FD&E) by a vote of 11-1, with the at-large community NOC representative from Inver Grove Heights voting nay. At the June 8, 2005 FD&E meeting, following a presentation of the proposal by Chad Leqve MAC Environment, John Huber - Mayor of Mendota Heights, Ultan Duggan Mendota Heights City Council and NOC representative, and Elizabeth Petschel (MHARC), MAC Commissioner Williams moved the following motion, which passed unanimously: TO RECOMMEND THAT THE FULL COMMISSION REQUEST THE FAA MODIFY THE MSP TOWER ORDER TO CLARIFY THAT THE DEPARTURE HEADING ASSIGNMENTS OFF RUNWAY 12L WILL BE ISSUED UPON DEPARTING AIRCRAFT REACHING THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OR HIS DESIGNEE TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS. On June 20, 2005 the full MAC Commission passed the FD&E motion stated above unanimously; shortly thereafter the FAA modified the MSP Tower Order procedures to incorporate language concerning departure turns off of Runway 12L at the runway end under certain non-simultaneous departure conditions. Recent Technology Enhancements Effective October 1, 2013, the MAC entered into a License Agreement with Exelis Incorporated for products and services related to NextGen Data aircraft track feeds to the MAC. Exelis owns and operates a national network of service delivery points at FAA air traffic control facilities to which Exelis delivers Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data and from which the US Government provides Exelis with radar surveillance data and thence the radar data is conveyed to the MAC. NextGen data are defined in the Exelis License Agreement as: 4

6 NextGen Data is a multi-sensor based surveillance fused data feed available for the U.S. National Air System (NAS) The NextGen dataa feed contains ADSby Exelis, B data derived directly from the U.S. national ADS-B Network owned and the U.S. Government-sourced data includingg but not limited to: FAAA en route and terminal secondary surveillance data, airport surface surveillance data from the FAA Airport Surface Detection Equipment Model X (ASDE-X), Wide Area Multilateration (WAM) from the FAA deployed WAM systems and flight plan data from the FAAA host system Of significance to the Runway 12L departuree turn analysis is the capability attained by the MAC to accesss the ASDE-X NextGen track data, which allows the MAC to view aircraft ground and runway movements at MSP. In the past, the MAC processed flight track data in a manner that began recording the data after aircraft had passed the end of the runway. This filter allowed MAC staff to better screen out erroneous aircraft location data points on the field unrelated to flight, such as aircraft push- data backs from gates, and, aircraft movements on taxi-ways. With the new NextGen ASDE-X feed, aircraft location data resulting from movement on the runway surfaces is more accurate. Thus, MAC is now equipped to examine departures on Runway 12L and associated departure turns. On November 1, 2013, the MAC began collectingg the NextGen flight tracking data for its Noise and Operations Monitoring System (MACNOMS). Runway 12L Departure Turn Penetration Gate Using the ASDE-X data for the full month of November 2013, MAC staff examined flights departing Runway 12L. A penetration gate was established that was one mile in width, perpendicular to the centerline of Runway 12L and extending one-half mile northeast and southeast from the centerline. This gate was used to analyze all the departuree flight tracks for air carriers during November A graphic of the penetration gate is shown below: 5

7 Aircraft Departures Off Runway 12L November 2013 A total of 1,280 carrier jet departures off of Runwayy 12L crossed the penetration gate in November Of these departures, 182 departuress were recorded on the ASDE-X data initiating a turn before the runway end. Of these departures, 181 carrier jets turned north of the runway end and 1 carrier jet turned south of the runway end. Runway 12L is 8,200 feet in length and 150 feet wide. The number of aircraft turning prior to reaching the runway end comprises 14% of the Runway 12L carrier jet departures that crossed the penetration gate for the month. The penetration gate showing the flights is provided below: A graphic showing the penetration gate and the 1,280 flight tracks overlaid on the airport layout map is shown below: 6

8 The graphic below shows the placement of the 182 flights that turned prior runway end. to reaching the Of the 182 flights that turned prior to the runway end, 23 aircraft (2%of the total 1,280 departures) were north of the Eagan-Mendota Heights Corridor and were thereforee not compliant with the Departure Corridor Procedure. Thee remaining 159 flights returned to the corridor prior to exiting the Minnesota River Valley, and thus did not overfly residential areas outside the Eagan-Mendota Heights Corridor. Regional Jets account for 141 of the 182 (77%) of the early turns. Their average altitude at the penetration gate is 701 feet Above Ground Level (AGL). Non-Regional Jet aircraft account for 41 (22%) of the 182 early turns. Their average altitude at the penetration gate is 661 feet AGL. A table showing the types of aircraft that were north of the runway end is shown below: Aircraft Types that Turned North Priorr to Reachingg the Runway End November 2013 Aircraft Type CRJ2 CRJ9 A320 B73777 MD80 A319 E170 CRJ7 B739 Count

9 E145 1 MD90 1 Total 181 Discussion There are a number of considerations to take into account when analyzing early turns before the end of Runway 12L including, but not limited to: surface winds and winds aloft, pilot reaction to flight conditions, ambient temperature, aircraft performance characteristics and guidance from air traffic control. With regard to wind, aircraft are subject to wind effects during both the departure roll and when the aircraft leaves the runway surface. Wind direction and speed, particularly cross-wind components, can cause aircraft to drift away from the extended runway centerline even though the direction of flight is maintained on the same compass heading as the extended runway centerline. This drift is very familiar to persons who have attempted to paddle a canoe singlehanded on a windy day. Drift in flight is generally controlled and compensated for by turning the aircraft slightly into the direction of the cross-wind and establishing a crab. Winds aloft can further contribute to drift in that they can be from a direction and speed different from surface winds. If an aircraft is given departure directions from the tower (FAA) to fly runway heading, any cross-wind component will result in the aircraft drifting away from the extended runway centerline. Pilots will not normally establish a crab in order to maintain the extended runway centerline and the FAA does not expect pilots to do so when issuing a fly runway heading clearance. Pilot reactions to flight conditions are designed to maintain safe operation of the aircraft. Pilots use the flight control surfaces of the aircraft including the rudder, ailerons, elevators, flaps and engine settings to control the roll, pitch, yaw and speed of the aircraft. In addition, pilots use avionic devices placed in the cockpit to determine the direction of flight and to maintain separation from other aircraft in the vicinity. During departure the pilot has the responsibility to follow flight procedures given by the FAA air traffic controller as well as the discretion to execute maneuvers that ensure safe flight within FAA-established parameters. Air traffic controllers are integral to the safe and efficient use of the Aircraft Operating Area (AOA) and airspace at MSP. The air traffic controllers use flight procedures that are specific for each airport when directing aircraft arrivals and departures. Tower controllers can use their discretion to direct aircraft to exceed minimum flight separation standards when conditions require higher margins of safety or based upon their determination of risk. For example, air traffic controllers may direct pilots to initiate turns in order to avoid storm cells near MSP or on their planned route. 8

10 In summary, there are many potential reasons, other than an early turn action, that may cause an aircraft to cross a given runway edge before reaching the end of the runway. For example, when MAC staff examined the tracks of the 181 aircraft that turned north prior to the end of the runway in November 2013, only 23 (1.8% of the 1,280) were more than 225 feet from the runway edge by the time they reached the end of the runway. Review of Corridor Compliance Keeping in mind that one of the primary objectives of minimizing early turns on Runway 12L was to reduce the number of aircraft north of the Eagan Mendota Heights boundary, MAC staff examined historical records of air carrier flights within the north boundary of the Corridor at a point three miles from the end of Runway 12L. The percentage of air carrier flights meeting this criterion from 2010 to 2013 is shown below: 100.0% 99.0% 98.0% 97.0% 96.0% 95.0% 94.0% 93.0% 92.0% 91.0% 90.0% Percent of Runway 12L Departures Inside the North Boundary by Month Based on this chart, 93% to 99% of the aircraft that departed Runway 12L remained inside the north boundary of the Corridor from January 2010 through November This data strongly suggests that the early turn procedure has been working as intended and that continued adherence will help maintain the high compliance ratio. Noise Level Trends The MAC owns and operates a Noise Operations and Monitoring System (MACNOMS) that correlates noise events measured at 39 Remote Monitoring Towers (RMT s) equipped with sound level meters with the NextGen flight tracking data. There are three RMT s located in Mendota Heights: #13 (located at the Southeast end of Mohican Court), #15 (located at Cullen Street and Lexington Avenue), and #23 (located at the end of Kenndon Avenue, shown on the map below: 9

11 Of the three monitoring towers, #15 (the middle line in pink) and #23 (the topline in orange) are located closest to the north boundary of the Corridor. A graph showing the average monthly Day Night Level (DNL) from January 2000 to November 2013 is shown below: A closer look at RMT s #15 and #23 over a shorter timeframe from January 2010 to November 2013 with the year 2000 also shown as the top line is provided in the charts below, which further depicts the more recent noise level trends at the specific RMT s: 10

12 75.0 Monthly Average Aircraft DNL at RMT # Monthly Average Aircraft DNL RMT # These charts indicate that the overall long term-trend for DNL sound levels at the Mendota Heights RMT s has been declining due to a variety of factors including changes in the fleet mix and reductions in operations, fewer nighttime operations and the use of noise abatement flight procedures at MSP. This reduction in higher noise levels off the runway ends is replicated off each runway at MSP. Recent Historical Use of Runway 12L for Departures The charts below show the number of Runway 12L monthly air carrier departure operations from 2010 to 2013 and the monthly percentage of the total departure operations at MSP that occurred on Runway 12L. As expected, due to seasonal wind patterns, Runway 12L has increased numbers of departures and comprises a higher percent of the overall departure operations at MSP in the 2 nd and 3 rd quarter of each year. 11

13 4,000 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1, to 2013 Monthly Carrier Jet Departures Using Runway 12L L L L L 25.0% 20.0% 15.0% 10.0% 5.0% 0.0% 2010 to 2013 Monthly Percentage of Total MSP Departures using Runway 12L L L L L Supplemental Analysis Summary The implementation of the early turn procedure in 2005 was, and is, designed to reduce the number of flights crossing the northern boundary of the Eagan Mendota Heights Corridor. The procedure has served that purpose well, based on relevant data provided in the Supplement Analysis of this report, which shows that a very small percentage of Runway 12L departures have flight tracks north of the northern boundary of the Corridor. 12