Metro Airport to reduce aircraft noise with new enclosure

metromode, 10/1/2009

Noise. It's one of the primary reasons people generally don't want to live near airports. It's also one of those problems Metro Airport hopes to significantly limit soon.

Metro plans to spend $1.25 million on engineering and design of a Ground Run-Up Enclosure. Think of a big boxed in area where crews can test engines without waking the neighbors. Aircraft need to have their engines tested after repairs but before going back into service, a process that can take anywhere from a few minutes to nearly an hour. The whole project is set to cost $7 million.

"It can keep going and going and going," says Michael Conway, director of public affairs for Metro Airport. "That can be annoying to some of our neighbors."

Currently those tests are performed in open areas near the runways. The enclosure will measure 350 feet by 300 feet and be located just north of taxiway A-5. It will absorb, deflect, and muffle most of the noise from the testing, enough so that it can be done at night.

Construction is set to begin next year and finish within one year.

Source: Michael Conway, director of public affairs for Metro Airport
Writer: Jon Zemke

Aerotropolis , Wayne County