Van Nuys airport in California has honoured general aviation companies and corporate flight departments for their efforts to reduce noise from jet aircraft operations with 2021 Friendly Flyer awards.

Eighteen aircraft operators received recognition plaques for complying with all mandatory noise abatement policies, achieving at least 99 per cent adherence with all voluntary noise abatement programmes and reducing night time jet arrivals and departures under the Quieter Nights Programme.

“Van Nuys airport is pleased to recognise the exceptional achievements of aircraft operators that continually strive to achieve meaningful noise reduction and address the concerns of airport neighbours,” says airport manager Flora Margheritis. “We have a long history of working in close collaboration with tenants, users and operators to implement noise mitigation measures ahead of the entire industry, and we look forward to making even greater strides in the future.”

Over the past four decades, the airport has implemented a wide variety of robust noise abatement programmes and policies. Mandatory efforts began with the establishment of a partial night time departure curfew in 1981, followed by a rule prohibiting the addition of Stage 2 aircraft in 2002 and a noisier jet phase-out in 2009. These regulations, along with voluntary measures such as the No Early Turn, Helicopter Route and Altitude Deviation, Quiet Jet Departure and Quieter Nights Programmes, depend on the ongoing compliance of both based and transient pilots.

2021 award winners include: 601 Holdings; Aero Technologies; Chrysler Aviation; Executive Jet Management; Jet Aviation Flight Services; Jet Edge International; Jet Linx Aviation; Las Vegas; Latitude 33 Aviation; Four Corners Aviation (formerly known as Millbrook Air); Mountain Aviation; Regency Air; Sun Air Jets; Wheels Up Private Jets; Windairwest; Wonderful Citrus Aviation; Worldwide Jet Charter; and XCel Jet.

In 2019, Van Nuys airport operator Los Angeles World Airports introduced a mobile-friendly website that provides quick and easy access to neighbourhood-specific information about aircraft operations. The noise portal offers the public an interactive site, driven by data and multimedia content, to more easily understand how their neighbourhood is affected by various aircraft activity and flight routes.