3 40 As An Airport Noise Tax example essay topic

TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT 2 1 AIRPORT NOISE 3 2 AIRPORT NOISE TAX 4 3 AIRPORT NOISE IN SYDNEY 5 4 COMPLAINTS AND COMPLAINANTS BY ISSUE 7 5 ANALYSIS OF AIRPORT NOISE TAX USING MICROECONOMICS 8 6 ALTERNATIVE POLICY 11 7 SOLUTIONS 13 8 REFERENCES 15 TABLE OF FIGURES Figure 1: Flight Paths from Sydney Airport 6 Figure 2: Price demand curve Figure 3: Supply demand curve 9 TABLE OF DATA Table 1: Complaints by Issue Error! Bookmark not defined. ABSTRACT This report addresses airport noise which is a big communal problem for everyone. It also discusses the airport noise tax which is imposes on travelers to over come this problem with respect to rules and environment of microeconomics. Alternative policies and solutions are also addressed to overcome this problem. 1 AIRPORT NOISE Noise pollution is along standing source of complaint and one that refuses to go away in spite of the protestations of airlines and airports that things are considerably better than they were in the past.

Whilst there has been an improvement in the noise environment there has also been a dramatic improvement in the level of knowledge about the damaging effects of noise at levels lower than hitherto thought to be a problem. Noise research accepted by the World Health Organization in its revision of noise standards show that noise damages the learning ability of schoolchildren, disrupts social activity, raises blood pressure and disturbs sleep with damaging health effects. The World Health Organization is increasingly recognizing the importance of outdoor noise standards so as to protect the use of gardens, public space and residents with open windows. Sheltering behind triple glazing whilst exiled from a garden is no longer an acceptable remediation measure against noise. Aircraft and airport noise is one of the most difficult noise problems to address.

Large airports are getting larger, and expansion of small regional airports is the single greatest threat placed upon us by the aviation industry today. Living close to an airport can't be much fun. Constant noise from take offs, landings and thrust reversals is not only a blight on the community but also one of the fastest growing environmental problems and a major public concern. Public demands for quieter airports have brought about strict legislation that has made airport noise monitoring compulsory in many countries. Indeed, growing environmental concerns constitute one of the most serious obstacles to capacity expansion of airports. Hence it is a very important issue and special measures should be taken to keep airport noise in control.

Normally people prefer to live near the airport, but airport noise has made people to move away from the airports and start living in the areas where there is no noise. 2 AIRPORT NOISE TAX Airport and aviation authorities take different measures to control the airport noise, especially at airports which are very near to the city or residential areas. Therefore an airport noise tax is payable by each traveler landing on such airports. The money generated from this tax is fore mostly used in the costs involved in controlling airport noise. Different methodologies are used to keep airport noise in control.

Sound barriers are used widely. As well the flight schedule is managed in such a way that it disturbs the nearby residents to a minimal extent. Many people are employed to check the airport noise and keep it in control. Different equipment is used to determine the noise and reports are generated from the measurements.

Aircrafts are checked and serviced properly in respect to the noise factor. If the noise complaints are too much some time alteration are needed to the routes and also modifications in the run ways. A large amount of money is involved in such developments. Airport noise tax generates a bit of money for these kinds of developments. 3 AIRPORT NOISE IN SYDNEY The reason for the airport noise tax imposed in Sydney is the same as explained above.

As the airport is close to the city and residential areas the airport noise is too much. Sydney airport being the largest airport in Australia is very busy and the number of flight landing and taking off is vast. So the airport noise is a major issue as it disturbs the nearby residents. An airport noise tax is imposed on passengers traveling to Sydney. Each passenger traveling to Sydney has to pay $3.40 as an airport noise tax. The tax is prepaid with the ticket.

The tax is not imposed on children less than 2 years. All other adults need to pay the tax. (Retrieved from web on 5-9-2003). According to web, The Sydney Airport Long Term Operating Plan is the program which has been introduced to address Sydney Airport's noise problems through redistributing aircraft noise. It was drawn up through a major consultative process during 1996 and 1997. The Plan is designed to ensure that aircraft movements are maximized over water and non residential land.

Where over flight of residential areas cannot be avoided the noise is shared between communities. Under the Plan aircraft departing from the Airport to the south continue to pass either through the Botany Bay Heads or over the Kur nell Sandhills and thus avoid over flying residential areas. Departure flight paths off the other runways have been spread to reduce the concentration of noise over a small number of populated areas which existed under the previous flight path arrangements. A key feature of the Plan is the runway rotation system. This system involves different combinations of runways (runway modes) being used at different times of the day to provide, as far as possible, individual areas with periods of respite from aircraft noise. Noise sharing modes must be used at the airport, except when weather or unusual traffic conditions prevent this occurring, during the following hours on weekdays: ?

6 am to 7 am? 11 am to 3 pm? 8 pm to curfew? Longer noise sharing hours apply at weekends. Noise sharing modes should be used at other times if the conditions permit.

Figure 1: Flight Paths from Sydney Airport (Figure Retrieved from web on 5-9-2003) 4 COMPLAINTS AND COMPLAINANTS BY ISSUE According to latest data issued by the Sydney airport community forum the following complaints were reported. (Retrieved from web on 5-9-2003) Start Date: 3 July 2003 End Date: 16 July 2003 (Table 1: Complaints by Issue) Complaints by Issue Callers Total Aircraft Height 16 28 Curfew 5 5 Flight Paths / Diversions 1 1 Ground Running 3 3 Health / Pollution / Emissions 4 10 Helicopter 6 7 Increased Frequency of Air Traffic 16 32 Jet Aircraft 35 75 Landings from East 4 6 Landings from North 6 6 Landings from South 1 1 Take-offs to North 1 1 Take-offs to North East 5 20 Take-offs to North West 21 48 Take-offs to South 2 2 Take-offs to West 13 28 Total 144 278 5 ANALYSIS OF AIRPORT NOISE TAX USING MICROECONOMICS As airport noise is a very important issue and if the government doesn? do anything about it the government can collapse and people can turn against them. Also if the government adds too much limitation to the airport traffic to control noise, it would be a very big loss. According to the basic rule of microeconomics, price is directly related to demand. The demand of the product decreases if the price increases and vice versa. As airport noise tax is a minimal charge so it won? affect the demand that much.

On the other hand the relation between the supply and demand is very interesting. If the demand is high and the supply is restricted, the demand falls down drastically. This is in reference if the govt. imposes limitation on the air traffic to control airport noise. So in order to meet both the ends a very minor airport noise tax is introduced. In this way the money generated by the airport noise tax helps in controlling the noise, by different methods explained earlier and also the supply remains in good shape.

Still there are many restrictions on the air traffic to control the noise factor. The following graphs would justify the airport noise tax in my opinion. Demand Demand Price B. t / A. t Supply A. L B. L Figure 2: Price demand curve Figure 3: Supply demand curve A. t (After Noise Tax) A. L (After limitations) B. t (Before Noise Tax) B. L (Before limitations) As we can see from the figure 2 which is a price demand curve that imposing an airport noise tax did not affect the demand to a large extent. The reason is that the tax imposed is very less as compared to the price. So it can be treated as zero on a demand price curve.

But even if u don? treat it as zero the demand is affected to a real minimal scale. The airfares are normally high. For instance, if someone is traveling from Melbourne to Sydney the airfare is around $110. On the other hand the airport noise tax is $3.40 which adds up all together to become $113.40.

Someone who is ready to spend $110 can also spend $113.40. This thing is not sure but it? more likely. The demand would stay the same but as the basic rule of microeconomics the price is inversely proportional to demand. So on the curve there would be a minimal effect. On the other hand if you at figure 3, which is a supply demand curve that imposing limitations on the air traffic affects the demand to a great extent. A govt. can impose limitation like the following?

After hours air traffic curfew? No flights over residential areas? No Jet flights after a specific time These kinds of limitations can decrease the airport noise to a large extent. On the other hand this limitation will affect the availability of flights to passengers as well.

The number of flights will decrease to a large extent and passengers would face difficulties. This will decrease the demand. And the govt. doesn? want that as well. As the supply would decrease the price will rise as well.

This is another important factor with respect to demand. If price goes up and supply falls down then demand is going to fall to such an extent that it would be a big problem. It can be said according to rules of microeconomics airport noise tax does have affect on the demand but it is very minimal. It does help to control the airport noise but still the problem is there.

In my opinion airport noise tax is justified. As airport noise tax is a minimal amount as compared to the loss faced by the govt. and the difficulties faced by people. It can also be said that airport noise tax is a better option out of the two but is not the real solution. 6 ALTERNATIVE POLICY As airport noise is still a big problem and money raised from the airport noise tax is not enough amount that can be implemented to control the noise properly. As from the latest data shown in table 1 there are still a lot of complaints about the noise.

Sydney airport is a very busy airport, but the money raised from airport noise tax is not enough to overcome the problem. Serious steps need to be taken to solve the issue.? Instead of imposing airport noise tax the govt. should allocate some money for the airport noise problem in the annual budget. As it is a very serious community problem, some money allocated for the cause would be useful...

? Private airports should pay more money as they are not the responsibility of the govt.? Airline companies make heaps of money out of their business. Some extra money should be taken from the companies which fly during night times. Also this feature could be introduced of having a bit expensive flights at night time. So people who want to travel at night time need to pay a bit extra.

This way the demand of flying at night time would decrease a bit and the noise can be in control. But this way the supply will decrease as well, as there a certain number of flights which can fly in day time.? The govt. needs to do something about this problem seriously. So it would be a real good idea that the govt. imposes such rules which prevents airport noise and not affect the airline business as well. A major contribution from the govt. could be providing money in building new airport outside the city which will solve this problem to quiet an extent. Sydney airport is around 7 kilometers from the city.

Most of the flight landing and taking off have to go over the residential areas. If the airport is moved more outer side of the city this problem can be solved. It is a very expensive project and govt. might not want to do that.? The other thing which can be done and is not as expensive as the previous one is introduction of sound proof homes. The areas which are in the region of airport noise should have sound proof homes. It should be a condition for the new building houses to be sound proof.

And the govt. should provide the old houses with the equipment and services to make the old houses sound proof. These policies might not be foolproof, but would help solve airport noise problem to quite an extent. 7 SOLUTIONS The following is a list of solutions in my opinion which would have to control the airport noise problem.? Introduce small terminals outside the city for night time flights. So the flights which land or depart at night time can use the small terminals and not use the airports near the city. This would help solving the noise problems as there won? be any flights over the residential areas.?

If the city is a coastal area, development of new runways is needed which help the flight to travel and land from the seaside. This would help at night time and the noise would not disturb people that much.? Abandon the day / night sound pressure level of 65 dBA that the FAA uses to separate? ow? noise exposure from? operate? noise exposure. The 65 dBA value is too noisy and unhealthy. Use 55 dBA as an interim value until a descriptor that includes low frequency noise, and better reflects the impacts of aircraft noise such as sleep disturbance, interference with learning, and other noise impacts.? Develop high-speed rail alternatives to aircraft flights of less than 500 miles.

Redirect government investment from airport expansion to high-speed rail. Also, support efforts to quiet rail transit.? Protect the public from environmental and health hazards at and near airports. These include the release of significant amounts of toxins, known carcinogens and de-icing fluids. Existing Clean Air and Clean Water regulations need to be enforced and new regulations addressing the public health and environmental impacts of airports and airplane travel need to be adopted.? Support a Global Nighttime Curfew.

Around the world, hundreds of airports already have curfews. Local nighttime curfews, while a positive step, shift the problem elsewhere. A nationwide and global effort is needed.? Expand soundproofing programs to all homes, churches, schools, hospitals, and commercial businesses experiencing a day / night average of greater than 55 dBA from airports.

Eventually, all sensitive properties -- homes, churches, schools, day care, hospitals, etc. -- should be protected against indoor single event readings exceeding 45 dBA with windows open. Insulation and soundproofing alone, however, is not the solution because it neglects outdoor noise. Insulation does not provide for the full enjoyment of common and private property. However, at least it protects people inside their homes.? Demand objective health studies of noise and other pollutants near airports.? Support quieter and cleaner aircraft technology.

The technology may be years away, and in the future, aircraft may achieve smaller reductions in pollution, both in terms of air and noise pollution. Therefore, this technology should not be relied upon as the main solution to aircraft pollution. Nevertheless, technological improvements should be aggressively pursued.? Ban flights over and within 2 miles of non-urban National Parks, Wilderness areas, National Monuments, National Seashores, and other sensitive and pristine public lands (except for emergency, research, construction and maintenance activities).?

Increase the minimum altitude for general aviation craft and helicopters to 2,000 feet above ground level and implement an effective policing mechanism. Impose a minimum flight altitude for 2,500 feet above ground level for all tour operations and commercial transport services (for example, air taxis).? Ban commercial and corporate SST flights from United States Airports and airspace.? Foster connections with and support other noise pollution organizations. A victory for any group fighting noise is a victory for all. This is the only way to create a broad enough coalition to actually reduce noise pollution.

8 REFERENCES? web ? web ? web ? web.