Working towards more socially acceptable outcomes from airspace modernisation

The UK is currently undertaking a process of airspace modernisation, which has revealed potentially competing objectives for the management of aircraft noise impacts. Communities at some airports are concerned about the fairness of potential outcomes in terms of changes to the pattern of aircraft noise exposure. This research draws upon in-depth community focus groups where the fairness and equity of different airspace change concepts for a fictitious departure route were discussed using a virtual airport scenario. These discussions revealed a preference of minimal change compared to the existing patterns of noise exposure, where the use of a number above metric (N65) was particularly helpful in allowing participants to understand the implications of different airspace change options on the spatial distribution of noise on the ground. The paper demonstrates how N65 data can be used to summarise the consequences of different airspace change options, supporting stakeholders in assessing the relative distributional fairness of each proposal. Such transparency around the consequences of airspace change proposals enhances informational fairness and can help build trust in the procedural fairness of airspace decision-making leading to more socially acceptable outcomes (or the least socially unacceptable outcomes).