Noise Affairs

Aircraft cannot descend at too steep an angle as they approach an airport.  The standard is a three-degree angle of descent, referred to as the “glide slope.”  Aircraft will usually remain as high as the glide slope standard will allow until touchdown.

The Airport has the ability to check most aircraft altitudes on a case-by-case basis to confirm whether an aircraft is complying with this measure.  However, compliance with this measure, is voluntary, and the flight path of each flight is ultimately determined by the FAA Air Traffic Control Tower and the aircraft’s pilot.

No. The sound levels around the airport are lower on average than in the past. One reason is that aircraft engines are quieter. Over the years, the FAA has imposed progressively lower limits on the noise that civilian aircraft make. The FAA’s imposition of progressively more demanding standards has resulted in a major reduction in the noise generated by modern aircraft.

Can aircraft fly over my house? Yes.

Can aircraft overfly densely populated areas? Yes.

Can aircraft at PIE operate at night or in the early morning hours? Yes.

Can the Airport Noise Affairs office restrict where aircraft fly and when? No.

Can the airport restrict certain aircraft that operate at PIE? No.

Can the airport turn down a carrier that wishes to operate at PIE? No.

Can the airport dictate aircraft arrival or departure times? No.

Can aircraft deviate from noise abatement procedures? Yes.

Can PIE airport fine an airline for not complying with the noise abatement procedures? No.

Can loud military jets fly in and out of PIE at any time? Yes

The United States Coast Guard is based at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport.  The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulates and is the ultimate control of all aircraft movement through regulations established in the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR). The Airport does not have jurisdiction or decision power to make the Coast Guard fly elsewhere or require them to use higher altitudes. The pilot has full authority in determining how low or high he/she wants to operate and for how long; helicopters may fly at any altitude above the ground when weather, safety, and other air traffic permit. It is also the pilot's responsibility to remain separated from other aircraft as well as maintaining a safe distance from person or property.

St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport understands that aircraft noise can have an effect on our surrounding communities. Every complaint we receive is:

• Analyzed
• Registered
• Responded to upon request

We analyze complaints by comparing the date and time of the complaint with our Flight Tracking System records, in order to determine what may have caused the issue and how St. Pete- Clearwater International Airport can learn from this occurrence.

St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport strives to be a good neighbor.  Our main goal is to minimize the number of people who are living with aircraft noise on a daily basis.

If you are considering buying a home near St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, the Noise Affairs Office can provide up-to-date information about flight paths for areas in and around the Airport.  We can help you understand what to expect when living near a busy airport.  If you are buying a home, please check your real estate disclosure packet or ask your real estate agent to see if the property is located near a flight path.

Not everyone is affected by noise in the same way. Take this short survey to better understand how aircraft noise could affect you. Some things to consider are:

1. Are you sensitive to noise?
2. Are you a light sleeper or do you wake up often?
3. Is the home in a relatively quiet area, away from major traffic and other noises that could potentially mask aircraft noise?
4. Is the home close to the Airport or directly below regular aircraft flight paths?
5. Is the home poorly insulated from noise?
6. Are you usually at home during the day?
7. Do you regularly entertain outside?
8. Do you usually sleep with the bedroom windows open?

If you answered yes to a number of these questions, then you are more likely to be disrupted by aircraft noise.

We serve as a link between the public, airline operators, and federal agencies. Our goal is to provide clear and accessible information to the communities. We ensure that St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport meets or exceeds all federal regulations, state noise standards and that flights operate as quietly as possible.

We take the concerns of all community members affected by our operations seriously. We take a balanced approached when assessing any noise mitigation initiatives. The complaints help us understand what impacts our airport operations are having on the community and help us:

• determine where to focus our community outreach, (i.e., education)
• check that Noise Abatement Procedures are being followed
• identify trends or irregularities that may need to be investigated or assessed
• communicate with the community about our operations, provide accurate information (address myths/rumors or inaccurate information)
• inform elected officials about community concerns; and
• assess future impacts of our growth.

The Airport has two runways: the primary runway (Runway 18-36), which runs in a north/south direction, and a crosswind runway, which runs southwest/northeast direction (Runway 4-22).  Runway 4-22 is used less frequently than the other runway because it is not well-aligned with the normal wind direction and is shorter than the other runway. 

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the sole organization in the United States responsible for the movement of aircraft both on the ground and in the air. The FAA is also responsible for designing air travel routes and procedures, including the standards for lateral and vertical separation between aircraft and determining hazards to flight such as mountains or tall buildings.  An airport may advocate for certain noise abatement flight tracks to reduce noise, but these must be both approved and assigned by the FAA.

Here are some helpful FAA website links:

• FAA History of Noise
  https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/policy_guidance/noise/history/
• Fundamentals of Noise and Sound
  https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/policy_guidance/noise/basics/
• Noise Complaints and Inquiries
  https://www.faa.gov/noise/inquiries/ 
• Flight Standards District Office (FSDO)
  https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/field_offices/fsdo/

As part of the nationwide air transportation system, the Airport is required to be open 24/7.  Under Congressional legislation that was adopted in 1990, airports are not allowed to impose noise and access restrictions on aircraft.

The noise you hear at any particular time is largely determined by the direction that aircraft flies as they arrive at or depart from the Airport runways. Aircraft operations late at night and early in the morning generally take place over areas North or South of the Airport. However, several factors may alter the normal pattern, such as wind speed, direction, weather conditions and pilot or Air Traffic Controller choice.

The need to close runways or taxiways for maintenance and repairs may also change flight operations, resulting in flight patterns that residents are not accustomed to.

You may hear unaccustomed noise on certain days due to wind and other weather conditions, such as cloud cover and temperature inversions, that influence the way that sound travels.

In addition to these factors, there is an obvious difference in the volume of noise generated by different aircraft.

Because of these variables, the noise that you hear can vary from day to day and during the course of a day.

There are several airports in the Tampa Bay region: St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (including Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater), Tampa International Airport, Albert Whitted Airport, Clearwater Airpark, Peter O. Knight Airport, Tampa Executive Airport, Tampa North Aero Park, Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, and MacDill Air Force Base.  The FAA regulates and classifies airspace throughout the Tampa Bay region to separate air traffic both horizontally and vertically.  It is inevitable that air traffic will occur over all areas of the Tampa Bay region, however, overflights may occur more frequently if you reside closer to an airport’s flight pattern.

Chances are this helicopter is hovering in the area because of a news event, traffic watch, air ambulance or a law enforcement flight. Helicopters do not require approval prior to their operation, unlike scheduled air carriers.