The positive trend in noise control over the past few years
has continued because airlines have introduced new aircraft.
The number of operations by the noisy MD-80 aeroplane throughout
the country fell by about 10 per cent in 2004, while the
number for the newer Airbus 320 rose by 25 per cent. The
number of operations by the quiet Avro RJ85/100 more than
doubled. The number of turboprop aeroplanes in commercial
flight remained the same.
A report for the previous year which was completed in
spring 2004 showed that the number of residents living within
the Lden 55 dB aircraft noise area around Helsinki-Vantaa
had decreased by a third since 2000 to 9,000. A report on
Helsinki-Malmi was also completed during the review year
which estimated that about 300 people were living within
the noise-affected area.
The system for monitoring aircraft flightpaths and noise
around Helsinki-Vantaa was upgraded at the end of 2004.
The new programs and the faster system will make it easier
to draw up annual noise reports and use the data in noise
control planning.
The environment ministry’s national noise control
strategy was prepared in the spring. The CAA assisted in
this work in which it was estimated that about 27,000 residents
live in areas affected by civil aviation noise across the
whole country. This is about 3 per cent of the number of
those living in areas affected by all forms of traffic noise.
