The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) mission is to ensure the safe and efficient use of our nation's navigable airspace. In order to handle air traffic demands, runway configurations are used in accordance with runway selection criteria. Air Traffic Control's runway selection is based on several factors which include the following: runway availability, wind, weather, operational efficiency, and noise considerations.
The Cleveland/Detroit Metroplex Plan was implemented in mid-September 2018. This may explain any changes residents may have noticed. The Metroplex Plan utilizes modern precision satellite-based navigation technology to increase efficiency, safety, and capacity of the National Airspace System (NAS). New airborne procedures for aircraft flying into and out of Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) are more precise, which slightly alters the flight track of some aircraft. An Environmental Assessment (EA), completed in April 2018, determined that these actions would not significantly affect the quality of the human environment. Public input was solicited in 2016 and 2017, before the Metroplex Plan was implemented. Additional information about this plan can be found at the following websites:
FAA News Updates
FAA Air Traffic Community Involvement
FAA Publication of Metroplex Plan
Cleveland/Detroit Metroplex Plan
The FAA participates in an array of research and community engagement activities focused on addressing aircraft noise. However, airport sponsors also share the responsibility for reducing for reducing incompatible land uses and noise impacts on residents of the surrounding area. Because airport noise is uniquely local in nature, airports are best suited to address the noise impact of their operations on the communities they affect. Residential can file a complaint through DTW's Noise Compatibility Program Hotline at (724) 942-3550. You may also file a complaint online at the
Great Lakes Region Aircraft Noise and Community Involvement Information.
Aircraft noise is a shared responsibility by the aviation industry, not solely an FAA issue. While the FAA plays an important role in safely managing traffic, FAA does not determine how many runways an airport builds, how many people want to fly at 6:00 a.m. or 11:00 p.m., what locations people fly to, or how many people use online vendors to to deliver goods rather than going to a store. But all of those factors go into how many flights FAA has to manage. More people fly and more people buy goods that are delivered by aircraft, and we anticipate that trend to continue.
More information about aviation noise is available on the
FAA and the
ASCENT (Aviation Sustainability Center NoiseQuest) website.