The aviation industry has recently committed to reducing the impact of the noise pollution resulting from busy airports, and Heathrow says they have taken a step forward in the noise reduction process by beginning the use of their newest plane, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner that will be operated by British Airways, according to BreakingTravelNews.com.
The noise footprint for the aircraft is 60 percent quieter than other aircraft of similar size. It will be the fourth Boeing 787 to operate of out Heathrow airport.
Newer technology has led to quieter aircraft, such as the Boeing 787, which is contributing to an overall reduction in airport noise, and reducing the number of people negatively affected by noise pollution to a number lower than at any point since the 1970s, though the number of flights has almost doubled.
Heathrow plans to continue to encourage the introduction of new, quieter aircraft by charging lower landing fees and developing infrastructure such as stands and taxiways to accommodate larger aircraft, such as the A380s.
Currently, Heathrow has 12 A380s, which produce only half the noise of the next loudest plane when taking off. The airport expects to have about 30 A380s and about 60 B787s by 2020.
Noise limits at Heathrow airport require airlines to use the quietest aircraft about 15 percent more often on Heathrow routes.
"We are delighted to welcome British Airways' first Boeing 787 to Heathrow," Mark Gorman, the sustainability director at Heathrow airport, said. "Heathrow is at the forefront of international efforts to reduce the impact of aircraft noise and this new generation of quieter aircraft will make a significant contribution to achieving this."
Recently, Heathrow published a report that detailed their commitment to reduce the noise level coming from the airport, while also continuing to provide connectivity throughout the U.K.
The report lays out the plan to reduce noise pollution by taking steps to have quieter planes, quieter operating procedures, noise mitigation and land-use planning, operating restrictions and working with local communities.
It also sets commitments on noise including publicly ranking airlines on their "noise performance," trying out new routes for departure and proposing a significant increase in fines for airlines that break noise limits.
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