Voluntary Noise Abatement Procedures

The Longmont Municipal Airport has a voluntary noise abatement program and has developed the following Voluntary Noise Abatement Procedures (VNAP) to respond to the concerns of its neighbors. The VNAP is designed to minimize aircraft noise in residential and other areas, while ensuring the safety of flight operations. Pilots are asked to follow the VNAP and to “fly friendly” in an effort to be good neighbors to those who live under aircraft flight paths.

Pilots should review Longmont’s VNAP below and be advised that they are recommended for arrivals, departures and pattern operations. They are not intended to supersede the responsibility for compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations, Air Traffic Control clearances and operating parameters of the Aircraft Operations Manual. All recommended procedures are at the pilot’s discretion, consistent with safety.

For information on how we communicate about noise abatement procedures, please review the following:

The following outlines how Voluntary Noise Abatement Procedures are communicated to aircraft operators and tenants utilizing the Vance Brand Airport.

Noise abatement information is posted and distributed in the following ways:

The VNAP is available online at: https://longmontcolorado.gov/airport/
A comprehensive VNAP is published and distributed to resident flight schools and Fixed Base Operators (FBOs).
Noise Abatement Posters are displayed in flight schools, FBOs, and self-service fuel stations.
The Airport periodically publishes a newsletter. This newsletter always includes information directing pilots to our VNAP.
Abatement information is published in digital formats that can be easily accessible on devices commonly used as electronic flight bags (EFB’s) including phones, tablets, and computers.
Information directing pilots to our Voluntary Noise Abatement Procedures is published in the Chart Supplement. A document used by pilots while navigating.
Airfield Noise Abatement signage has been placed on the departure ends of runway 11 and 29.
Information directing pilots to our Voluntary Noise Abatement Program is broadcast over our Automated Weather Observation Station (AWOS) so that any pilots departing from or coming into our airport will be made aware of its existence through a voice recording.
Flight schools on the airfield are asked to complete our Voluntary Noise Abatement Procedures
Implementation Checklist. A document designed to assist flights schools in better educating their clients about our VNAP.

Quarterly safety and noise abatement meetings:

In order to increase awareness of our Voluntary Noise Abatement Program, the airport conducts Quarterly Safety and Noise Abatement Meetings. All resident flight schools are required to attend these quarterly meetings. During these meetings, we discuss safety and operational factors at the airport. In addition to this, airport staff covers noise mitigation efforts, current noise metrics, and other noise abatement information.

These meetings provide an open forum for discussion on noise abatement and help aircraft operators gain a deeper understanding of noise issues and mitigation efforts.

To further increase the efficiency of these meetings, Vance Brand Airport coordinates with Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport to hold their safety and noise meetings together. This helps increase the dissemination of safety and noise abatement information to more pilots.

General Aviation Noise Abatement Procedures

The following noise abatement procedures are recommended by the City of Longmont for use by pilots during Visual Flight Rules (VFR) conditions. These procedures should be utilized to the fullest extent possible, unless prevented by:

Required distance from cloud criteria or other weather condition.
Operating parameters of the aircraft involved.
Traffic conditions or other safety factors.
ATC Instructions

Helicopter Noise Abatement Procedures

The following noise abatement procedures are recommended by the City of Longmont for use by pilots. These procedures should be utilized to the fullest extent possible, unless prevented by:

Required distance from cloud criteria or other weather condition.
Operating parameters of the aircraft involved.
Traffic conditions or other safety factors.
ATC Instructions

Ultralight/Gyrocopter Noise Abatement Procedures

The following noise abatement procedures are recommended by the City of Longmont for use by pilots. These procedures should be utilized to the fullest extent possible, unless prevented by:

Required distance from cloud criteria or other weather condition.
Operating parameters of the aircraft involved.
Traffic conditions or other safety factors.
ATC Instructions

Airport Noise and Safety Reporting

To share a comment or report a concern about Airport noise or operations, create an account and complete a Service Request Form.

To report an aircraft flying in a carless or reckless manner, a complaint should be made to the FAA’s Denver Flight Standards District Office at 303-342-1100.

Aviation Noise Ombudsman (Washington, DC): 202-493-5047.