$12 million facility to cut Vancouver airport noise in half
A new $12 million facility that will cut the noise residents directly south of the airport endure whenever an airplane engine undergoes maintenance, is expected to open this December.
YVR vice-president Anne Murray said the Vancouver International Airport will be the first in Canada to build a Ground Run-Up Enclosure, described as a state-of-the-art facility designed to minimize noise from engine run-ups that are conducted as part of the regular aircraft maintenance work.
The new enclosure, which will funnel noise upward rather than just redirecting it out over the water or elsewhere, has been years in the planning.
"Vancouver Airport Authority is committed to managing airport noise, balancing the community's desire for safe, convenient, 24-hour air travel with urban living," Murray said. "We have been studying the social, economic and environmental benefits of a (enclosure) for the past three years as part of our comprehensive noise management plan."
The three-sided structure is as tall as a five-story building and built with noise absorbing panels and perforated by several louvered vents for aerodynamic purposes.
The new facility will be primarily used between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
According to the airport authority, most noise complaints about engine run-up relate to propeller aircraft, which constitute about two-thirds of run-ups at YVR.
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