FAQs

Why can't the planes fly out over the water? (expand)

Logan Airport is surrounded to the north, south and west by land and to the east by Boston Harbor. Whether an aircraft can be directed to fly established procedures over the water depends on the runways in use at the time, (Please visit How Logan Operates). The FAA and Massport have designed specific procedures to take advantage of over the water flights when possible. For example, Runway 22R departures are directed to turn away from South Boston and fly a course that places aircraft over Boston Harbor. The FAA, weather permitting, utilizes easterly facing runways of Runway 33L for arrivals and Runway 15R for departures. Note that aircraft may fly over Boston Harbor, but eventually will fly over communities to the North and South of the airport.

Why are planes flying over a non-flight path area? (expand)

Aircraft associated with Logan Airport tend to fly within broad airspace areas as the FAA directs aircraft to and from the airfield. If you live within one of these areas, you will likely experience aircraft over flights. How and to what frequency any particular land area is overflown depends on, the weather, the runways being used, the type of aircraft, aircraft engine characteristics and relative distance from the airport. Some communities are impacted by more than one runway operation, some by just one specific operation; others may be impacted by traffic not related to Logan Airport (particularly when helicopters are involved). Flight Monitor (Public Vue) or Massport's Noise Abatement Office can assist you to better understand this relationship between where you live and airport over flights.

Who tells the pilots where and when to turn? (expand)

Commercial pilots fly prescribed routes to and from Logan Airport as instructed by air traffic controllers. The FAA is responsible for managing Logan's airspace and for ensuring the safe and expeditious flow of traffic. Massport is responsible for operating and maintaining Logan Airport facilities and for ensuring runways (and taxiways and other facilities) are in good working conditions, meet FAA regulations and are available for use.

What is Massport doing about levels of noise? (expand)

Massport, the FAA and the communities, have implemented a number of Noise Abatement measures. These efforts include the Noise Abatement Overwater Turbojet Routes for westbound/southbound and northbound/eastbound traffic, sound insulation of homes and schools that meet eligibility requirements, and a noise monitoring system (NMS) that provides an ongoing, continuous noise monitoring capability. Massport also works with the airlines and Universities as they conduct research to reduce noise. The FAA, airlines and aircraft manufactures provide ongoing review and refinement to reduce noise. For example, over 97% of Logan’s fleet is Stage 4 complaint, the highest standard for noise emissions.

Why has Logan been operating on the same runway for days? (expand)

Wind, weather and available runways dictate which runways the FAA can use. If Boston is in a persistent weather pattern this may force the FAA to rely on the same runways for a long period of time. This being New England, it is subject to frequent changes in weather conditions, it is unusual for the same runways to be used 24/7 for consecutive days, given the variety of wind speed/directions that occur.

Can't you do something about that helicopter? (expand)

Helicopter routes are controlled by the FAA. Typical complaints concerning helicopters tend to be associated with the media (hovering for filming/reporting), with medical flights (when short cuts are taken in emergency cases), or with vehicular traffic monitors. Note that most helicopter flights do not originate or terminate from/at Logan Airport.

What is the FAA responsible for? (expand)

The FAA is responsible for managing Logan's airspace and for ensuring the safe and expeditious flow of traffic. Massport is responsible for operating and maintaining Logan Airport facilities and for ensuring runways (and taxiways and other facilities) are in good working conditions, meet FAA regulations and are available for use. Refer to FAA website for more details.

What is Massport responsible for? (expand)

Massport, a state authority, is the airport operator for Logan Airport (and Hanscom AFB and Worcester Regional Airport). Massport is responsible for operating and maintaining Logan Airport facilities and for ensuring runways (and taxiways and other facilities) are in good working conditions, meet FAA regulations and are available for use. The FAA is responsible for managing Logan's airspace and for ensuring the safe and expeditious flow of traffic. Refer to FAA website for more details.

Does Logan Airport close down at night? (expand)

Like most commercial airports in the US, Logan Airport operates 24 hours per day 365 days per year. There is no nighttime curfew at Logan. The FAA and Massport have developed a preferred over the water procedure during late night hours. This procedure places aircraft over Boston Harbor as much as possible, wind and weather permitting.

How are jets managed differently than propeller aircraft by the FAA? (expand)

Propeller aircraft tend to fly slower and are more maneuverable than turbojet aircraft. Also, larger aircraft produce wake vortices which, like the wakes caused by boats in water, can introduce air turbulence that impact other, particularly smaller, aircraft. Because of their performance characteristics and for wake vortex avoidance, the FAA tends to separate jet traffic from non jet traffic and to direct non jet aircraft over a broader area and at lower altitudes than jets.

What determines which runways the FAA chooses? (expand)

Logan's airfield layout consists of six runways, which vary in length from 2,557 feet to 10,081 feet. Logan's runways are aligned in multiple directions with runway ends pointing toward six distinct compass headings. Aircraft must generally takeoff and land into the wind, so the availability of specific runway configurations is determined by wind speed and direction, and other weather conditions. The runway layout provides necessary operating flexibility given Logan's coastal location and highly variable wind conditions. Non-coastal airports that do not experience the same variation in wind conditions may have a simpler airfield layout and fewer required operating configurations. When runways are closed for maintenance, other runways have to be used.

What runways impact me? (expand)

Aircraft associated with Logan Airport tend to fly within broad airspace corridors as the FAA directs aircraft to and from the airfield. If you live within one of these corridors, you will likely experience aircraft over flights. How and to what frequency any particular land area is impacted depends on, the weather, the runways being used, the type of aircraft, aircraft engine characteristics and relative distance from the airport. Some communities are impacted by more than one runway operation, some by just one specific operation others may be impacted by traffic not related to Logan Airport (particularly when helicopters are involved). Flight Monitor or Massport's Noise Abatement Office can assist you to better understand this relationship between where you live and airport over flights.

To determine if you are eligible we encourage you to write or email Massport. Based on the address you provide, we will determine if you are eligible.

Because noise changes from year to year, the FAA requires Massport to periodically submit a new sound exposure map for their review and approval. Therefore, eligibility for any particular home may change over time.

Do I qualify for soundproofing? (expand)

The FAA has designated 65 DNL annual contour as the critical threshold to use for soundproofing eligibility. Massport submits to the FAA for approval a 65 DNL noise contour for a specific year. After FAA approval, Massport uses the 65 DNL contour to determine residential sound proofing. To determine eligibility, a home must fall within the FAA approved sound exposure map.

Why does my home not qualify for soundproofing? (expand)

The extent of homes that are soundproofed in any given year is subject to the availability of federal grants, the number of homes already in the program to be soundproofed and the capacity of Massport hired contractors to complete the work. The annual 65 DNL is a FAA set standard. You may experience noise from Logan related aircraft but not qualify for soundproofing. This is because you may live just outside the 65 DNL and, although on any given day noise from aircraft may be loud, on an annual basis it does not reach the 65 DNL threshold.

Why do some aircraft seem louder than others? (expand)

Aircraft operating at Logan have a diverse range of noise levels. These noise levels primarily depend on the type of engine used by the aircraft, the size of the aircraft and whether the aircraft is taxiing on the airfield, landing or taking off. The newest, “Stage 4" aircraft tend to be the quietest aircraft in the fleet. See Glossary for clarification on Stage 4 versus Hushkitts. Departures tend to be louder than arrivals since the aircraft is generating more power to the engine to achieve lift.

What is NEXTGEN? (expand)

NextGen is the FAA’s action plan to modernize the national airspace system. This effort is composed of many different programs\initiatives including the use of satellite based technology. For more details on this effort please visit the FAA’s NextGen homepage.

What is an RNAV? Area Navigation or RNAV is a type of Precision Based Navigation (PBN) and is a critical component of the FAA’s NextGen program to modernize the nation’s airspace system. The FAA defines RNAV as a method of navigation which permits aircraft operation on any desired flight path within the coverage of station-referenced navigation aids or within the limits of the capability of self-contained aids, or a combination of these. For the purposes of this AC, the specified RNAV accuracy must be met 95% of the flight time. (1) RNAV 1 requires a total system error of not more than 1 NM for 95% of the total flight time. (2) RNAV 2 requires a total system error of not more than 2 NM for 95% of the total flight time (Source: FAA AC 90-100A 8/14/14). For more details on this effort please visit the FAA’s NextGen home page.

Is NextGen at Boston Logan? (expand)

Boston Logan is major, critical airport in the nation’s airspace system. As a result , the FAA has and will continue to implement key elements of NextGen. NextGen at Boston Logan includes:

• Precision Arrivals/Departures -- FAA’s next generation flight procedures implement advanced technologies such as GPS technology for more precise landings and departures.

• Surface Monitoring -- FAA’s next generation satellite technology precisely tracks aircraft and vehicles on airport runways and taxiways under all weather conditions.

• Satellite Awareness – The FAA has implemented a nationwide satellite-based successor to radar. At Logan Airport, this technology provides controllers with full situational awareness of vehicles, tugs and aircrafton the runway and tarmac.

• NextGen technology has enabled new safety technologies such as the Runway Status lights system to reduce the potential for incursions on intersecting runways.

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