current Birmingham Airport night fliying policy, Effective from 31st October 2021 to 26th October 2024:-
Summary of Night Restrictions at Birmingham
• Night Period is defined as 2330 to 0600 (local).
• No aircraft with a QC greater than 1 to be scheduled to operate between 2330-0600 (local) hours.
• No more than 877 aircraft can be scheduled to depart between 2330 to 0500 (local) including aircraft with an EPNdB less than 81 (which are ordinarily exempt from this policy).
• Annual movement limit during the Night Period is calculated at 5% of the ATMs in the busiest single financial year within the last 5-year period. The limit for W21 and S22 is 5,505.
• Aircraft with an EPNdB less than 81 are exempt and do not count towards the annual movement limit except if it is a departure between 2330 and 0500 (local).
• Annual quota limit during the Night Period is 4,000.
• Quota can be reclaimed for movements which register less than 74dB(A) at all three noise monitors. This is administered by Birmingham Airports Sustainability Team.
• Any departing aircraft registering more than 83dB(A) at the centre noise monitors (1 and 2) during the Night Period will be subject to a surcharge equivalent to a full runway charge.
• Taxiway Lima/Tango is not to be used between the hours of 2300 and 0600 (local), except for T6 and T5 to enter Taxiway Uniform or in emergency situations.
Note: Whilst there is provision to exempt movements from the scope of the policy in defined circumstances e.g. diversions, mercy flights, emergencies, delays due to prolonged Air Traffic disruption and delays likely to lead to serious congestion at the Airport or hardship and suffering to passengers or animals, such exemptions do not apply to noise violation surcharges.
Night Flying Policy
1. Introduction
1.1 Birmingham Airport is committed to ameliorating the noise impact of aircraft operations on the community and recognises that aircraft operating at night can cause disturbance to our neighbours. Although Birmingham Airport is not designated by the Department of Transport as requiring a night flying policy, we are committed to compliance with the Section 106 Agreement with Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.
1.2 The Policy will apply to aircraft operations during the Night Period and its performance will be subject to review by Birmingham Airport, the Airport Consultative Committee, and Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council every 3 years.
1.3 The terms of this policy become effective from 31 October 2021, and will remain in effect until 26 October 2024.
2. Interpretation
2.1 An aircraft shall be deemed to have taken off or landed during the Night Period if the time recorded by Birmingham Airport Air Traffic Control as 'airborne' or 'landed' respectively fall within that period.
2.2 Annex 16, means Annex 16 (Volume 1 Aircraft Noise, Third Edition 1993) to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, signed on behalf of the United Kingdom at Chicago on 7 December 1944.
2.3 Night Period means the period 2330 to 0600 hours.
2.4 Noise Classification, means the noise level range in EPNdB for take-off or landing (as the case may be) for the aircraft in question as defined in publication SUPPLEMENTS TO THE UK AIP SUP: 049/2018-2 or subsequent publications.
2.5 Night Noise Violation, means registration by any departing aircraft during the night period of a noise level in excess of 83 dB(A) at the centre-line noise monitors positioned 6.5 km. from "start of roll".
2.6 Quota Count, means the amount of quota assigned to one takeoff or landing by the aircraft in question this number being related to its noise classification as specified in paragraph 3.3 below.
2.7 Quota, means the maximum permitted sum of the quota counts of all aircraft taking off from or landing at Birmingham Airport annually during the Night Period.
2.8 References to time in this document are in Local Time.
2.9 Annual Limit, means the annual limit of Air Transport Movements in the period 23:30 to 06:00 hours (excluding Exempt Movements). This limit is to be calculated at 5% of the ATMs in the busiest single financial year within the last 5-year period.
3. Descriptions of Aircraft:
3.1 Aircraft taking off or landing at Birmingham Airport are described in this document as follows:
(a) exempted aircraft or QC 0;
(b) aircraft having a quota count of 0.125;
(c) aircraft having a quota count of 0.25;
(d) aircraft having a quota count of 0.5;
(e) aircraft having a quota count of 1;
(f) aircraft having a quota count of 2;
(g) aircraft having a quota count of 4;
(h) aircraft having a quota count of 8;
(i) aircraft having a quota count of 16.
3.2 Exempted Aircraft for the purposes of Paragraph 3.1 above are:
(a) Those aircraft which are classified at less than 81 EPNdB and which are indicated as exempt in SUPPLEMENTS TO THE UK AIP SUP: 049/2018-2. These aircraft are exempted from the ATM limit.
(b) Those aircraft that are found, subsequent to a flight, to have recorded lower than 74 dB(A) as measured by the Airport Noise and Operations Monitoring System at the noise monitoring locations 1, 2,
3, 4, 6, and 7 (Exception applies to that flight only).
3.3 Subject to paragraph 3.2, the quota count of an aircraft on taking off or landing shall be calculated on the basis of the noise classification for that aircraft on take off or landing as appropriate as follows:
Noise Classification Quota Count
Less than 81 0 (Exempt)
81 – 83.9 0.125
84 – 86.9 EPNdB 0.25
87 – 89.9 EPNdB 0.5
90 - 92.9 EPNdB 1
93 - 95.9 EPNdB 2
96 - 98.9 EPNdB 4
99 - 101.9 EPNdB 8
Greater than 101.9 EPNdB 16
4. Prohibitions on Taking Off or Landing:
4.1 Subject to paragraph 6, No aircraft with a QC greater than 1 shall be:
(a) Scheduled to take-off or land during the Night Period.
4.2 Subject to paragraph 6, an aircraft may not be scheduled to take off or land at Birmingham Airport during the Night Period:
(a) The operator of that aircraft has not provided (prior to its take off or prior to its scheduled landing time as appropriate) sufficient information to enable the Airport Company to verify its noise classification and thereby its Quota Count.
(b) The operator claims the aircraft is an Exempted Aircraft within paragraphs 3.2(a) or 3.2(b) but the aircraft is not indicated as an exempt aircraft in Part 2 of the Schedule of 006:2011.
5. Annual Limit on Number of Air Transport Movements and Quota
5.1 All Air Transport Movements will be subject to a quota count with the exception of Exempt Aircraft as defined in publication SUPPLEMENTS TO THE UK AIP SUP: 049/2018-2.
5.2 The total number of night transport movements during the night period will be determined as set out in 2.9. There can also be no more than 877 aircraft scheduled to depart between 2330 to 0500 (local) including aircraft with an EPNdB less than 81 which are ordinarily exempt from this policy. The 877 total is included within in the annual limit.
6. Exempt Movements
6.1 Aircraft diversions that have been brought about by changes in weather conditions at the original destination airport or an in-flight emergency.
6.2 Aircraft on medical evacuation or mercy flights where there is danger to life or health, human or animal.
6.3 Any take off or landing in an emergency consistent with preventing danger to life or health.
6.4 Delays to aircraft that are likely to lead to serious congestion at Birmingham Airport or serious hardship or suffering to passengers or animals.
6.5 Delays to aircraft resulting from widespread and prolonged disruption to air traffic.
6.6 Where an aircraft, other than an aircraft with a quota count of no more than QC 4 is scheduled to land after 06:00 and before 0630, but lands in exceptional circumstances before 06:00 but not before 05:30.
7. Conditions
7.1 The only operators permitted to arrange takeoff and landings of aircraft during the Night Period are those that have made application to and have received clearance for their operations from Airport Co-ordination Ltd:
7.2 Where an applicant has had a slot request rejected at short notice through Airport Co-ordination Ltd online portal a subsequent request can be made via the Airport Control Centre. It is the responsibility of the applicant to demonstrate that the aircraft meets the requirements of this Policy.
7.3 Airlines not following this procedure may find that their aircraft is seriously delayed, whilst its status is checked.
8. Night Noise Violation and Charges Scheme.
8.1 There are 6 Noise Monitoring Microphones located along the extended centreline of Runway 15/33; 3 in each direction.
8.2 The centre-line monitor for each group of 3 is at a distance of 6.5 kilometres from 'start of roll'.
8.3 A night noise violation occurs when the noise level of 83dB(A), or above, is registered by an aircraft on departure at a centre-line noise monitor positioned at 6.5 km from the start of roll during the Night Period.
8.4 In this event, a surcharge equivalent to a full runway charge for the aircraft will be levied against the operator.
8.5 Income from such surcharges will be incorporated into Birmingham Airport's Community Trust Fund for use within the local community. A tolerance of 0.4 dB(A) applies.
9. Taxiway Lima/Tango
9.1 Taxiway Lima/Tango is not to be used between the hours of 2300 and 0600, except T5 and T6 for entry to Uniform and in emergency situations.