WHAT TYPE OF AIRPORT IS MORRISTOWN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (MMU)?
MMU is defined as a General Aviation Reliever Airport. The term General Aviation refers to all civil aircraft that are not classified as air carrier, commuter, or military. This category includes everything from a small single-engine propeller driven aircraft to large corporate jets. A Reliever Airport pulls private aircraft away from the air carrier airports, such as Newark, La Guardia, and JFK, to reduce air traffic delays and increase safety. A commercial service, or air carrier airport is an airport that provides regularly scheduled passenger and freight service. Morristown Municipal Airport does not have nor will it seek regularly scheduled air carrier or freight service.
WHY ARE PLANES ALLOWED TO TAKE OFF AND LAND LATE AT NIGHT?
MMU is a public use airport and obligated by the Federal Aviation Administration to be open 24 hours, available to all aircraft.
WHY DO I NOTICE INCREASES AND DECREASES IN THE NUMBER OF AIRPLANES THAT FLY OVER MY HOUSE?
Over the past few years, MMU’s operation count has remained consistent. Each aircraft take off, landing and transition through MMU’s airspace is counted as a separate operation. Residents near the airport may notice fluctuations in air traffic activity because MMU has four runways pointing in different directions. Aircraft will use the runway that allows for the safest take off or landing. Aircraft generally need to take off and land into the wind, and smaller aircraft are more sensitive to wind conditions. Therefore, depending upon the direction and intensity of the wind on any given day, residents may not see a single plane overhead, and on other days they may see quite a few. The airport has two instrument approaches which are used in inclement weather. The active runway for MMU is dictated by the direction of the wind along with the active runway at other airports in the area. Pilots flying into MMU will not be allowed to use an approach that would conflict with the approach being used at nearby airports, like Newark International Airport. Safety and separation are the Air Traffic Controllers main priorities. Noise Abatement comes third.
HAS THE AIRPORT CHANGED FLIGHT PATTERNS?
The FAA published departure procedure has remained unchanged for many years. The published departure route is for aircraft on Instrument Flight Rules. MMU’s Control tower is basically a VFR tower with secondary radar that is a feed from Newark. MMU is situated in a valley limiting the radar coverage, therefore, aircraft departing IFR are instructed to contact NYTRACON immediately after departure. NYTRACON is the Terminal Radar Approach Control for the NY Metro Area. This is a challenging task and aircraft are given instructions that vary from the published procedures for aircraft sequencing and separation purposes. The airport does not have the authority to change the FAA procedures or instructions given by NYTRACON.
The Instrument Approaches have also remained unchanged. The instrument approaches are Instrument Landing System (ILS) Runway 23 and Nondirectional Beacon (NDB) to Runway 5. NYTRACON notifies MMU Tower of the approaching aircraft, sets up the aircraft on the approach then hands them to the MMU Control Tower for separation with the other traffic in the MMU air traffic area. The instrument are crucial during increment weather, serving the only means of pilots to land.
WHY DO THEY HAVE PUBLISHED DEPARTURE ROUTES IF THEY DON’T ALWAYS USE THEM?
Published departure routes are crucial in several situations. As mentioned earlier, the radar coverage for MMU is limited. If NYTRACON does not pick the aircraft up on the radar immediately or if the controller is too busy to communicate with the departing aircraft, the controller and the pilot have the prearranged instructions. The published procedures will also be used if the pilot loses communication or if there is a radar outage .
WHY DO THE JETS SEEM TO BE GETTING BIGGER AND LOUDER?
The sizes of corporate aircraft have actually not changed a great deal in the last 15 years but fortunately they have become quieter. The newer business jets are the most technologically advanced and quietest aircraft around. It is the slightly smaller, much older jet aircraft that are the noisiest. In December 1999, the FAA completed the phase out of the majority of the older/louder jet aircraft that weigh more than 75,000 lbs. Unfortunately, no phase out is required for aircraft weighing less than 75,000 lbs. that serve general aviation airports such as MMU.
HOW DOES THE WEATHER AND SEASON AFFECT AIRCRAFT NOISE?
Individuals will usually notice an increase in aircraft noise during warmer months, when windows are open and people are outside. During hot and muggy summer days, aircraft’s climb performance decreases. They stay lower longer and more power is required. A low cloud ceiling will also insulate the noise, especially apparent during helicopter operations. As air density increases and the air is cooler and dryer, the air molecules are closer together resulting in the sound conducting better, traveling longer and sounding louder.
AREN’T THERE REGULATIONS ON HOW LOW AIRCRAFT CAN BE?
There are three scenarios for aircraft: departure, landing and enroute. When aircraft, both fixed wing and helicopters, are taking off or landing there are no minimum altitude requirements. When enroute, fixed wing aircraft must maintain 1000′ over congested areas and 500′ over other areas. However, helicopters have no minimum altitude requirements. Because of the maneuverability of helicopters they can also get a Special Visual Flight Rule clearance (SVFR) which allows helicopters to fly below the basic VFR weather minimums. This is important during medivac operations.
WHY DIDN’T MY REALTOR TELL ME ABOUT THE AIRPORT WHEN I BOUGHT MY HOUSE?
The law in the state of New Jersey requires that Real Estate Agents inform potential buyers if there is an airport within the Airport Safety Zone. There is only a handful of residences that close to the airport. Morristown Airport’s Noise Abatement Officer (NAO) has been meeting with area Realtors so that they can pass along the proper information to their clients. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the buyer to research the area and satisfy his/her concerns before purchasing a home. The Noise Abatement Officer is willing to meet with prospective buyers to provide information about the airport and answer any questions related to aircraft traffic. The NAO can be reached at (973)538-3366 x122.
WHAT BENEFIT DOES MMU BRING TO MORRIS COUNTY?
MMU is used by corporate jets and helicopters as an alternative to Newark International Airport. It is essential to North Jersey’s daily commerce, connecting residents and businesses to state, regional, and worldwide markets. Morristown Municipal Airport’s tenants and visitors provide an estimated $187 million total output/spending to the community. In addition, MMU serves the needs of individual aircraft owners and pilots who also conduct business throughout the Northeast. The airport plays an important part in attracting and sustaining economic growth and development in the area. Many companies consider the adequacy and efficiency of aviation facilities when they are establishing or expanding their business operations. Several large pharmaceutical, technology, and communications corporations in the area have corporate hangars on the airfield.
Morristown Municipal Airport serves a valuable site for the medical community. Many hospitals use MMU to transport patients, medical samples, and vital human organs to various locations around the country. Corporate tenants aid the medical community by conducting flights for the Corporate Angel Network, a network designed to transport cancer patients free of charge, and AirLifeLine, an organization that flies patients who cannot afford the cost of travel to medical facilities for treatments. The State Police and Aeromedical Evacuation Transport helicopters (Medivac) also frequently use MMU as a fueling station near St. Barnabus in Livingston, a National Burn Center, and Morristown Memorial Hospital, a Level II Trauma Center.
WHAT IS MMU DOING ABOUT NOISE?
The following is list of MMU’s pro-active noise abatement program’s recent accomplishments:
• The Route 80 Visual Approach. With the help of residents, and the FAA we have been able to adopt a published visual approach for Runway 23. This approach guides aircraft away from residential areas by using 3 major roadways: Route 287, 80 and 46. It does require at least 3500 foot cloud ceilings, 5 mile visibility and daytime use only.
• Noise Abatement Procedures, including: Runway 30 restrictions: No turbojet departures unless wind exceeds 16 knots. Touch and go operations are prohibited on Runway 30 at all times. Closed traffic operations (touch and go, stop and go, and full stop taxiback) are prohibited on all runways between the hours of 2200 and 0830 local. Touch and go operations or low approaches for military turbojet aircraft are prohibited at all times.
• Stage I Departure Fee Policy: All Stage I aircraft departing from Morristown Municipal Airport between the hours of 11:00 PM and 6:45 AM are subject to a $350.00 Departure fee. This fee is implemented to reduce the impact of aircraft noise on the surrounding communities during the night hours. • Increased pattern altitude for helicopters to 1000 feet MSL
• Implemented voluntary helicopter procedures: Helicopter Departures: • Departing A/E or Runway 5 – When able, fly heading 050 until reaching 1,000′ MSL before proceeding on course.
• Departing C/B or Runway 30- When able, climb to 1,000′ MSL within airport boundary before proceeding on course. Helicopter Arrivals: • A/E, Rwy 5, C/B, or Rwy 30 – When able, maintain at or above 1,000′ MSL before descending over the airport. Helicopters arriving/departing MMU east or westbound should overfly either Route 24 or Route 10 avoiding densely populated residential areas when possible. If the Columbia Road Route must be flown, avoiding the area south of Columbia Road and flying as high as possible will aid in alleviating noise complaints.
• Regularly send all helicopter operators that fly into MMU a copy of voluntary Procedures and map of noise sensitive areas
• Weekend VFR Fixed Wing Alternate Traffic Pattern In an effort to equally distribute aircraft traffic pattern work on the weekends over the surrounding communities, VFR aircraft will fly the right or left traffic pattern designated by Air Traffic Control (ATC). The VFR aircraft traffic pattern will be alternated between the hours of 0830 local and 2200 local. If the weekend pattern work over an area has been excessive and you do not believe the aircraft have been alternated please call our Operations Department and they will request a pattern change. Some weekends this may not be possible due to weather conditions, controller workload, or safety concerns The traffic patterns are always established at the discretion of the on-duty Controller in Charge (CIC).
• Requested an FAA Airspace review of the Runway 23 departure route and any recommendations for alternate routes that will have the least impact on residential areas
• Presentations to local Realtors familiarizing them with MMU.
• Meetings with local legislatures to discuss community aircraft noise concerns.
HOW CAN I MAKE A NOISE COMPLAINT?
There are three ways that you can make a noise complaint.
1.) Call the Noise Abatement Hotline at (973)538-3366 x122. If an Operations Coordinator is not available to speak with you, please leave a message containing the following information: Your name, address, and phone number Time of day that you were disturbed Type of aircraft (jet, propeller, helicopter) Any additional description (too low, too loud, etc.)
2.) Send an e-mail to Noise@mmuair.com that includes the above information.
3.) Fill out the Online Noise Complaint Form. Remember, the more complete information we receive, the better able we are to investigate your complaint.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I PLACE A NOISE COMPLAINT? WHAT DOES THE AIRPORT DO WITH THAT INFORMATION?
We research all complaints. When we receive multiple complaints from one operation we will notify the operator, inform them of the complaint and review our Noise Abatement procedures. We log all complaints and use the information to identify areas in the noise program where modifications are needed. The data is also valuable during meetings with the FAA and local communities.