SR-09-24-2013-3ACity Council Meeting: September 24, 2013
Agenda Item:
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Martin Pastucha, Director of Public Works
Subject: Pilot Aircraft Retrofitting Program
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Direct staff to proceed with implementation of a pilot program for retrofitting
aircraft used in flight training with mufflers or other sound mitigation equipment.
The program would reimburse flight schools up to $3,500 or 50% of the cost of
retrofit per aircraft, whichever amount is less.
2. Appropriate the budget increase as outlined in the Financial Impacts and Budget
Actions section of this report.
Executive Summary
On April 30, 2013, Council approved the development of a pilot program for retrofitting
aircraft used in flight training with mufflers or other sound mitigation equipment and
directed staff to include up to $200,000 for the pilot program in the proposed FY 2013-
15 City budget.
This report provides an overview of the criteria to be used to incentivize the program; a
recommendation for the maximum allocation of funds per aircraft; and the process to
ensure that the equipment approved for this program reduce the overall noise impact to
the community.
Background
In December 2012, staff conducted a noise -level flight -test program to determine the
effectiveness of an aftermarket exhaust muffler system in reducing the noise level of the
most common flight training aircraft used at Santa Monica Airport. The results of the
test, as well as observations by members of the public, indicated that a muffler system
designed to reduce the level of the aircraft engine exhaust noise is an effective system
that can reduce noise from fixed wing propeller aircraft.
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On April 30, 2013, Council approved the development of a pilot program for retrofitting
aircraft used in flight training with mufflers or other sound mitigation equipment and
directed staff to include $200,000 for the pilot program in the FY 2013 -15 Biennial
Budget.
Discussion
The pilot program provides an incentive to flight schools based at Santa Monica Airport
that voluntarily retrofit fixed wing propeller aircraft used for flight training with noise
mitigation equipment designed to reduce noise levels. The City would provide a
reimbursement to flight schools of up to $3,500 or 50% of the cost of retrofit per aircraft,
whichever amount is less. Eligible aircraft includes aircraft owned or leased for use by
the existing flight schools. For any leased aircraft operated by the existing flight
schools, any aircraft retrofit by this program must be in operation at the Airport as of
September 1, 2013, used at the Airport for at least one year after retrofit, and at least
75% of operations within that year must originate from Santa Monica Airport.
This program is designed to cover some of the costs associated with equipping aircraft
with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved devices to reduce their overall
noise impact. Funding would be provided for a wide range of technologies. There are
several technologies that reduce piston - powered aircraft noise such as: enhanced
muffler systems; propeller designs; and devices that reduce propeller revolutions per
minute (RPM). The pilot program would not be limited to, or single out, just one vendor
or one type of device, but provide funding for a variety of FAA approved devices.
Currently, there are 31 aircraft owned or operated by the flight schools at Santa Monica
Airport, and the potential cost to retrofit all these aircraft is $108,500.
Approval Process
The pilot program would require that all noise mitigation equipment be approved by the
Public Works Director or his designee prior to reimbursement. Any proposed equipment
would have to provide documentation of an FAA Supplemental Type Certificate (STC)
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for the type of aircraft the device is installed upon. In addition, the device must reduce
the noise signature of the aircraft on a normal departure profile from runway 21 by 3
dBA Single Event Noise Exposure Level (SENEL) at Santa Monica Airport's remote
monitoring site #1 located approximately 1,500 feet west of the end of the runway.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The pilot program to retrofit flight training aircraft with sound mitigation equipment is
estimated to cost up to $200,000. The cost to administer the program would be included
in this expense. The cost estimate is based on the number of flight training aircraft
currently stationed at the Airport. Implementing the program requires an additional
appropriation of $200,000 to account 33431.556250 from the Airport fund balance (non -
aviation funds).
Prepared by: Stelios Makrides, Acting Airport Manager
Approved:
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Martin Pastucha
Director of Public Works
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Forwarded to Council:
Rod Gould
City Manager