NEWSLETTER

Waterbury-Oxford Airport
Master Plan Update & FAR Part 150 Noise Study

Public Information Meeting – April 27, 2005

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) is preparing an Airport 
Master Plan Update (AMPU) and Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 150 Noise 
Study for the Waterbury-Oxford Airport (OXC). The following documents have been 
prepared and are available for public review:

   * AMPU Working Paper No. 1 – 
     Airport Inventory and Forecasts

   * AMPU Working Paper No. 2 – 
     Facility Requirements and Development Alternatives

   * Noise Study Working Paper No. 1 – 
     Affected Environment and Baseline Noise Analysis

These studies are funded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport 
Improvement Program (AIP) and ConnDOT. Study documents and related information 
can be viewed at www.oxcstudies.com. Study documents are also available at the 
Town Libraries and Town Clerk’s Offices of Middlebury, Oxford, and Southbury.

The purpose of the OXC AMPU Study is to provide a planning guide for the future 
development of the Airport. The development needs identified in this plan are 
intended to satisfy present and future aviation demand, with a primary focus on 
improving safety and efficiency and promoting economic development, while being 
compatible with the environment, community development, and transportation 
systems.

The products of the AMPU will be a planning report and an Airport Layout Plan 
(ALP) drawing set. The report is a technical document that includes narrative 
and graphic illustrations that are used to develop the ALP. The ALP drawing set 
is comprised of several drawings that illustrate a variety of items, including 
the existing and proposed airport layout, airspace obstructions, and land use 
plan. To date, the Airport Inventory, Aviation Forecasts, Facility Requirements 
and Development Alternatives have been completed in draft form for public 
review.

For a general aviation airport, such as OXC, future needs are determined by 
existing activity levels and forecasts of based aircraft and operations. The 
activity forecasts show increased based aircraft and operations through 2023, 
as illustrated in the table below.

OXC FORECASTS
                 +---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
                 |    2003 |    2008 |    2013 |    2018 |    2023 |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Based Aircraft |     236 |     268 |     274 |     280 |     287 |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+
| Operations     |  66,000 |  72,700 |  77,100 |  81,700 |  86,600 |
+----------------+---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+

Based on forecasted growth at OXC, draft facility requirements were determined. 
The following short-and long-range items were identified:

Terminal Area Facilities

   * Conventional hangar space
   * T-hangar bays
   * Transient/visiting aircraft parking
   * Maintenance equipment garage

Airfield Facilities

   * Runway approach lighting system
   * Extension of the parallel taxiway
   * Additional exit taxiways
   * Airport service road

For each facility requirement, one or more development alternatives was 
identified. The next steps in the OXC AMPU Study include an evaluation of the 
cost, feasibility, and environmental consequences of the development 
alternatives, and preparation of a draft implementation plan.

The OXC Noise Study incorporates forecasts and analyses from the AMPU, as well 
as input from surrounding Towns, airport tenants, and the public. The overall 
goal of the Noise Study is to manage aircraft noise impacts in surrounding 
communities through noise abatement, noise mitigation, and compatible land use 
recommendations.

The FAR Part 150 Noise Study is organized into the following chapters:

   * Inventory and Affected Environment
   * Baseline Noise Analysis
   * Noise Monitoring Program
   * Noise Abatement Alternatives
   * Land Use Alternatives
   * Noise Compatibility Program

The Inventory and Affected Environment and Baseline Noise Analysis have been 
completed, and are presented in Noise Study Working Paper No. 1. In a Part 150 
Noise Study, the noise metric used to determine compatible and non-compatible 
land uses is Day-Night Average Noise Level (DNL). The FAA uses a DNL of 65 
decibels (dB) or above to determine if non-compatible land use activities exist 
in the vicinity of an airport. Examples of non-compatible land uses may include 
residential dwellings, schools, and hospitals. Graphics illustrating noise 
exposure at OXC are provided in the working paper. The number of homes within 
DNL noise contours in 2003 and 2008 at OXC are illustrated in the table below.

HOMES WITHIN DNL NOISE CONTOURS
+-----------------+-------+-------+---------+
| DNL Contour     |  2003 |  2008 |  Change |
+-----------------+-------+-------+---------+
| 65 (& Greater)  |    64 |    58 |     (6) |
+-----------------+-------+-------+---------+
| 70 (& Greater)  |    20 |     5 |    (15) |
+-----------------+-------+-------+---------+

The next steps in the OXC Noise Study include developing airport operational 
and land use strategies in an effort to mitigate noise exposure in the 
surrounding community.

The first Public Information Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 27, 2005 
at the Southbury Hilton. The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. with a presentation 
at 7:00 p.m., followed by a questions and answer session until 9:00 p.m. Please 
join the study team to become informed and offer your views on the future of 
OXC airport.

Questions concerning the studies can be referred to Mr. David Head, ConnDOT 
Project Manager at (860) 594-2149.