Overuse of south airfield at O'Hare creates noise 'imbalance,' officials say
Ongoing testing for a newly expanded runway on O'Hare International Airport's north airfield is one reason residents to the south are getting an earful, officials said Tuesday.
The extension of Runway 9-Right/27-Left wrapped up in late 2021 amid expectations it would balance noise around the airport.
But in 2022, 79% of nighttime departures and 71% of arrivals occurred on the south airfield, a report to the O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission's Technical Committee showed.
The influx has kept many residents sleepless in Bensenville and Wood Dale along with other suburbs near the south airfield.
"This runway imbalance between north and south is disgusting," said Bensenville Village Manager and Technical Committee Chairman Evan Summers, adding "billions" had been spent on runway modernization. "This seems to be a fixable problem ... yet it remains unnoted by the Federal Aviation Administration."
Chicago Department of Aviation consultant Ryan Anderson explained the FAA "is continuing to finish installation of navigational aids that are specific to the runway's capability to handle arrivals on the north airfield. That continues throughout this year," which restricts what runways are used for arrivals at night.
Chicago Department of Aviation Assistant Commissioner Vildana Celik said the city was meeting with FAA representatives and "we have definitely expressed our concern."
The navigational aids help guide incoming aircraft, and "safety ultimately dictates the length of time for their testing," FAA spokesman Tony Molinaro said.
The process was prolonged during the COVID-19 pandemic.
O'Hare's six-runway parallel system is evenly divided between the north and south sections.
New and extended runways were completed first on the south airfield, but construction of a trio of runways to the north did not end until December 2021 with 9R/27L. City leaders promised the jet din would be more evenly dispersed in the region.
Also Tuesday, the O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission's Daytime Noise Subcommittee reported that on certain months "over 80% of daytime departures operate on the south airfield."
Committee members approved a resolution endorsing a balanced airfield during daytime operations, which will go to the full noise commission in June.