Noise and Air Quality Monitoring System
As part of the requirements of National Outline Plan 2/4, the Airports Authority operates an environmental monitoring and aviation enforcement system, the deployment and operation of which were determined by the Minister of the Interior, the Minister of Environmental Protection, the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Health or those authorized by him.
The system’s functions are to collect the noise and pollutant data and process them into reports so as to determine entitlement to acoustic protection, the Professional Committee’s work, the Public Committee’s work, and to monitor the operating pattern and restrictions on operation prescribed by the National Outline Plan.
This monitoring system is administered, operated and maintained by the Environmental Protection Branch of the Planning and Engineering Division at the Airports Authority, under control by a competent public entity.
The system comprises two separate monitoring systems: the Air Quality Monitoring System and the Noise Monitoring and Flight Path Tracking System.
Air Quality Monitoring System (AQMS)
Comprises two “end stations” for monitoring the concentrations of pollutants, which are linked to a computerized control center containing two “workstations”. The system monitors 3 pollutants:
• Nitric oxide (NOX)
• Tropospheric ozone (O3)
• Fine inhalable particles (PM2.5)
The monitoring system continuously samples the air, performs physical and chemical analyses of those samples and transmits their data to a data collector which is then used to produce the required reports.
Each of the end stations (monitoring stations) is linked to an independent meteorological subsystem which transmits, concurrently and in real time, four meteorological parameters: wind direction, wind force, temperature and relative moisture. These parameters are of great significance regarding the air pollution attributes being monitored and collected on the database at the system’s control center.
The system’s characterization and construction were carried out in coordination with the Ministry of Environmental Protection. The operating, production of reports and maintenance are performed according to the standards which the Airports Authority is required to meet under the definitions prescribed by the NMC (National Monitoring Center) of the Ministry of Environmental Protection.
The system’s data is transmitted to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and is published on the NMC’s (National Monitoring Center) website.
Noise Monitoring System
Ben Gurion Airport’s Noise Monitoring and Flight Path Tracking System is manufactured by German company “TOPSONIC”.
• The Noise Monitoring System has many capabilities to identify and analyze the acoustic climate on the flight paths and in the cities surrounding the airport.
• The system for flight path tracking and noise monitoring in the cities surrounding the airport monitors the noise levels of the planes taking off from Ben Gurion Airport, while providing a display of the planes’ flight paths and attributing them to the noise incidents.
• The plane noise monitoring stations have been situated along the length of the flight paths passing near the following cities located close to the airport: Be’erot Yitzhak, Rosh Ha’Ayin, Tzafria, Beit Dagan, Holon (3 stations), Bat Yam, Mishmar HaShiv’a, Or Yehuda, Rishon LeZion (3 stations), Tel Aviv, Bnei Atarot and Truman.
• The noise monitoring stations are special posts containing a unique and advanced microphone which detects, with high precision, the noise of the planes passing nearby and is able to distinguish this noise from the other community and transportation noises and accurately locate the plane causing the noise.
• The monitoring stations on the takeoff routes have a predetermined maximal noise threshold. Each plane departing on the takeoff routes must comply with this noise threshold. A takeoff detected on the system’s stations which records noise exceeding the permitted threshold will be deemed a noise deviation and incur financial sanctions.
The maximal takeoff noise thresholds have been determined by various government ministries (the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Environmental Protection) and are regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority.