CAMPAIGN group HACAN, which represents residents under the Heathrow flight paths, is calling for the aviation industry to take prompt action on noise. 

Its report, Noise Relief, outlines practical measures which could be taken to achieve this.

Chairman John Stewart, co-author of the report, said: “Heathrow is drawing up plans for the biggest shake-up of its flight paths since the airport opened in 1946. 

“HACAN welcomes many of these plans, particularly those which will bring some respite each day to the many areas which are currently flown over all day long. 

“But these new flight paths will not be in place for several years yet. Our report suggests measures which can be taken in the interim.”

The report advocates four measures to assist residents:

  1. Stagger the point at which planes join their final approach path:  at present 95% of planes join within a narrow band
  2. Increase variation in departure routes:  over the last 10 years or so, aircraft taking off from Heathrow have increasingly been concentrated along narrow flight paths
  3. Promote fairer night flight arrival distribution:  night flights appear to vary their routes less than they did in the past
  4. Reduce simultaneous overflying by Heathrow and London City arrivals.