Centennial Airport Noise Information
Centennial Airport - originally called Arapahoe County Airport - opened in May 1968 as a general aviation reliever airport for Stapleton International Airport (it now serves that role for Denver International Airport). In 1968, the Airport’s location was considered far outside the urban area, and much of the development around the Airport today – the residential, commercial and retail – didn’t exist.
Centennial is consistently ranked the second or third busiest airport in the nation among airports that are not certified for airline services, and in the top 25 of all airports, including LAX, Chicago’s O’Hare and New York’s La Guardia.
How to file a noise complaint
The Airport Authority is charged with addressing noise complaints. You can reach their office at 303. 790.0598 Ext. 2909 and talk to someone or you can call and leave a message on the noise complaint hotline 303.790.4709. When using the hotline, please keep the following guidelines in mind:
- Provide all information requested on the recording - incomplete complaints will not be considered.
- Complaints need to contain specific times - general statements like "20 airplanes between 5 and 8" will not be accepted.
- Complaints containing profanity will not be considered.
- Complaints containing threats to aircraft will be reported to the FBI and local authorities.
- If you would like a return call, be sure to leave your name and telephone number on the recording, and the noise specialist/environmental planner will return your call as soon as possible.
You may also file a complaint online from Centennial Airport’s website: www.centennialairport.com/Complaints. The Airport’s website also has additional information about noise abatement.
The following FAQ was put together for Douglas County by the consultant who prepared our comments to the Part 150 Study. The questions and answers are in response to comments received from Douglas County citizens during the Part 150 process.
Why can’t the Airport deny access to noisy aircraft and certain types of uses?
The Airport is an “obligated airport” that must comply with grant obligations and sponsor assurances. Each FAA grant requires the airport to comply for 20 years after acceptance of the grant. The contracts require the airport to be open to all users in a fair and equal manner and without discrimination based on type of user or aircraft.
Why can’t the Airport stop aircraft from flying where they disturb neighbors?
The FAA preempts the airspace and control of aircraft. State and local governments and airport owners are not allowed to regulate flight. Once the aircraft wheels leave the ground, the flight is in FAA control.
What can I do when an aircraft flies over my property improperly?
The Airport has a complaint hotline 303.790.4709. By calling to complain with any specifics like exact time and location and nature of problem allows the airport staff to track down the event and work with the FAA to determine if there was an improper action. With flight tracking and radar tapes the task is easier than in the past. Lastly, with a written complaint flied directly with the FAA they can investigate and take necessary actions if a violation occurred.
Why do some noise studies recommend fanning or spreading the traffic over many homes?
Aircraft, by necessity, must travel from the runway end to the enroute flight track. Close in to the airport those flights frequently cross over the same houses or properties. The only relief is providing some fanning or spreading of the tracks to prevent consistent overflight of the same properties. The spreading is particularly logical when the flight destinations are in different directions. However, merely shifting the nuisance from one community to another is not an acceptable practice.
What has Douglas County done to strive for compatibility in the airport environs?
The overflight impacts within Douglas County are primarily arrivals from the south to runway 35R and departures to the south from runway 17L.
An avigation easement was dedicated by Meridian to allow straight in and out flight to overfly compatible land uses. However, the benefit of that process is to have departures not turn before reaching Lincoln Avenue. Fanning of flights in that area actually defeats the benefits of the easement. It is recognized that the FAA air traffic controllers have jurisdiction and the requirement to provide for safe flight, therefore when turns are actually needed for safety, the turns are appropriate.
Areas east and southeast of the Centennial Airport are subject to overflight by smaller aircraft arriving and departing. Focus of those operations over flight corridors, such as along a freeway can relieve some properties from excessive overflights.
Douglas County has encouraged the publication of fly friendly flight charts and the Airport has strived to communicate well with based and transient pilots. Additionally, Douglas County took the lead to create the CARA ordinance that considers height limitations and noise to provide proper land use planning and zoning while protecting the Airport from unsuitable developments.
Can the Airport shift training flights to other airports?
No, because the Airport cannot discriminate or restrict access to users. The
Airport does not have jurisdiction over aircraft in the air. However, airports and local governments could work together to create some alternatives that may be viable.
For example, with local support the Airport could request FAA funding to study the development of outlying training runways or “bounce strips” where aircraft could depart the Centennial Airport area to train, then return at the end of the lesson. If feasible and if there is a qualified airport sponsor to implement the program, the bounce strips composed of a simple runway and taxiway might be developed on purchased land. The facilities might even have precision GPS approach training capabilities. This may relieve the neighbors and even the busy air traffic controllers.
Can the Airport impose a curfew so there would be no flights at night and noisy aircraft would not be allowed to land?
Such curfews are only allowed by the FAA after a Part 161 Study is completed and the recommendations approved. Such studies are costly to airports and surrounding communities, are time consuming and very few have been undertaken. Of those, almost none have resulted in a curfew. Noisy aircraft are getting older and they burn more fuel, so the problem may take care of itself even before a lengthy Part 161 study were completed.