City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: INFORMATION REPORTS
Lead Department: Public Works
Meeting Date: October 6, 2025
Report #:2504-4477
TITLE
2024 Annual Airport Noise Report and 2025 Noise Program Initiatives
RECOMMENDATION
This is an Informational Report. No Council action is required.
BACKGROUND
The objective of the Palo Alto Airport (PAO) Annual Aircraft Noise Report is to analyze noise patterns in the vicinity and assess adherence to established voluntary noise abatement procedures. The 2024 Annual Aircraft Noise Report (Attachment A) was compiled by Airport Division staff of the Public Works Department, utilizing data from aircraft noise complaints received throughout the 2024 calendar year. This report is generated on an annual basis and posted on the Airport’s webpage.
PAO receives noise complaints via email at [email protected] and a designated hotline at (650) 329-2405. Staff reviews and responds timely to all complaints, ascertaining from complainants their contact information and the date, time, and description of the offending occurrence. Staff reviews and compiles the data to determine flying activity trends. Staff contacts pilots when violations are observed or reported, advising them of established procedures, requesting compliance, and reminding them about the City’s strong commitment to limiting the community impacts from airport noise.
ANALYSIS
PAO continues to be one of the busiest general aviation airports in the Bay Area, averaging over 150,000 annual operations since 2015. In calendar year 2024, the Airport totaled 150,123 operations, representing a slight increase compared to 2023.
In 2024, the Airport received a total of 110 noise complaints from 51 individual households. The majority of complaints originated from residents in the City of Palo Alto, with the second highest volume of complaints coming from East Palo Alto.
The Airport’s location within the region’s complex and congested airspace – bounded by San Francisco Class B, San Jose Class C, and Moffett Field airspace – continues to influence aircraft routing and limits operational flexibility. Despite these constraints, Airport staff remain committed to promoting voluntary noise abatement procedures and continue to engage with Airport users to minimize noise impacts on surrounding communities.
To support these efforts, Airport staff began conducting monthly coordination meetings with Airport users and FAA Air Traffic Control personnel. These meetings allow for the discussion of noise abatement procedures and identify effective strategies for communicating with both based and transient1 pilots. As a result of the ongoing meetings, the Airport’s noise abatement flyer was revised and updated to more clearly communicate procedures and improve pilot awareness.
Additionally, PAO staff have participated in regional Bay Area Airport Managers meetings to explore a centralized website to consolidate noise abatement procedures throughout the Bay Area. The goal of this initiative is to improve pilot access to noise-related information and promote greater awareness of recommended procedures across the region. This effort remains an ongoing project and collaboration will continue with participating airports.
To enhance noise monitoring, staff entered into a contract with 1200.Aero and is currently testing a new web-based software system implemented in March 2024. Initial testing is focused on Runway 31, which comprises approximately 90% of operations, with geofencing in place to identify potential deviations from the Airport’s noise abatement procedures over East Palo Alto. The geofenced area over East Palo Alto was set up to monitor for straight out departures and early left turns which do not conform to the noise abatement procedures. Additional geofencing will be applied over Palo Alto and Menlo Park as testing progresses to ensure comprehensive monitoring.
This system enables real-time monitoring and tracking of aircraft operations, providing staff with a proactive method of reviewing flights for adherence to the Airport’s noise abatement procedures. An example of a notification can be seen below. The Airport’s noise abatement procedures request that pilots make a 10 degree turn to the north and avoid turning left until the Dumbarton Auto Bridge. In the example flight, the aircraft made an early left turn, entering into the geofenced area over East Palo Alto and triggering a notification. This software reduces the dependency on community complaints and allows for a more proactive review of flights for potential violations. It should be noted that Air Traffic Control directions supersede noise 1 Transient pilots are pilots whose aircraft are based at other airports. abatement procedures, and the below operations would not be considered a deviation if directed by Air Traffic Control.
With 1200. Aero, staff can geofence specific areas and monitor operations within those zones.
Whenever an aircraft enters a geofenced area, staff receives automatic notifications. Staff can then promptly review flight data and assess whether a deviation from procedures occurred and determine whether the operation was a result of Air Traffic Control instruction or other justifiable circumstances. Staff then follows up with pilots to provide education and promote awareness of recommended procedures. It is important to note that not every generated notification constitutes a violation of the noise abatement procedures. Staff continue to work closely with 1200. Aero to refine the system’s parameters and improve the accuracy of notifications.
1200. Aero began collecting data in April, and between April 3, 2025, and June 30, 2025 the system identified 705 incursions into the airspace above East Palo Alto. After review, staff determined that 560 of these were actual deviations from recommended noise abatement procedures. The remaining flights included arrivals entering the airspace at approximately 1,000 feet which is consistent with noise abatement procedures, aircraft transitioning through the area without operating at PAO, or flights directed by Air Traffic Control for spacing or safety reasons. Staff attempts to contact pilots who do not follow the recommended procedures; however, outreach to transient pilots can be challenging. Airport Operations has been able to follow up on approximately 50% of deviations, as contact information is not available for the remainder. In June, the Airport implemented transient billing software that requests pilots
check in upon landing, which has provided email contacts for many transient pilots and expanded outreach opportunities. Since June, the percentage of deviations responded to has increased, and will continue to rise as contact information is logged. In addition, staff coordinates with neighboring airports to request that they notify pilots based at those airports and reciprocates when other airports request the same.
Additionally, 1200. Aero relies on publicly available ADS-B data and registration information, which is subject to potential changes in FAA policy. The FAA has proposed rules that could restrict access to registration and ADS-B information. In response, the City submitted formal comments on June 4, 2025, emphasizing the critical importance of maintaining access to this data to support the Airport’s noise monitoring and abatement programs.2
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
There is no direct fiscal impact associated with this informational report.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
The Airport has consistently engaged stakeholders of the Airport and will continue to collaborate with them regarding noise concerns and complaints. Airport staff attends monthly meetings with the Palo Alto Airport Association, representing a diverse array of Airport users including flight schools, charter flight operators, corporate pilots, and private users. Trends in noise abatement are a common topic of discussion during those meetings.
Additionally, staff actively participates in educational and informational conferences, such as the University of California at Davis Noise & Emissions Symposium Conference, to stay abreast of the latest industry trends and innovations pertaining to noise and emissions at the Airport.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This item is informational in nature and does not constitute a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: 2024 Annual Palo Alto Airport Noise Report APPROVED BY:
Brad Eggleston, Director Public Works/City Engineer
2 Comment on FAA Proposal To Withhold Certain Aircraft Registration Information From Public Dissemination (Docket No. FAA-2025-0638); https://www.paloalto.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/public-works/palo-alto- airport/airplane-noise/june-4-2025-comment-on-faa-proposal-to-withhold-certain-aircraft-registration- information-from-public-disemination.pdf