CHICAGO — City aviation officials have released the full schedule for the second round of the Fly Quiet runway rotation test, which aims to spread the burden of overnight jet noise to keep any single neighborhood from being pummeled by low-flying planes.
Unlike last year's rotation program, which ran continuously for six months from July to December, the test approved last month begins April 30 and ends on July 22. The full schedule is posted online.
The program will likely "dovetail" into a third test, drawn up to exclude a runway scheduled to close next year, according to Aaron Frame, a deputy commissioner for the Chicago Department of Aviation.
About 100 flights take off and land at the airport between 11 p.m.-7 a.m. every night, when the rotation program will be in effect.
City residents filed almost 127,000 jet noise complaints with the city between July and December last year, while the Fly Quiet program was in effect — about an 11 percent drop compared to the previous six months, according to data released by the commission. The number of people filing complaints, meanwhile, fell by about 15 percent.
During last year's test, pilots used their designated takeoff or landing path about half the time, officials said. Another 19 percent of flights followed a "secondary" path, offered so pilots can land safely against the wind during storms.
The below maps show both the primary and secondary runway patterns planned for each week of the rotation test.
During the week of April 30, departing flights will be directed over the southern part Jefferson Park. A secondary route will send arriving flights along the same path:
[Google Maps]
During the week of May 7, no flights will be directed over city neighborhoods.
During the week of May 14, departing flights will be directed over Norwood Park, the northern part of Jefferson Park, and Sauganash. A secondary route will send arriving flights along the same path:
[Google Maps]
During the week of May 21, arriving flights will be directed near Edison Park:
[Google Maps]
During the week of May 28, departing flights will be directed over the southern part of Jefferson Park. A secondary route will send arriving flights over the northern part of Portage Park:
[Google Maps]
During the week of June 4, no flights will be directed over city neighborhoods.
During the week of June 11, arriving flights will be directed over the southern part of Jefferson Park. A secondary route will send departing flights along the same path:
[Google Maps]
During the week of June 18, a secondary route will send arriving flights near Edison Park:
[Google Maps]
During the week of June 25, arriving flights will be directed over Norwood Park, the northern part of Jefferson Park, and Sauganash. A secondary route will send departing flights along the same path:
[Google Maps]
During the week of July 2, no flights will be directed over city neighborhoods.
During the week of July 9, arriving flights will be directed over over the northern part of Portage Park. A secondary route will send departing flights over the southern part of Jefferson Park:
[Google Maps]
During the week of July 16, a secondary route will send arriving flights near Edison Park:
[Google Maps]
