Why don military aircraft follow noise abatement procedures?
The noise abatement procedures used at the St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport were subject to FAA approval prior to implementation. As part of their approval, the FAA specified that these procedures apply only to air carrier, turbojet aircraft with a certified gross weight of 60,000 lbs or greater. Aircraft with a certified gross weight of less than 60,000 lbs are not required to use the noise abatement procedures. The majority of military aircraft operating in and out of the Airport are C-130 Hercules (fixed-wing aircraft) and H-60 Blackhawk (helicopters). Neither of these aircraft meet the specifications imposed by FAA. Though the Coast Guard and US Army are not required to follow noise abatement procedures (based on FAA mandate), they have implemented procedures that minimize the noise impact on areas surrounding the Airport. Both the US Coast Guard and US Army are committed to minimizing aircraft noise as much as is practical while still fulfilling their operational re
