Dubai-based Emirates has been awarded a major award by San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in recognition of its efforts in reducing aircraft noise impacts in the communities surrounding the airport.

SFO awarded Emirates with the Jon C Long Fly Quiet Chairperson’s Award for 2010 – 2011.

“Over the past year, the Emirates Flight Operations team has met with SFO Aircraft Noise Abatement Office (SFO ANAO) staff numerous times in an effort to improve their performance and the results are definitely above and beyond mere program participation,” said Jeffrey Gee, Roundtable chair of the SFO Fly Quiet Programme.

“Emirates has worked diligently with the SFO ANAO to improve its overall Fly Quiet scores and hence we are pleased to present the airline with our prestigious Jon C. Long Fly Quiet annual Chairperson’s Award.”

The Fly Quiet Program is led by SFO ANAO to ensure that flights operate as quietly as possible and to provide information about noise abatement to community residents.

Conscious of flying a ‘heavy’ aircraft on the ultra-long haul route between Dubai and San Francisco – the Boeing 777-300 Extended Range -  Emirates was determined to limit noise emissions and achieve overall operational excellence.

Emirates Flight Operations and SFO joined together to analyse hundreds of flights to determine actual aircraft climb profiles, the use of certain Standard Instrument Departures and wind gradient encounters, all major causes of noise, in order to identify the best flight paths and minimize noise impacts.

“Emirates believes that taking care of our passengers does not end when they disembark our aircraft or even when they exit out of the airport’s terminal doors. As active members of the communities in the destinations we serve, we aim to be good citizens and take into consideration those living near our destination airports,” said Captain Alan Stealey, Emirates Divisional senior vice president Flight Operations.

“Reducing our noise impact from our aircraft is a great example of how Emirates can benefit the communities we serve.

“Recognition of our achievements in San Francisco is a great honour and we thank the airport for their role in supporting our efforts to reduce our noise impact around SFO,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service