More aircraft noise to come for some neighbourhoods near Pearson Airport in Mississauga, Ontario
Published April 19, 2024 at 12:58 pm
Several neighbourhoods near Pearson Airport in Mississauga can expect to hear more aircraft noise in the overnight hours for the next six weeks as the airport’s longest runway shuts down nightly to allow for maintenance work.
Pearson officials said in a post to social media this week the airport’s annual runway maintenance schedule gets underway this coming Monday and will continue into the fall with needed upgrades completed to each of the airport’s five runways (see image of runways below).
“Routine maintenance season is back from now to late fall. An overnight closure of Runway 05/23 will start April 22 and will continue” until June 4, the airport said in a post to X. “The closure will affect how the nighttime preferential runway system is used.”
Runway 05/23, one of Pearson’s three east-west takeoff/landing strips and located farthest to the north, is the airport’s longest runway at 3,390 metres, according to airport officials. By comparison, the shortest (Runway 06R/24L) runs at 2,744 metres.
Runway 05/23 will close nightly from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. for the next six weeks to allow for the resurfacing of Runway 15R/33L, which runs north-south and crosses the airport’s longest runway almost at its centre point.
The closure will place more overnight flights on Runway 06L/24R, located at Pearson’s south end. Planes taking off and landing on that strip use different flight paths and therefore will bring additional aircraft noise to other neighbourhoods.
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Image shows the five runways at Pearson Airport in Mississauga. (Image: Greater Toronto Airports Authority)
Runway work often leads to increased aircraft takeoffs and landings on other landing strips at Pearson for a short period of time, thereby creating airplane noise over other neighbourhoods.
The Greater Toronto Airports Authority, which operates Pearson, regularly provides online updates related to runway maintenance and associated noise advisories for area residents.
Such noise advisories are nothing new to Mississauga, Brampton and Toronto residents who live near the airport. Many have been complaining for decades about the noise caused by hundreds of incoming and outgoing daily flights.
The GTAA says its Noise Management Office “periodically publishes advisories and notices for resident awareness of airfield construction, airport activities and engagement opportunities that could have an impact on normal airport traffic operations and aircraft noise impacts on the community.”
GTAA officials have said they’ve done their best in recent years to communicate with area residents with respect to the issue of airport noise.
Several public meetings, or noise forums, are held each year to engage residents in discussion and to hear their concerns.
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