Research Methods for Understanding Aircraft Noise Annoyances and Sleep Disturbance (2014)

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11 Analysis of Responses to Selected Survey Questions 11.1 Community Responses to Survey Questions In addition to the question about annoyance with aircraft noise, responses to several questions were judged as possibly important to airports’ policies on public outreach. These questions and responses were suggested for inclusion in the national survey. Specifically, responses from the community to the telephone survey regarding outreach-related questions could help airports understand how well their outreach is received or, if no outreach program is active, whether its development might be of value to the airport. It is important to note that the numbers / percentages reported here are raw data, not weighted by populations. However, the responses to these non-annoyance questions may illuminate respondent reactions to what may be sensitive or confusing topics. Overall, the raw responses to these questions of interest gave the following general results.  25% - 48% of community respondents indicated that residents’ actions and views can moderately to very greatly influence airport officials;  58% - 69% of community respondents indicated airport officials moderately well to extremely well understand resident’s feelings;  40% - 63% of community respondents indicated airport officials keep community residents moderately to extremely will informed;  54% - 75% of community respondents indicated airport officials can be moderately to completely trusted to work fairly with the community; and  79% – 99% of community respondents indicated the airport as moderately to extremely important to their community. Raw community responses to the outreach-specific questions are identified below:  Question 31. If someone wants to make a complaint about aircraft noise these days, do you know if there is a convenient way to contact Airport? Question 31 Results Airport 1 Airport 2 Airport 3 Refused 0.9% 0.0% 0.0% Don’t Know 23.7% 36.1% 34.2% Yes 50.0% 31.9% 36.0% No 25.4% 31.9% 29.8%  Question 32. How much do you think that residents’ actions and views can influence Airport noise policy? Question 32 Results Airport 1 Airport 2 Airport 3 Don’t Know 3.5% 2.1% 1.8% Very Greatly Influence 0.9% 0.7% 0.9% Greatly Influence 10.5% 11.1% 23.7% Moderately Influence 14.0% 30.6% 23.7% Slightly Influence 41.2% 38.2% 38.6% Not At All Influence 29.8% 17.4% 11.4% 31

 Question 33. Has your household ever received assistance from the government or Airport to soundproof your home against aircraft noise? Question 33 Results Airport 1 Airport 2 Airport 3 Don’t Know 4% 1% 5% Yes 45% 2% 17% No 52% 97% 78%  Question 35. How well do you think Airport officials understand the community residents’ feelings about aircraft noise? Question 35 Results Airport 1 Airport 2 Airport 3 Don’t Know 7.0% 18.1% 12.3% Extremely Well 7.0% 9.7% 12.3% Very Well 17.5% 19.4% 25.4% Moderately Well 33.3% 31.3% 31.6% Slightly 15.8% 11.8% 12.3% Not At All 19.3% 9.7% 6.1%  Question 36. How fully do you feel the Airport officials keep community residents informed about the planning for airport changes? Question 36 Results Airport 1 Airport 2 Airport 3 Don’t Know 6.1% 7.6% 6.1% Extremely Well 1.8% 2.8% 4.4% Very Well 12.3% 21.5% 14.9% Moderately Well 25.4% 34.0% 43.9% Slightly 33.3% 17.4% 20.2% Not At All 21.1% 16.7% 10.5%  Question 37. To what extent do you think that Airport officials can be trusted to fairly work with the community by following official, agreed-upon procedures and providing accurate information? Question 37 Results Airport 1 Airport 2 Airport 3 Refused 0.9% 1.4% 0.0% Don’t Know 5.3% 10.4% 8.8% Completely Trusted 4.4% 7.6% 6.1% Considerably Trusted 8.8% 23.6% 21.1% Moderately Trusted 35.1% 35.4% 38.6% Slightly Trusted 30.7% 18.1% 21.1% Not At All Trusted 14.9% 3.5% 4.4%  Question 40. How important do you think that Airport is for the area? Question 40 Results Airport 1 Airport 2 Airport 3 Don’t Know 2.6% 0.7% 0.9% Extremely 28.9% 63.9% 77.2% Very 26.3% 27.1% 18.4% Moderately 23.7% 5.6% 3.5% Slightly 12.3% 2.8% 0.0% Not At All 6.1% 0.0% 0.0% 11.2 Airport Reactions to Community Responses We provided the community responses given in the previous section to the airport operators and asked them to respond to three specific questions. 32

1. Are the results of interest to the airport? – All airports saw value in knowing the responses. The results may be considered sensitive and not to be shared, but the response could help the airports assess their outreach efforts. 2. Are they of too sensitive a nature to the airport and do you think they should not be asked as a part of a national survey? The airports responded that the responses may be difficult for airports to know, but still worth considering. 3. If they are part of a national survey, do you think the airports would want to keep these results confidential – to only themselves? The results are unlikely to be shared by most airports. 11.3 Respondent Reactions Finally, several of the above questions were judged to possibly confuse the respondent or to be too difficult to answer. Westat asked the interviewers how respondents reacted to survey questions 33, 34, 37 and 38 (repeated below). Specifically the interviewers were asked: 1. Did the respondents have any trouble answering? 2. Where the questions sensitive? 3. Did the respondents offer any comments? 33. Has your household ever received assistance from the government or (…LOCAL AIRPORT…) to soundproof your home against aircraft noise?  All reported there was no trouble answering this question- answered it very easily.  Many respondents said it would be nice if they were offered assistance from the Government (they were not aware there was such a program).  Some respondents reported that they had soundproofed on their own, again, either because they weren’t aware they could get assistance or because they just wanted it done.  Many respondents questioned the interviewers on how to get this soundproofing done thru the government.  Many respondents offered that instead of soundproofing, that airports offered different solutions for the noise such as changing directions the aircraft flew, as well as the timing of take- off/landings. 34. Has the government or [LOCAL AIRPORT] done anything else to financially compensate you for the aircraft noise here?  No trouble answering this question  For one community this question was a bit sensitive in that many expressed disappointment that they may have missed out on the compensation. Not being aware that this may have been possible. Many asked how they could get information about compensating 37. To what extent do you think that [LOCAL AIRPORT] officials can be trusted to fairly work with the community by following official, agreed-upon procedures and providing accurate information? Do you think the officials can be completely trusted, considerably trusted, moderately trusted, slightly trusted or not at all trusted?  In general respondents answered this question comfortably  Question was not sensitive  Respondents realize that the airports are huge money maker for the area so they didn’t complain and thought officials were doing the best they could and apparently this question was answered in that most felt they were pretty much trusted. 33

38. How much do you think (the officials who run [LOCAL AIRPORT]) could reduce the aircraft noise around here if they tried: Could [the officials who run the airport] reduce the noise very greatly, greatly, moderately, slightly or not at all? Very greatly Greatly Moderately Slightly Not at all Refused Don’t know a. The officials who run [LOCAL AIRPORT] 1 2 3 4 5 -7 -8 b. Other government officials 1 2 3 4 5 -7 -8 c. The pilots flying the planes 1 2 3 4 5 -7 -8  Many thought the response option ‘c’ was ridiculous in that pilots couldn’t control the noise.  The airport official (a) option seemed to cause a lot of respondents to open up about how these are the people who are to blame for the noise. That they could control it by changing flight paths.  Interviewers reported that the other government officials could only do so much that it was the airport officials that should take charge of it.  Some interviewers felt this question was a bit sensitive based on the comments given about the airport officials.  Higher expectations for this question fell on the airport officials.  Most were open and willing to answer this question with no issues. 34