SFO roundtable technical working group reviews draft 2025–26 work plan; members press for metric updates and Fly Quiet review

The Technical Working Group (TWG) of the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) Roundtable reviewed the draft 2025–26 work plan during a June 25, 2025 meeting, with Vanessa Lee, the roundtable coordinator, presenting the document and asking members and the public for feedback. The group discussed six strategic goals — including flight‑procedure oversight, ground‑based noise, Fly Quiet, legislative advocacy, education/outreach and member support — and directed staff to incorporate edits before the plan goes to the full roundtable for consideration at its August meeting.

The work plan, Lee said, “is really designed to keep us focused, collaborative, and adaptive.” She described six strategic goals that build on prior years’ priorities and noted the draft will be revised by the TWG and then presented to the full roundtable for approval. No formal actions or votes were taken at the TWG meeting.

Why it matters: The roundtable’s work plan sets SFO communities’ priorities on noise mitigation and related outreach for the coming year, and the TWG is the technical body that refines operational details for the full roundtable. Members and public commenters pressed staff to add or clarify language on noise metrics, community representation, and review criteria so the plan better reflects current operational realities and community impacts.

Key points from the discussion

- Continued priorities and new emphasis: Lee and members said the plan continues prior focus areas such as monitoring night and hush departures, reviewing nighttime use of Runway 28, partnering with SFO’s Noise Abatement Office and the FAA, and tracking health‑related impacts of noise. The draft also adds expanded TWG oversight of ground‑based noise following completion of the Up the Hill study.

- Metrics and C‑weighting: A public commenter identified in the record as Ms. Shapley urged use of C‑weighting for ground noise, saying the roundtable’s recent ground‑based noise analysis showed “significantly higher noise when using c weighting over a weighting,” and cited SEL differences “between 11 and 15 dB, l max differences up to 15 dB at several monitors.” She recommended the data be shared with the FAA to support the roundtable’s position on noise metrics.

- Fly Quiet program: Members recommended the draft explicitly state that the TWG will review SFO’s Fly Quiet program rather than only “strengthen compliance tracking.” Several participants urged a program review to consider which metrics and incentives are realistic given current aircraft operations and what airlines can control. Public commenter Darlene suggested the program be revised to reflect learning from the last decade and to prioritize outreach to major carriers; she noted United accounts for an estimated 34% of operations while a second carrier is about 19%. Christine Kroll proposed language for the plan that would have the roundtable “engage with SFO to advocate and provide feedback on the aircraft noise reduction efficacy of the current Fly Quiet criteria and to make suggestions as needed.” TWG staff agreed to add review language and to involve the technical consultant (HMMH) in evaluating program efficacy and criteria.

- Legislative advocacy and representation: Members discussed broadening the plan’s legislative language to cover “noise policy” and metrics as well as quieter procedures and operational restrictions. Darlene and others urged that health impacts be included alongside noise (for noise‑related health consequences) and that legislation or advocacy language emphasize community representation on FAA advisory bodies such as the Aircraft Noise Advisory Committee (ANAC). The group discussed adding language to ensure that FAA advisory appointments include authentic community representation and to preserve flexibility in advocacy language.

- Ground‑based noise, GBAS and emerging technologies: TWG members agreed to expand TWG oversight to include ground‑based noise issues and to carry forward past work on GBAS procedures and advanced air mobility topics (eVTOL, drones, supersonic) where relevant. Christine and others asked the draft to reference the SFO Recommended Airport Development Plan (RADP) when discussing development impacts and to include environmental justice, noise and health effects.

- Education, outreach and tools: The draft calls for improved public learning resources, website improvements, and streamlined Noise 101 materials for both roundtable members and the public. Vanessa Lee said current Noise 101 materials are on the roundtable website but could be more accessible; the record notes the training material is currently delivered as a roughly half‑day set of videos and links.

Next steps and procedural notes

TWG members and staff agreed to incorporate suggested edits (including correcting a staff memo typo that listed seven goals when the draft contains six). Darlene was asked to email her written suggestions so staff can incorporate them; staff committed to updating the draft for the full roundtable in August. No formal vote or adoption took place at the June 25 TWG meeting.

At the end of the meeting, Lee said the TWG could “jump right in and start working on some of these initiatives and bringing recommendations forward to the full roundtable.”