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Aspen/Pitkin Airport unveils 'Fly With Integrity' noise monitoring program with eight permanent monitors
Summary
Airport advisory board and consultants presented a voluntary, scored noise‑and‑emissions program that installs eight permanent monitors, scores operators on single‑event and cumulative noise metrics, and will publish quarterly performance tiers; the airport advisory board voted informally to forward the plan to commissioners.
Pitkin County and Aspen officials reviewed a new voluntary “Fly With Integrity” program for the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport at the board’s June 24 work session. The program expands permanent noise monitoring, scores aircraft operators on multiple noise measures and seeks voluntary commitments to reduce noise and emissions.
“Whether in the air or on the ground, we hope our owners, operators, both commercial and general aviation, pilots, and ground crews will participate in flying with integrity,” said Valerie Braun, member of the airport advisory board, detailing the program the board developed with consultants and local volunteers.
Nut graf: The Fly With Integrity plan replaces and broadens the airport’s prior Fly Quiet effort. It adds eight 24/7 noise monitors along flight corridors, a scoring and education system for operators, quarterly public reporting of operator performance tiers, and bonus incentives for sustainability commitments. Airport advisory board members said the program is voluntary and will be refined over time; it is designed to support the community’s common‑ground goal of a 30% reduction in noise and emissions.
How the program will work - Permanent monitoring: consultants said eight permanent noise monitors were installed last summer to continuously capture single‑event and cumulative metrics along approach and departure corridors. The system correlates radar/flight tracks with noise events to assign measured levels to specific operations. - Scoring categories: operators will receive 0–100 scores on measures including fleet noise certification (FAA‑certified noise level), high‑noise events (historical top ~10% threshold), curfew and shoulder‑hour operations (curfew violations scored strongly negative), measured quiet departures relative to aircraft‑type averages, and airport‑wide noise contour size (DNL and daytime LEQ). Operators can earn bonus points for sustainability commitments (for example, participation in NBAA sustainability programs) and for reduced ground‑noise practices such as minimizing APU use and using ground power units where feasible. - Reporting and outreach: the airport plans to deliver operator results directly to chief pilots and aircraft operators, offer a user guide with best‑practice suggestions, and publish aggregate and tiered results quarterly. The airport advisory board informally voted to forward the program to the Board of County Commissioners for review.
Consultants and volunteers emphasized voluntary, education‑first approach Dan Bartholomew, former airport director covering for the current airport director, introduced the consultants and local volunteers who led the revision. “Our intent is really to dive further into the overview and to provide you some details on how we can use the Fly With Integrity program to be able to track progress on that common‑ground goal of 30% reduction,” said Jen Wolchanski, sustainability lead at Mead & Hunt.
Mead & Hunt and Tetra Tech consultants described scoring that balances certified noise levels and measured performance. Rick Dunkelberg of Mead & Hunt said the program’s measures will be adjusted as the data and community expectations change: “It’s gonna be a living document and it’s gonna change as conditions change.” Dan, Valerie and other advisory board members emphasized safety as the first priority and framed the program as voluntary: the airport will educate and report but not direct pilot procedures.
Questions raised by commissioners and the public Commissioners and attendees asked how measured results relate to FAA certification levels and to local perceptions of noise. Greg (commissioner) asked whether the program compares ground‑measured noise to certification numbers or only to measured results; consultants said the fleet certification level is one input while other metrics are measured on the ground. Commissioners also asked how incentives or publication of operator scores would be handled; consultants said many airports use a “top‑tier” designation that operators can publish as voluntary recognition, and that outreach to underperforming operators typically begins with private engagement and education rather than public shaming.
Timing and next steps Consultants said preliminary data reporting would begin in the fall and a year‑end baseline would be produced to measure future changes against. The program’s emissions monitoring element is planned but will be phased in later. The airport advisory board recommended the BOCC accept the program and directed staff to work with the airport program coordinator and the county attorney on curfew reporting and voluntary outreach. No formal BOCC vote was taken on June 24.
Ending: Airport advisory board members and consultants thanked volunteers and staff and asked commissioners to review program materials; the first public summary reports are expected this fall and a full year‑end baseline will follow.
