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We help people who experience nuisances from aviation and worry about the impact of noise and emissions on their health

• We definitively understand your problems
• We can give support because we have experts that want to share expertise
• We put experts and activists from different airports and regions in contact to exchange experience and best practices
• We organize technical courses on aircraft noise and emissions related issues
• We support in legal and political battles, we have lawyers, economists, media experts and spin-doctors
• We represent citizens in international gremials (like the Industry does)
• We coordinate EU-wide and global actions and protests

 

We act in a lot of areas

Night flights  |  Dealing with aircraft noise  |  Noise and the WHO guidelines  |  Noise measurement  |  Noise Metrics  |  Airport growth  |  NOx and other emissions  |  Ultra fine particles  |  Challenge powerful organisations  |  Citizens Protest Groups  |  Noise and health risks  |  Find the way at European level  |  Identify best practices from all over the world  | Economic costs of aviation  |  State Aid to Airports and Airlines  |  Hydrogen and synthetic fuels

UECNA Seminar on Airspace Change and Performance Based Navigation

Our third webinar on November 24 addressed airspace change and performance based navigation.

Across the world airspace is being modernised. Many flight paths may change. And narrow, concentrated flight paths, known as PBN, are introduced. The webinar explored the  impacts on local communities and asked what can be done to ensure communities can gain some benefits from the changes.

Ian Jopson was the lead speaker. He is well-known internationally for his work for the United Nations body, ICAO, on PBN (Perfoirmance Based Navigation) Routes and community engagement. Currently he is Head of Sustainable Operations at NATS (air traffic control in the UK).

John Stewart, who headed up HACAN, the community organisation which gives a voice to residents under the Heathrow flight paths, outlined the community engagement Heathrow Airport undertook.

For those who could not attend, here is the link to the recording of yesterday’s webinar (https://youtu.be/gL4wKVoY8mk), the presentations will be here soon.

 

Noise Monitoring was the second in a series of online seminars organized by UECNA and took place on November 11. We welcomed lots of new participants from Europe, but also from North and South America! These webinars meet the need for expert information on many aspects of fighting aviation nuisances.

Martin Kessel described the European Aircraft Noise Services (EANS – eans.net).

Environmental acoustician Giulio Marsigli informed the participants about the work he has done with residents at Bologna airport.

The first UECNA seminar on Night Flights on October 21 was a great success with participants from all over the world. This will lead to more intensive contacts between groups within and outside Europe.

You can download a written summary of the meeting here. We also made a recording of the meeting. And you can download the presentations:

• Dirk Schreckenberg on the health impact of sleep disturbance
• Martin Kessel on the economic consequences in Frankfurt after the night ban was imposed

 

An overview of night flight bans or restrictions at European airports.

UECNA presents annual statistics – including night flights – of some major airports in Europe on this page.

Strange guy is going for your coffee

Poll

First results:
1 Noise nuisances: 23%  |  2 /3 Health effect | Reduce the number of flights: 16%  |  4 Ban on night flights: 11%

We need a little support from you

A Voice against Noise and for Health:

Air transport and airport-related activities are responsible for noise pollution and emission of toxic pollutants. The noise – especially at night – and the pollutants have both proven to have serious adverse effects on human health. In particular causing high blood pressure leading to cardiovascular diseases and death.

Our health is precious and needs respect and protection.

All stakeholders, ie. operators of airports, air carriers and aircraft builders, but also aviation administrations and politicians, must take into consideration the populations who suffer from the impact of air traffic. Today, the aviation lobby is so powerful that is it very difficult for the population living under flight paths to be heard.

We want to provide a voice for residents living in the vicinity of airports across Europe

Because airports are in competition with one another, any restrictions applicable to one airport will be considered a disadvantage when compared to other airports. Therefore, restrictions will only be accepted if they are applied to all airports. We want to work with the European commission and the European Parliamentarians to ensure that residents living under flight paths have a voice.

The future of all of our airports must be decided at European level.

UECNA with the U of  Unique:

The voice for airport community groups in Europe

UECNA is the only Europe-wide organisation which represents airport communities at the European Parliament, the European Commission and at the International Civil Aviation Organisation. It also supports organisations and citizens with expert advice and by exchanging information, experience and best practices.

Our Mission

To represent, inform and protect citizens affected by the adverse impacts of air traffic at European airports.

Our Aims

• To reduce the annoyance and impact on the health and on the quality of life of citizens affected by aircraft noise and air pollution
• To ensure that noise and air pollution from aircraft are duly taken into account when measures to reduce the environmental impacts of aviation are considered
• To reflect the concerns, anxieties and anger of citizens impacted by aircraft noise and air pollution
• To strengthen the network of community groups to share expertise, experience and best practices.

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UECNA is run by representatives from grassroots organisations from across Europe.

If you join, you get the chance to:

• Tell the rest of Europe about your airport and benefit from others’ experience
• Join Europe-wide campaigns
• Influence the European Union and international aviation organisations
• Receive regular information on new developments
• Be part of a growing movement to tackle the local impacts of aviation
• Meet fellow campaigners from across Europe
• Influence UECNA’s strategy

 

UECNA is represented on:

ICAO (International Civil Aviation Authority)  |  European Commission’s Noise Experts Group  | EASA (European Union Safety Agency) |  EAEG (European Aviation Environmental Group)  | T & E (Transport & Environment)

The more members we have, the more resources and the more influence we will have.  Our voice will be stronger. So join us!

Find out how to become a Member

Taking action can help

On our Actions page you’ll find a lot of examples

And there is room enough for new ideas.

Various actors that can stimulate the reduction of nuisances: residents (R), organisations of residents (O), scientists (S), political parties (P), municipalities (M), governments (G), European members of parliament (E), celebrities (C) and UECNA (U).

Successes & Strategies

Who We Are:

UECNA is an independent organisation aiming at protecting population under planes flight paths.

Learn more

Manifesto

The ever increasing air traffic causes serious noise and air pollutions which have adverse health impacts on the populations overflown by aircraft at low altitude The number of people affected by these pollutions is also increasing despite the European legislation and improvement in technologies.

Communities near airports are also deeply concerned about the rise in CO₂ and non-CO2 emissions from aviation, which are a threat to the climate.

If the growth of aviation is not severely constrained, air traffic will largely negate the effects of national efforts to reduce CO₂ emissions. Residents’ organizations all over Europe believe that the growth of aviation must be limited.

UECNA summons the EU:

• Noise: to ensure a substantial reduction in noise nuisances caused by aviation, starting with a reduction of night flights with a view to a total ban on night flights to allow an 8-hour night;
• Air pollution: to reduce emissions from aviation (including UFP) to protect the health of people living under flights paths and near airports, and to prevent further environmental degradation;
• Climate: to force airlines, like all companies, to reduce their CO₂ emissions in the context of the Paris Agreement;
• Sustainable travel: to levy taxes on air tickets and jet fuel and to enhance comfortable train connections at competitive prices, so that many short European flights can be cancelled.

Looking for more participating countries