If the FAA reauthorization bill currently under debate in Congress is finally passed in its present form, one provision that it contains could seal the fate of Stage II aircraft operations in the continental U.S., based in part on the efforts of an aviation industry group known as Sound Initiative. Organized in 2004, the coalition of airport executives, government agencies, community organizations and environmentalists contributed language to the House and Senate reauthorization bills that calls for the phase-out of Stage II jets weighing less than 75,000 pounds.
While that language differs slightly between the Senate (S.1451) and House (H.R.915) versions, both envision the eventual prohibition of civil turbojet airplanes of less than 75,000 pounds. The Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990 called for the elimination of Stage II aircraft over 75,000 pounds.

“Our objective is to show that airports can do something positive in addressing aircraft noise issues,” said Robert Bogan, deputy executive director of New Jersey’s Morristown Airport (MMU) and one of Sound Initiative’s trustees. A few years ago, in response to noise complaints, Morristown Airport contracted with a consultant to update its noise contours. These are expressed in terms of day-night levels (dnl), a formula the FAA developed  based on event averages (night noise events are weighted more heavily) and sound averages. “The threshold of anything [the FAA] wants to do as far as sound abatement stops at the 65 dnl,” ­Bogan told AIN.
“Anything that is less [the agency doesn’t] want to hear about, so if we have a noise complainer who happens to be in the 55 dnl noise contour, we say, ‘We’re sorry we disturbed you, but consistent with the FAA [’s policy], we can’t do anything for you.’”