Airport noise reduction examined

Academics at Cambridge-MIT Institute hope to find ways to reduce noise from landing aircraft at Nottingham East Midlands Airport (NEMA).

Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are also working on the project.

It is part of what is being called the "Silent Aircraft Initiative".

Tests are taking place looking at keeping aircraft higher for longer as they approach the airport - and minimising the use of noisy thrusts.

The academics will liaise with air traffic controllers and the environment office at NEMA in a bid to develop efficient approach procedures which burn less fuel and produce fewer emissions.

Flight tests will be conducted at the airport next year.

Project manager Paul Collins said: "Clearly we need to do everything we can to reduce the impact of aviation on people who live near airports and our project is looking at ways of keeping the aircraft higher for longer which will keep the noise further away and also at lower thrust settings as they're coming in to land."