noise | ARLnow.com

Reagan National’s noisiest planes are far less common than a decade ago

Published January 27, 2026 at 8:30AM

An airplane takes off from Reagan National Airport (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Reagan National Airport has seen a significant decline in the loudest aircraft types over the past decade, but some advocates say it’s not enough to mitigate the impacts of increased flight operations.

Stage 3 commercial aircraft — the noisiest in current fleets — have declined from 21% of all operations in 2015 to 2% in 2025 at Reagan National, while Stage 4 and Stage 5 aircraft have increased from 79% to 98% of the total, according to Michael Jeck, the noise office manager at the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA).

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Parks advisory body endorses phase-out of gas leaf blowers

By Scott McCaffrey

Published October 31, 2025 at 8:30AM

A person operates a leaf blower (via Callum Hill/Unsplash)

A key county advisory panel likes the proposal to ban gas-powered leaf blowers countywide, but doesn’t want to get too far into the weeds on specifics right now.

Members of the Arlington Park and Recreation Commission on Oct. 28 agreed to send a letter to County Board members, expressing support for the concept of outlawing gas blowers.

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Falls Church will consider banning gas-powered leaf blowers in 2026

By Scott McCaffrey

Published October 29, 2025 at 8:30AM

A leaf blower at the US Air Force Memorial, in need of an operator (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Falls Church officials plan to start looking into options for limiting or banning the use of gas-powered leaf blowers within city limits.

Among the issues remaining to be determined, likely early next year, is whether city leaders already have the power to enact a prohibition — or if they must wait for approval from the state government.

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Plan to keep DCA’s ‘Fly Quiet’ effort in-house draws flak from regional noise panel

By Scott McCaffrey

Published October 27, 2025 at 10:00AM

An airplane takes off from Reagan National Airport (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A decision to keep noise-mitigation efforts at Reagan National Airport in-house, rather than outsource them to independent experts, is drawing criticism from an advisory panel.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (WMAA) announced its decision on “Fly Quiet” efforts at the Oct. 23 meeting of the Reagan National Community Working Group, which works to reduce the impacts of noise from airport operations.

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New FAA charts further limit where helicopters can fly over Arlington

By Dan Egitto

Published October 7, 2025 at 3:45PM

A helicopter in the sky over Arlington (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

New route charts from the Federal Aviation Administration further restrict helicopter traffic around Reagan National Airport, reducing where the aircraft can fly over Arlington.

The modified charts, published last week, shrink the zones in which helicopters can fly over Northern Virginia and D.C. when operating on authorized business such as medical or law enforcement missions. A portion of the zone in Arlington, which previously extended to Fort Myer in the east, has been pushed back to west of Glebe Road.

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Enforcement issues in Montgomery County could inform gas-powered leaf blower ban in Arlington

By Dan Egitto

Published October 1, 2025 at 3:45PM | Updated October 2, 2025 at 9:58AM

A person operates a leaf blower (via Callum Hill/Unsplash)

As Arlington County staff research a possible ban on gas-powered leaf blowers, they may take some lessons from a nearby jurisdiction’s struggles with a similar prohibition.

A ban on gas-powered leaf blowers in Montgomery County went into effect July 1, threatening $500 citations if someone is photographed using the noisy and environmentally unfriendly devices. Recently, however, that county’s leaders have been rethinking ways to enforce the ban while respecting people’s privacy.

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Proposal to monitor noisy vehicles catches Arlington official’s interest

By Scott McCaffrey

Published February 28, 2025 at 3:45PM

"No Loud Mufflers" sign at the corner of Army Navy Drive and S. Joyce Street in 2022 (staff photo)

An Arlington leader is showing interest in a pilot program to monitor noise levels from vehicles’ exhaust systems.

Legislation now on Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s desk would allow localities in Northern Virginia and the Fredericksburg area to begin using automated monitoring equipment to gauge the noise levels of passing vehicles.

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Will better safety around National Airport mean more helicopters over Arlington?

By Dan Egitto

Published February 10, 2025 at 3:50PM

Reagan National Airport (staff photo by James Jarvis)

As safety restrictions tighten around Reagan National Airport, Arlington’s congressman is pushing to ensure this doesn’t mean more aircraft noise over residential areas.

Following last month’s fatal midair collision between a military helicopter and a commercial jet, the Federal Aviation Administration has announced new guardrails on flights around the airport.

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Before fatal plane crash, Arlington advocates fought crowded airspace for years

By Dan Egitto and Scott McCaffrey

Published February 4, 2025 at 8:30AM

Police and fire boats search the Potomac River the morning after the mid-air collision and crash, with the crash site visible in the background (Staff photo by James Jarvis)

Last week’s fatal aircraft collision over the Potomac River reverberates with many Arlington leaders’ longstanding concerns about the county’s crowded airspace.

In the immediate aftermath of the collision near Reagan National Airport — which claimed the lives of 64 people on a regional jet and three soldiers on a military helicopter — U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) is calling for permanent changes.

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Mister Days and Láylí approved to host live entertainment, despite some resident concerns

By Dan Egitto

Published June 20, 2024 at 3:45PM

Layli in June 2024 (staff photo by Jared Serre)

Live entertainment is coming to two new additions to Clarendon’s bar and restaurant scene, despite some resident concerns about code enforcement in the neighborhood.

The Arlington County Board voted 4-0 on Tuesday to accept use permit applications at Láylí Mediterranean and Mister Days, with several Board members expressing enthusiasm about Láylí’s arrival and Mister Days’ return.

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