Real Estate Professional and Homebuyer Information
Tolerances for aircraft overflights and/or aircraft noise vary among community members--aircraft activity is not bothersome to some homeowners yet could be considered terribly bothersome by other homeowners. The best way to assess your individual tolerances is to learn about aircraft activity and how it may affect your specific lifestyle.
The MAC provides this website page to offer tips and resources to help home buyers and real estate professionals assess aircraft activity throughout the twin cities.
Tips & Resources
1. It is recommended that anyone looking to relocate make themselves aware of aircraft activity that occurs within three miles of any home being considered for purchase or rental. One way to accomplish this is to spend time in the area of interest and talk to the people who already live there. Visit the area during noise-sensitive time periods (e.g., early mornings on weekends or late nights during the week).
2. Find out where the closest airport is located relative to the prospective property. You can do this by utilizing the MAC's FlightTracker to locate a property and view flight paths of aircraft flying to and from any MAC-owned airport. Click here: FlightTracker.
3. While you are at or near the property of interest, look up to watch which direction the planes are flying. The MAC owns seven airports within the Twin Cities metro area and all of them are available for public use 24 hours per day. The Federal Aviation Administration has sole jurisdiction over aircraft flight paths and aviation regulations. Click the following link to view the FAA's website: www.faa.gov(link is external)
4. Aircraft operations and noise data for each MAC-owned airport are contained in the Long-Term Comprehensive Plans. Aircraft Noise Contour maps and other land-use planning information may be found here: Noise Contours and Land-Use Zoning for MAC-owned Airports
5. Flight tracking information is available for aircraft activity within the Twin Cities metro area for any valid address location. The MAC publishes flight tracking data for all seven MAC-owned airports that includes flight number, aircraft type, altitude, speed, and direction for dates and time periods selected by the person viewing. These data are available on a near real-time basis (with a 10-minute delay) and historically. To access the MAC's FlightTracker, please click here: FlightTracker
6. Runway use and flight patterns to and from any airport are dependent on weather factors, including airfield wind direction and speed. When airfield wind speeds reach approximately seven miles per hour or greater, the runways that are most aligned with the wind direction are used for takeoffs and landings. Runway use at MSP is published and available here: Interactive Reports
7. The MAC's Residential Sound Mitigation Program provides assistance for eligible homeowners with home sound insulation. To determine if a specific home is eligible for this program or if the home was included in the MAC's program, please click: Noise Mitigation Program Map
8. While the MAC collects aircraft noise complaint data, these data are not used by air traffic controllers or aircraft operators when making aircraft operations decisions. Noise complaints are used in conjunction with other data to corroborate specific events or to identify possible operational trends. Monthly noise complaint statistics may be found here: Complaints(link is external). Anyone who would like information about filing aircraft noise complaints associated with any of the MAC-owned airports may call the 24-hour hotline at 612-726-9411 (staffed M-F 8 am to 5 pm) or visit the Community Relations Office website.
9. The next time you are aboard a flight, look out the window while the aircraft is arriving or departing to see which areas that airplane is overflying. Do this each time you fly and you will become familiar with the various flight paths and areas that are traveled on a regular basis.
For more information about MSP runway closures, MSP runway use, and the noise and flight track data collection system, please visit the Aircraft Noise webpage.