South Etobicoke residents are being warned of more aircraft noise overhead as a major runway maintenance is underway.
Pearson Airport officials said their annual runway maintenance schedule gets underway on April 22 and will continue into the fall with needed upgrades completed to each of the airport’s five runways.
A post on social media by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) warns that work is being conducted on runways that affects takeoffs and landings.
The post said “short-lived increase in aircraft noise could occur in some areas as work is being completed on several runways at various times of day.”
Area residents have long complained about the loud noise of jets overhead landing or taking off from Pearson airport.
Several public meetings are held each year to engage residents in discussion and to hear their noise concerns. The next meeting is in September.
Residents are being notified that routine runway maintenance, nightly runway lighting inspection, surface repairs, electrical work and other activities could lead to an increase in aircraft noise.
The advisory said the airport’s three east-west runways will undergo surface repairs daily through June 30, which could also contribute to extra noise during that period.
The runway work often leads to increased aircraft takeoffs and landings on other landing strips at Pearson for a period of time.
Airport officials said they “periodically publishes advisories and notices for resident awareness of airfield construction, airport activities and engagement opportunities that could have an impact on normal airport traffic operations and aircraft noise impacts on the community.”
The GTAA said one of their most-used runways, the east-west 05/23 strip, is getting a full LED lighting upgrade “that will remove the need for nightly inspection.”
The runway, which is one of Pearson’s longest, will close nightly from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. for the next six weeks to allow for the resurfacing of Runway 15R/33L, which runs north-south.
Planes taking off and landing on that strip use different flight paths and therefore will bring additional aircraft noise to the neighbourhood.