Frequently asked questions

We’ve pulled together a list of our most frequently asked questions about aircraft operations:

Aircraft fly lower than they used to:

There are larger aircraft such as the Airbus A380 which can appear lower to people on the ground. When on the final approach, aircraft use a 3 degree angle of approach when on the Instrument Landing System (ILS) and this hasn’t changed. The combination of altitude and temperature can sometimes affect the performance of aircraft as they take off; for example, hot weather can affect an aircraft’s ability to climb as quickly as normal.

Sussex University, working for the Noise Management Board (NMB), completed research on aircraft height perception. The report noted that outlier events dominate our perception and increase annoyance. For arrivals, these may be those flights which are lower or noisier than the average arrival and these are a key focus for us.

Pilots fly where they want to:

The entire aircraft’s flight path is carefully managed by Air Traffic Control (ATC) to ensure safety whilst providing expedited routings. Departing aircraft are given an initial flight path within a Noise Preferential Route (NPR), which should be followed up to an altitude of 3,000ft or 4,000ft, depending on the route, before being given a more direct heading off the route. Aircraft may only be instructed to leave these routes if safety would otherwise be compromised, e.g. due to adverse weather. Arrivals do not follow standard tracks to the final approach path but are still subject to ATC instructions.

You can investigate flight paths using our flight tracking applications or online resources available within the Airspace Data section of this website.

Flight paths have changed:

Current departure flight paths (known as Noise Preferential Routes or NPRs) were established by the government in the 1960s and have not changed since. You can find out more about where aircraft fly in this section.

Arriving aircraft are directed by Air Traffic Control and a number of factors affect where arrivals fly and the location of flight paths on one particular day, or hour could bear no resemblance to comparative periods.

UK airspace is to be modernised over the next few years, which may mean changes to flight paths. You can read more about the UK’s future airspace plans here.

Aircraft are not allowed to fly at night

London Gatwick has always been a 24 hour operation and has never been subject to a night flight ban as night flights are of important economic benefit to the UK economy and cater to the public’s demand for foreign travel. However, there are strict Department for Transport (DfT) regulations regarding the number of flights and type of aircraft that are permitted to operate.

As an airport, we closely track and control the use of night flights during the quota period. This data is reported to the Noise and Track Keeping Monitoring Advisory Group (NaTMAG).

How do I make a noise complaint?

You can use one of the following methods to get in contact with us, these are also available on our website:

1. Through our online flight tracker
2. By completing our online form
3. Automated phone line: 01293 311568
4. By post (you’ll need a stamp) to:

Airspace Office
Gatwick Airport Ltd
7th floor, Destinations Place
Gatwick Airport
West Sussex
RH6 0NP

5. You can also add a short cut on your mobile phone on:

iPhone: open this link, tap the box with the vertical arrow and select add to homescreen.
Android: open this link, tap the three menu dots and select save to homepage.

What happens to my complaints?

The Airspace Office records complaints with a specialised complaint handling service. This combines database, mapping system and flight and noise records from the Noise and Track Keeping system.

The Airspace Office will investigate the issues raised in your complaints and generate a detailed response. Although we will always acknowledge a complaint sent to us, the investigation based upon issues raised means that you may not receive a detailed response to each individual complaint.

We report on the number of individuals engaging with us along with the number of complaints sent by those individuals. You can find our live complaints reporting dashboard here.

You can read our policy on managing, analysing and reporting complaints here.

You can read more on how we use your personal data here.

Can I get compensation for noise disturbance?

Compensation for aircraft noise disturbance is controlled by civil aviation legislation. The Civil Aviation Act 1982 states that no action shall lie in respect of trespass or in respect of nuisance, by reason only of the flight of an aircraft over any property, so long as the provisions of the legislation and any relevant Air Navigation Orders have been complied with.

London Gatwick does, however, offer a Noise Insulation Scheme which provides funding to protect those most affected by aircraft noise. You can find out more about the program on our website and view the Noise Insulation Scheme boundary here.

Your systems and flight tracker do not accurately track aircraft

Our Noise and Track Keeping system, uses a tool called WebTrak to display flight tracks to the public. .

The system takes a direct data feed from Air Traffic Control radar systems used for the active control of aircraft and are therefore an accurate representation of the routes actually flown.

​Why is there a delay on the Flight Tracker? How do I complain if there is a delay?

The online flight tracker provides a number of enhancements including the display of non-Gatwick flights, the presentation of noise monitoring data, advanced data checking algorithms and in order to provide resilience, in addition to the local London Gatwick radar that we always used we now source flight tracking data from an additional independent Air Traffic Control radar as well as a satellite based aircraft tracking system.

In order to provide the most accurate data, we need to allow extra time (25 minutes) to process, correlate and validate this data before it is presented to the public.

Although there is a delay to the replay of flight tracks, you can still submit complaints in real-time via the:

• webform,
• mobile shortcut, and
• phone line service.

All of these methods can be found on our website.

Should I move into the area?

In order to consider fully what you may or may not find acceptable when purchasing or renting a property in an area where there is aircraft activity, it is a good idea to spend as much time as possible in that area. As London Gatwick’s runway may be used in either an easterly or westerly direction, with varying numbers of aircraft at different times of the day, night or week, please take the time to visit the area at varying times and days. Most of the aircraft based at London Gatwick leave for the first time each day between 05:30 and 08:30 and make their last landing between 21:30 and midnight. That way it is possible to assess whether the level of noise is acceptable to you.

We cannot over-stress the importance of this personal research, as when buying or renting a home we all look at planning applications, flood risk, road and rail networks and schools. In order to find out as much information as you can, explore the rest of this website, you can find our information booklet, get information on aircraft over a specific postcode of your choice, or research within the complaints dashboard, to establish how residents within specific postcode zones have reported issues with aircraft noise & overflight. The Airspace Office can also provide information to prospective home-buyers about flight paths on request through a noise enquiry.

Aviation Acronyms

Unfortunately, the aviation industry loves acronyms, where we have used acronyms we have tried to also include its expanded form, however this may not have always taken place. If you have an acronym that you are struggling to understand this online database will help.

Why are aircraft circling above me?

When airports are busy, there can be a build-up of aircraft waiting to land. Air Traffic Control must ensure there is a safe gap between each aircraft as they come in to land.

To achieve this, aircraft will sometimes circle in a fixed pattern known as a holding stack, or hold until air traffic controllers are able to fit them into the landing pattern. You can read more about the holding stacks here.

How do I know if the aircraft that I have seen was on the right flight path and flying at the correct height?

Air Traffic Control is in constant contact with all aircraft, and they define their route and heights. Our flight tracker shows the Noise Preferential Routes (departure flight paths) and aircraft can leave these flight paths if they have reached 3,000 or 4,000ft or if there is a need to avoid adverse weather, such as thunderstorms. London Gatwick does also track aircraft and can automatically determine if an aircraft is flying outside its normal route. However, if you have any questions or concerns then please do contact our Airspace Office.

Why are aircraft overflying Crawley?

Aircraft overflying Crawley do so because they have aborted a landing and have performed a go-around. You can read more about go-arounds here.

Why are there helicopter movements over Crawley and Horley?

The majority of helicopters that operate over the Horley and Crawley are operated by the Police or Air Ambulance service which are based at Redhill Aerodrome. When these require a heading towards the south coast then they need approval from Air Traffic Control to cross the London Gatwick airfield.

In these instances, they sometimes hold over Horley before crossing the runway and flying south over Crawley. They must cross in this area to avoid coming into conflict with London Gatwick traffic on the approach or climb-out.

Why are some departing aircraft flying outside of the NPRs?

There are occasions when Air Traffic Control has no alternative but to authorise an aircraft to turn off of a Noise Preferential Route (NPR) early. This is usually when there is localised thunderstorm activity or exceptionally strong winds further away from the airport.

When this happens, it is possible that areas not normally overflown, such as Ifield, Warnham, Copthorne and Crawley Down may be overflown as aircraft are vectored towards calmer meteorological conditions.

You can find out more about departures, and also investigate deviations on our flight tracker which now shows rainfall as an optional layer.

Why do you overfly Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty?

In its publication, ‘Guidance to the Civil Aviation Authority on Environmental Objectives Relating to the Exercise of its Air Navigation Functions’, the Department for Transport sets out the position of Government in relation to over-flight of National Parks and AONB.

The airspace surrounding London Gatwick is based upon an airspace structure which was designed over 50 years ago. As an airport operator, London Gatwick cannot arbitrarily provide instructions to Air Traffic Control to change where aircraft fly and either overfly Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, open countryside and/or urban areas.

What determines which way the aircraft take-off? Does it not change to allow respite?

The direction of operation of the runway is determined by the wind direction at the airfield and with reference to reports from aircrew on the approach to the runway and on the climb-out. It is important for the safe operation of aircraft that they both land and take off into wind. You can find out more about wind and runway direction here.

How to describe aircraft noise levels?

Noise is measured using a specially designed ‘sound level’ meter which meets recognised performance standards.  Audible sound pressure levels vary across a range of 107 Pascals (Pa), from the threshold of hearing at 20mPa to the threshold of pain at 200Pa.  Scientists have defined a statistically described logarithmic scale called Decibels (dB) to describe noise more manageably.  To help demonstrate how this scale works, the following lists some commonly experienced noise levels:

• 0 dB – represents the threshold of human hearing (for a young person with ears in good condition);
• 50 dB – represents average conversation;
• 70 dB – represents average urban street noise, local traffic etc.;
• 90 dB – represents the noise inside an industrial premises or factory; and
• 140 dB – represents the threshold of pain – the point at which permanent hearing damage may occur.

The figure below shows an example of how noise levels can vary rapidly over time, in this case approximately 7m from a country road, 22km due east of London Gatwick, over a 10-minute period in which several road traffic vehicles and three aircraft passed by. 

In this case the underlying (or background) noise level was 30-40dB, and peaks due to aircraft or road vehicles varied between 60-70dB.

Human response to changes in noise levels

The following gives guidance on the average human response to changes in noise levels:

• differences in noise levels of less than approximately 2 dB(A) are generally imperceptible in practice, an increase of 2 dB is hardly perceivable;
• differences in noise levels of around 10 dB(A) are generally perceived to be a doubling (or halving) of the perceived loudness of the noise.  An increase of 10 dB is perceived as twice as loud.  Therefore, an increase of 20 dB is four times as loud and an increase of 30 dB is eight times as loud, etc.

So, in the example illustrated in the figure above, we can say the first vehicle would be perceived as roughly twice as loud as the second vehicle.  We can say the last aircraft is probably perceived as just louder than the first and second aircraft. 

Why do certain aircraft produce a ‘whistling noise’?

Certain Airbus A320 family of aircraft produce a high pitch ‘whine’ on approach which could be heard on the ground at relatively far distances from the airport. This noise is only produced in certain instances by a cavity on the wing housing the Fuel Over-Pressure Protector (FOPP). It has been proven to occur when the aircraft is in a particular configuration and at travelling a particular speed.

The noise can be fixed by installation a modification to the aircraft and London Gatwick implemented a higher noise charge for unmodified aircraft on 1st January 2018. This provides a strong financial incentive to each airline to ensure that their aircraft fleet operating out of London Gatwick have been modified.

Recent figures show that 99% of A320 family aircraft operating to and from London Gatwick have this modification applied.

Why do certain aircraft produce a loud howl?

At a NaTMAG meeting in August 2020, a noise issue concerning the Airbus A220 (previously Bombardier C-Series) was identified by a local councillor. In certain circumstances, a noise sometimes described as a “whale cry” may be heard on approach. The issue lies within the engine combustor of Pratt & Whitney engines which are fitted to this aircraft type.

The Department for Transport has since engaged with Airbus and has requested that its concerns regarding this noise phenomenon be conveyed to Pratt & Whitney and that the plans to resolve the problem be shared. Pratt & Whitney is working on a revision to the combustor design and expects the fitting of new engine combustors to commence from late 2024. Airbus were reacting swiftly, appropriately and proportionately to modify newly manufactured aircraft and had a robust plan to modify in-service aircraft. Due to their action and the fact that there are so few flights of the aircraft type at London Gatwick it was decided that financial sanctions – as had been imposed on non-FOPP-modified A320 aircraft (see above) – would serve no useful purpose.