Noise Abatement Program KPDX local VFR procedures
Not for navigation. Verify against the official sources linked below before flight.
noise abatement Airport sponsor published verified 2026-08-28 (42 d ago)
Published by the airport sponsor; voluntary unless ATC assigns it. If ATC assigns this route to you in Class B, C or D airspace, that assignment is an ATC instruction and compliance is required (14 CFR 91.123) — and “unable” remains available to the pilot in command.
Jet patterns are designed to keep aircraft over the Columbia River and away from residential areas; the Port cannot require them and there is no curfew.
The route
- The noise abatement flight patterns for jet aircraft at PDX were designed to keep aircraft over the Columbia River and away from residential areas to the extent possible
- They were established during the first Part 150 Noise Compatibility Study in 1983 and have not changed
- The Noise Management Office monitors compliance and meets with the FAA or operators about aircraft that do not adhere to these flight paths
- Noise abatement procedures are always secondary to safety
- PDX has two flow configurations: east flow when the wind is from the east, most common in winter, and west flow when the wind is from the west, most common in summer
- The Port cannot require that any procedure be used, and PDX has no curfew — it operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
When it applies
- Runway 10L or 10R or 28L or 28R or 3 or 21 — all operations The Port's published material contains no runway designator anywhere; it describes flows by wind direction only
Source text, verbatim
Why do aircraft fly so low over my house? The noise abatement flight patterns for jet aircraft at PDX were designed to keep aircraft over the Columbia River and away from residential areas to the extent possible. They were established during the first Part 150 Noise Compatibility Study in 1983 and have not changed. The Noise Management Office monitors compliance with these flight paths and meets as needed with the FAA or aircraft operators to discuss aircraft that do not adhere to these flight procedures. Noise abatement procedures are always secondary to safety in the sky. Who controls where aircraft fly? ...The Port of Portland cannot require that certain procedures be used but does work closely with the FAA to develop voluntary procedures to mitigate noise impacts. Does PDX have a curfew for aircraft operations? No. PDX operates 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. The Port of Portland does not have the authority to limit operational access to its airports. FAA regulations prohibit airports from imposing restrictions on flight operations at federally funded public facilities such as PDX. This was established by the federal Airport Noise and Capacity Act (ANCA) of 1990. What do the traffic patterns look like at PDX? At PDX there are two distinct traffic patterns based on the prevailing winds at any given time. An East Flow traffic pattern occurs when the wind is blowing from the east and is most common during the cold, cloudy winter months. West Flow occurs when the wind is coming from the west and is most common during the summer months.
The text above is the published source wording and is authoritative over any summary on this page.
Sources
- Port of Portland — Noise Management Port of Portland · retrieved 2026-08-28