Fasten seatbelt for steeper take-offs

NERVOUS fliers face even more daunting take-offs under plans to reduce noise pollution around airports.

In a review, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said it was looking at the viability of steeper climbs in an effort to limit the time planes are audible above nearby houses.

An “increased minimum climb gradient” would help planes reach higher altitudes sooner, reducing the time aircrafts are in earshot of residents, the CAA said, but could run down engines more quickly and emit more carbon.

Different airports have varying minimum gradients. Heathrow, for instance, mandates that planes climb to 1,000 feet during the first four miles after going airborne.

Experts said that steeper take-offs would be noticed by those on board, however. “It could be like a getaway aircraft,” said one senior figure from the aviation industry.

The document makes no specific recommendations on the minimum pitch that would be imposed on airlines.

Under the plans, pilots will be told to avoid urban areas on traditional flight paths.

Tim Johnson, from the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said the plans would “help make our airspace more environmentally friendly”.