Engine run-up testing at O'Hare and Midway must occur inside the airport ground run-up enclosure or designated pads during permitted hours. The Chicago Department of Aviation noise abatement rules limit unmuffled run-ups, especially overnight near residential boundaries.
The Chicago Department of Aviation operates a Ground Run-up Enclosure (GRE) at O'Hare on the north airfield and designated pads at Midway to attenuate maintenance run-up noise. CDA Maintenance Run-up Procedures restrict full-power testing to the GRE between 10pm and 7am, prohibit unmuffled idle runs outside designated pads, and require operators to notify CDA Operations and follow heading and duration limits. The FAA-approved Part 150 Noise Compatibility Programs at both airports incorporate these procedures. CDA may suspend ramp privileges and assess fines through lease and use agreements when carriers or maintenance contractors run up engines outside enclosures or after-hours, supplementing federal limits at 14 CFR 91 for ground operations.
Unauthorized run-ups outside the GRE or after curfew violate CDA Operations Directives and Use and Lease Agreements; penalties include warnings, fines up to $25,000 per occurrence, and suspension of run-up privileges.
Chicago, IL
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