Spartanburg County's noise ordinance expressly excludes sound from properly equipped aircraft, so real aircraft noise is not a county violation. Model aircraft, however, are covered. In-flight aircraft noise is regulated federally by the FAA, not by the county.
Section 30-27(5) of the Spartanburg County noise ordinance excludes 'sound from operations of properly equipped aircraft,' but expressly states that scale model aircraft do not get this exclusion and remain subject to the noise article. This mirrors federal law: the FAA has exclusive authority over aircraft noise in navigable airspace, preempting county and city flight-noise rules. Residents bothered by overflights or airport operations should contact the airport operator or the FAA. Local governments retain only land-use and zoning tools around airfields. So a noisy backyard model plane or drone-style aircraft can be cited by the county, while a passenger jet cannot.
Model-aircraft noise can be a county misdemeanor (up to $500 or 30 days). Real aircraft noise is enforced by the FAA under federal law, not the county.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Spartanburg County's aircraft noise rules stack up against other locations.
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