Aircraft noise in Tulsa, including operations at Tulsa International Airport (TUL), Richard Lloyd Jones Jr. Airport (RVS), and the Tulsa Air National Guard Base, is regulated almost entirely by the Federal Aviation Administration under the Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990, not by city ordinance. Tulsa's local Title 27 noise ordinance specifically excludes lawful aircraft operations from regulation, and complaints about overflights, takeoffs, landings, and military training are handled through FAA and airport noise programs rather than municipal enforcement.
Federal preemption under the Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990 (49 U.S.C. §47521 et seq.) and Federal Aviation Regulations Part 161 prevents the City of Tulsa, Tulsa County, and the Tulsa Airports Improvement Trust from imposing curfews, weight limits, or operational restrictions on aircraft without FAA approval. Tulsa International Airport (TUL) operates 24 hours a day, with a published noise abatement program that encourages voluntary nighttime departures over less populated areas, NADP-2 climb procedures, and preferential runway use to reduce overflights of residential neighborhoods such as the areas north and east of the airport. Richard Lloyd Jones Jr. Airport (RVS) in south Tulsa is one of the busiest general aviation airports in the country and follows a published noise abatement procedure that asks pilots to avoid prolonged low-altitude flight over neighborhoods like Bixby, Jenkins, and Florence Park. The Tulsa Air National Guard Base co-located at TUL hosts the 138th Fighter Wing flying F-16 aircraft, and military training operations are governed by Department of Defense and FAA agreements, not local rules. Tulsa's Title 27 noise ordinance specifically exempts aircraft operating under FAA authority. Helicopter operations supporting hospitals such as Saint Francis and Hillcrest Medical Center, news gathering, and law enforcement are likewise exempt. Residents bothered by aircraft noise should file complaints through the Tulsa Airport Authority noise complaint hotline and the FAA's Noise Portal at https://ashp.faa.gov/portalweb. Complaint data is used by airports to refine voluntary noise abatement procedures and inform any future Federal Aviation Regulation Part 150 noise compatibility studies.
Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact Tulsa code enforcement directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.
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