The Bow Valley Helicopter Noise Alliance (BVHNA) is a Canmore-based volunteer group. BVHNA is not “anti-helicopter”. Our objective is to ensure that the Canmore Municipal Heliport is properly sized and located, and that helicopter tourism does not disturb people and wildlife.
The problem has been festering for several decades: noise pollution associated with a poorly located, increasingly busy, tourism-oriented municipal heliport that affects the quality of life of residents who live in the neighborhoods surrounding it. The problem is exacerbated by (1) particularly loud Bell 206L sightseeing helicopters, (2) the fact that most of the helicopter noise occurs during the May to October period when residents are outside, on their decks, in their yards, recreating, or have their windows and doors open, and (3), the maintenance, servicing and training-related helicopter noise. Further, compared to other mountain towns such as Whistler, Golden, Revelstoke, and Squamish, Cannmore’s heliport is much closer to neighborhoods. Canmore’s municipal heliport is very poorly located.
In the 1970s helicopter services in the Bow Valley were provided by a locally-owned and operated Banff-based business. It had one helicopter, and its pilot/owner, Jim Davies, performed mountain rescues, general parks work, etc.; tourism flights were not offered [+].
Similarly, from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s, a small, locally-owned and operated Canmore-based business, Canmore Helicopters, founded by pilot/owner Lance Cooper, offered helicopter services in the Bow Valley. Kelowna, BC-based Alpine Helicopters, whose current fleet is about 36 helicopters [+], bought Canmore Helicopters in the mid-1990s and greatly expanded the Canmore operation, particularly sightseeing flights.
Alpine Helicopters stickers seen in Canmore.
Do responsible corporations create such stickers? What does this say about how Alpine Helicopters views community concerns?
The Canmore heliport itself was constructed in 1987 by the Province of Alberta and the Calgary Olympic Organizing Committee for the 1988 Olympic Winter Games [+].
Certain neighborhoods affected by helicopter noise pollution, including South Canmore, Restwell (Spring Creek), and the western portion of Cougar Creek existed prior to construction of the heliport.
In 1994, the Province sold the heliport to the Town of Canmore [+]. The Town controls the scale and operation of its heliport. Over the years, its size and number of flights (particularly sightseeing flights) have steadily increased .
The Town currently leases two portions of its heliport to Alpine Helicopters. Other, private helicopters may use the heliport but only Alpine is allowed to “conduct a helicopter business” there [+]. The current 10-year lease expires December 1, 2021. The Town is not required to renew the business lease. If the lease is not renewed, Alpine has agreed to remove their buildings at no cost to the Town. Rent is approximately $120,000 per annum, representing 0.24% of the Town’s annual operating budget [+]. Alpine has a newly established, second helicopter operation 20 km flight distance (5 minutes flight time) to the east at Stoney Nakoda Resort and Casino, which mainly offers flightseeing tours.
According to the Town, 80 to 85% of Alpine’s flights are sightseeing flights [+]. The chart below shows that there has been a 74% increase in the number of helicopter sightseeing guests flown from the Canmore Municipal Heliport over the last decade.
Although Alpine does not disclose their total flights, an estimate based on Alpine’s claim of 5 guests per helicopter suggests that in 2017 there were 4,309 sightseeing flights (21,545/5 = 4,309). Most importantly, each flight involves one takeoff and one landing (what goes up must come down), both of which are inherently loud, so the total number of takeoffs/landings would be 4,309 x 2 = 8,618.
The bulk of the sightseeing takeoffs/landings occur during the summer period, a time when affected residents want to be on their decks, in their yards, recreating, or have their windows and doors open.
In Canmore, Alpine uses Bell 206L and 407 helicopters. The two-bladed 206L are used for tourism (sightseeing), and the four-bladed 407 generally for other purposes, including mountain rescue, parks work, servicing Mt. Assiniboine Lodge, etc.
206L helicopters are particularly loud. They were originally designed for the US Army in 1960 [+]. A modified version is used for military reconnaissance and troop support. There are no effective noise mitigation technologies or modifications available for the 206L. In contrast, the 407 helicopters equipped with a “quiet cruise kit” are quieter while cruising (but not during takeoffs and landings) [+].
Quieter yet is the 8-person EC130 (aka H130), which is widely used elsewhere for tourism, search and rescue, and general work by other helicopter companies. Alpine does not use these quieter helicopters. They use the loud 206L helicopter for their helicopter sightseeing tours in the Canmore area.
The EC130 is approximately 40% quieter than the 206L sightseeing helicopters used by Alpine, and does not normally create the highly annoying “wap, wap, wap” noise that Alpine’s 206L helicopters do.
The Fortress Investment Group, a $70.2 billion (USD) New York-based hedge fund [+], owns all of Alpine’s helicopters, including the entire Canmore fleet, in addition to part Alpine’s business operation. Fortress notes: “We own a 20% equity interest in Alpine Helicopters, but consolidate Alpine Helicopters in our financial statements because Alpine Helicopters is substantially dependent on us as a result of leasing its entire helicopter fleet from us.” [+]
The 206L helicopters used by Alpine for tourism flights are particularly loud. When cruising at 400ft (123m) altitude, the 206L helicopters, were measured and certified at 82.4 dBA (loudness) by the US federal government, the second loudest in their class [+]. Note that loudness while cruising represents the best case scenario: FAA data shows that the 206L is considerably louder during takeoff and landing [+].
Decibels decrease at a rate of six per doubling of distance or height [+]. This allows approximate loudness zones around the Canmore Municipal Heliport to be derived, as shown in the table below (see calculations here).
|
Distance away (m)
(radius of loudness zone) |
206L helicopter
(loudness in dBA) |
Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 123 | ≥82.4 |
Within 123m, loudness is 82.4 dBA or higher
Measured and certified dBA level for the 206L helicopter |
| 395 | ≥70 |
Within 395m, dBA is 70 or louder
Neighborhoods: Cougar Creek --70 dBA - vacuum cleaner at 10ft / 3m |
| 717 | ≥65 |
Within 717m, dBA is 65 or louder
Neighborhoods: Cougar Creek and Spring Creek --65 dBA - normal conversation becomes difficult |
| 1284 | ≥60 |
Within 1284m, dBA is ≥60 or louder
Neighborhoods: Cougar Creek, Spring Creek and South Canmore. --60 dBA - common residential/commercial bylaw limit |
Notes
For residential/commercial areas, 60 dBA is a common maximum loudness specified in municipal noise bylaws (learn more here). This provides a useful societal threshold for acceptable loudness in such areas. The area within 1 km of the Canmore Heliport is a mix of residential and commercial (residential noise bylaws are often set at a lower noise threshold of 55 dBA).
On the map below, the area within the orange circle (ie., orange loudness zone) experiences helicopter loudness of 60 dBA or greater, which exceeds the common residential/commercial bylaw maximum. This takes into account 2 dBA of noise reduction by possible atmospheric conditions such as temperature and humidity.
Note that all homes in Cougar Creek and Spring Creek, and some in South Canmore are within the zone. When Alpine’s sightseeing helicopters fly over or near other residential areas (e.g., Cairns on the Bow, Dyrgas Gate, Riva Landing, Crossbow Landing, etc.), these areas are also affected. Topography and prevailing winds can increase helicopter loudness in some areas and decrease it in others.
The red circle on the map is the 65 dBA or louder zone, in which normal conversation between people becomes difficult [+]. Normal conversation at 1m is typically 60 dBA. This means that within the red zone talking outside can become difficult because helicopter noise can drown out conversation (this is confirmed by residents in the Cougar Creek red zone). Although not shown, normal conversation in the ≥70 dBA zone (ie., within 395m of a 206L helicopter) would be quite difficult.
The information above helps to explain why residents, particularly those in the orange and red zones, are upset about noise associated with the Canmore heliport, and why they are motivated to write letters and volunteer their time and energy in other ways to change the situation.
Although Alpine uses particularly loud helicopters, the impact on nearby residential areas is not entirely Alpine Helicopter’s fault: the root of the problem is a poorly located municipal heliport. Until that issue is dealt with, the decades old helicopter noise issue will continue to fester. Fortunately, the Town of Canmore owns the heliport lands, which allows it to “rethink the heliport”.
To be clear, it is not helicopters but helicopter noise that bothers the public. Numerous studies have shown that the public finds helicopter noise considerably more annoying than other noise sources, including planes, vehicles and trains [+]. The graphic below shows that for the same loudness range (40 dBA to 50 dBA), people are much more annoyed by helicopter noise than plane noise. Overall, the public has a low tolerance for helicopter noise, and particularly so for blade slap, the “wap, wap, wap” sound typical of many helicopters [+].
Factors which affect annoyance levels include time of day, time of year, helicopter type, event frequency, and the purpose of the flight. The table below shows that sightseeing helicopters are the second most common source of complaints in the US. (Recall that 80 to 85% of the flights associated with the Canmore Municipal Heliport are sightseeing flights.) In general, there is lower public acceptance for non-emergency flights such as sightseeing than for emergency flights such as EMS and rescue.
How much helicopter noise exceeds background sound---inside the home, out in the yard, while walking, while talking---is also very important. As mentioned earlier, at 65 dBA and above, normal conversation becomes difficult, as Canmore residents within this heliport loudness zone can attest to. Further, both residents and visitors value and appreciate Canmore for its unique natural environment surrounded by parks and protected areas. Loud, intrusive and disruptive tourism helicopter flights conflict with this.
A poorly located municipal heliport in combination with Alpine Helicopters’ particularly loud 206L sightseeing helicopters has created a pressing quality of life problem for residents. This problem requires an effective, long-term solution that is fully supported by the affected public.
To reduce helicopter noise, Alpine has committed to eventually moving their 12-minute sightseeing tours from Canmore to their second heliport at the casino. Whereas this should reduce overall helicopter noise, their 25 and 30-minute tours, which also use the particularly loud 206L helicopters, would likely increase. Also, Alpine’s other tourism flights (charters, weddings, special events, etc.) and mountain rescue and park administration flights are expected to increase as visitation to the Canmore-Banff region rises. Further, non-tourism flights will likely increase. In Zermatt (pop. 5,643), in Switzerland, mountain rescues average about 2 per day (maximum was 24/day) [+]; the area has half the annual visitation of the Canmore-Banff area [+]. In short, moving the 12-minutes flights to the casino certainly helps but it does not represent a comprehensive, long-term solution as overall future helicopter traffic can be expected to increase.
No. Locals view this committee as ineffective because it does not and cannot address their core concern: too much helicopter noise. Town officials created this committee in 2011 to ensure the operator, Alpine, was operating according to the lease agreement. That is, are sightseeing flights occurring between 8:30am and 5pm as specified in the lease? Is Alpine exceeding its 60 sightseeing flights daily maximum? Are hazardous substances being properly stored? etc. This committee does not have the mandate to consider the problematic location of the heliport, reduce the number of flights, require modern, quieter helicopters, etc. In short, it is unable to reduce helicopter noise in any meaningful way, which is the key concern of affected Canmore residents.
Notes
| What? | Why? (i.e. rationale) |
|---|---|
| Affordable housing | A pressing community need |
| Research & technology | To meet economic diversification goals |
| Municipal campground | A pressing community need; existing campground (Wapiti) is in doubt because the Alberta Government wants that provincial land for their needs. |
| Municipal solar | A municipal sustainability goal |
| Intercept parking | To reduce growing traffic congestion in the downtown area |
Note: The upper part of the parcel is expected to be outside of the flood zone after the $50 million dollar [+] retention dam on Cougar Creek is completed in 2021; any new developments in the lower portion would be subject to a hazard and risk assessment, as per the Town’s policy.
“Downsizing the heliport” envisions a less busy, quieter heliport and eventually new community infrastructure and uses nearby. In part, it represents a return to the Canmore heliport’s early years: fewer helicopters, few flights, substantially less helicopter noise. This should lower helicopter noise pollution that affects surrounding residential areas to an acceptable level, and, importantly, allow the use of the adjacent large, currently vacant (and rare) municipal parcel.
Notes
“Public recognition for advocating “quiet” helicopters and consumer/operator awareness is gradually changing the buyer/operator “lowest purchase price” paradigm for helicopter to one of community friendly/environmentally compatibility.”
FAA 2004
The EC130 helicopter is widely used for tourism, general and emergency purposes. It is the world’s best selling helicopter in its class, and is used by 279 [+] different helicopter operations, including those listed below.
The EC130 is approximately 40% quieter than the 206L sightseeing helicopters used by Alpine, and does not normally create the highly annoying “wap, wap, wap” noise that Alpine’s 206L helicopters do.
