Although air traffic can represent a big nuisance for the residents, the range of planning is restricted as for noise abatement measures. These measures are limited to considering the allocation of sensitive uses to the individual noise protection zones of airports (see section 3.2). As far as possible residential areas should not be planned within protection zone 2 of an airport (even if this is permitted) as quiet living can only be ensured within the buildings themselves (if equipped with the necessary noise protection features). But healthy living also requires a quiet neighbourhood and living environment as a basis for the undisturbed use of gardens, terraces and balconies for example.

It is recommended, however, to locate less demanding commercial uses within the protection zones of airports. Meteorological parameters like the distribution of the wind directions and the frequency of inversions should possibly be taken into account when designating residential areas in the larger environment of airports as especially noise from departing aircrafts can be heard from a very far distance.

Further noise abatement measures at airports are:

• the designation of the air routes for arriving and departing aircrafts also from the point of view of noise reduction

• the designation of the air routes for aircrafts with a low flight level affecting areas with residential uses

• the restriction of night flights (between 10 pm and 6 am)

• the accordance of user advantages for low-noise aircrafts in order to promote their use, especially at marginal times of the day and at night

• the integration of airports into the local public transport system in order to reduce to a minimum motorized individual traffic towards the airports

• the restriction of advertising flights

• regulations on the protection from aircraft noise in the context of urban land-use planning (administrative regulation ... for the region around Stuttgart Airport and others)