In an effort to reduce helicopter noise in the D.C. region, federal officials are requiring helicopters to fly at higher altitudes and take alternative routes that would be less disruptive to residents.

U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), along with representatives from the Department of Defense (DOD), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Helicopter Association International, announced the new measures Tuesday morning. Beyer called the measures — based on data analysis by FAA — a “direct response to community input.”

“Since I took office over eight years ago, helicopter noise has been a constant source of complaints from constituents across Northern Virginia,” Beyer said in a statement. “Here in the nation’s capital with military, medical, commercial and other aviation, aircraft noise will always be with us — but there are things we can do to help reduce the impact on residents.”

The measures follow a pilot program for a helicopter noise complaint system that Beyer announced last June. The system allows residents to submit detailed noise complaints via a web form, a mobile app, or a noise complaint hotline. Using information from the complaints and available flight track data, the system identifies likely sources of the noise and other data — all of which helped inform the changes announced Tuesday.

“This tool gathered data that was used by the FAA to make important changes that will mitigate helicopter noise across our region. Our residents weren’t just listened to – they were heard,” said Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson.

Thanks to funding from local jurisdictions in Northern Virginia, including Arlington County and Fairfax County, the FAA is now permanently adopting that pilot program for the region.

Beyer was joined Tuesday by various local officials, including Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey, who commended FAA for continuing the noise complaint system.

“We are especially pleased that our residents could participate meaningfully in this process, and now will continue to,” Garvey said.

Mitigating helicopter noise has been a years-long endeavor in the region. In 2021, DOD had said it would consider allowing helicopters to fly at higher altitudes, though it noted that “existing minimum and maximum altitudes for helicopters are set to maintain safe separation for helicopters between commercial passenger airplanes and ground structures.” Raising altitudes, the department noted, “could reduce safety for all aircraft operating in this airspace.” DOD had said that it would keep those caveats in mind as it worked with FAA to raise altitudes without compromising safety.

Earlier this month, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton introduced a bill requiring FAA to submit a report and recommendations to Congress on how to reduce helicopter noise in D.C. In previous years, she had also sought to raise helicopter flying altitudes.

Despite persistent noise complaints about helicopters over the years, the airspace around D.C. is the most restricted in the country. After 9/11, the area became a “national defense airspace” and aircraft operations were limited to those with authorization from the FAA and Transportation Security Administration.