Roof Damage
Birmingham Airport runs a Vortex Protection Scheme to protect homes around the Airport from aircraft wake vortex damage.
What are Aircraft Wake Vortices?
Wake vortices are rotating air currents caused by the passage of aircraft through the air and are most frequently generated at the wing tips. In calm weather conditions, they can persist and descend until they decay or reach the ground. In a very small number of cases - less than 0.005% of flights at Birmingham - they can strike roofs and cause damage. Only properties with pitched roofs are affected and the majority of strikes are concentrated in small areas very close to the runway ends.
Eligibility
Every residential property which has been damaged by a confirmed vortex strike caused by an aircraft operating at Birmingham Airport, or is damaged in the future, is eligible for vortex protection. The only criteria is that damage has to be verified at the time by the Airport Company Assessor. The damage is very specific in nature and the assessor can quickly identify whether it has been caused by an aircraft operation.
What should I do if I believe my property has been damaged by Aircraft Wake Vortices?
Suspected vortex strikes should be reported immediately to Birmingham Airport on 0121 767 8585.
Please note that this number is only able to deal with suspected wake vortex damage and all other aircraft noise related queries should be directed to the Airport through our dedicated online form which can be found here.
In order to understand how your data will be handled in relation to the Vortex Protection Scheme we recommend that you read our Privacy Notice which is available here.