Aviation Noise Issues

Effects of Noise on People

Noise affects people in a number of ways, which can be broken down into two general categories:  auditory effects (hearing loss) and non-auditory effects (activity interference and physiological effects).  Research has been conducted in the following specific areas:

  • Hearing loss
  • Physiological effects
  • Annoyance
  • Speech Interference
  • Sleep Interference and Awakenings
  • Effects on Learning

Aircraft Noise Modeling Tools

Federal agencies have developed a number of prediction models to evaluate aircraft noise, including:

  • The Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) was developed by the FAA. AEDT provides a common, transparent, integrated capability for computing and identifying interrelationships between noise and emissions and among various emissions at the aircraft, local, regional, and global levels.
  • NOISEMAP is the primary noise model used by the Department of Defense to predict cumulative noise around airports.
  • The Noise Model Simulation (NMSim) is a noise simulation model that evolved from a NATO-CCMS study on the effects of topography on sound propagation around airfields.  It was developed by the USAF and NASA for use in simulating noise for single events.

Land Use Compatibility

Federal agencies have developed land use compatibility guidelines and recommendations for land use planning around airports and sound insulation.

Other Research Groups

FICAN coordinates with a number of other federal groups pursuing aviation noise research, including: