Validating Aircraft Noise Models

Abstract

Aircraft noise, especially at takeoffs and landings, became a major environmental nuisance and a health hazard for the population around metropolitan airports. In the battle for a better quality of life, wellbeing, and health, aircraft noise models are essential for noise abatement, control, enforcement, evaluation, policy-making, and shaping the entire aviation industry. Aircraft noise models calculate noise and exposure levels based on aircraft types, engines and airframes, aircraft flight paths, environment factors, and more. Validating the aircraft noise model is a mandatory step towards the model credibility, especially when these models play such a key role with a huge impact on society, economy, and public health. Yet, no validation procedure was offered, and it turns out to be a challenging task. The actual, measured, aircraft noise level is known to be subject to statistical variation, even for the same aircraft type at the same situation and flight phase, executing the same flight procedure, with similar environmental factors and at the same place. This study tries to validate the FAA’s AEDT aircraft noise model, by trying to correlate the specific flight path of an aircraft with its measured noise level. The results show that the AEDT noise model underestimates the actual noise level, and four validation steps should be performed to correct or tune aircraft noise databases and flight profiles.