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Jet engine decibel1/19/2023 ![]() “It allows the fans to turn slower and be less noisy,” he explains. But on newer planes, the engine compartments are much bigger, and so are the fans in the front. “A jet aeroplane used to be just that – a big jet engine on either side producing huge amounts of noise,” says Pardoe. Such customisation can bring the decibel level down below 50 db, much quieter than on passenger planes.Įngines are also a major source of noise, but they are getting gradually quieter. On private jets, extra cash and fewer qualms about fuel efficiency means extra sound insulation, with more glass on the windows, sound-absorbent suede leather ceiling panels and redesigned air conditioning systems. Such techniques, he says, helped the double-decker Airbus A380 plane to be recognised by the UK Noise Abatement Society as the quietest jet airliner on the market. This allows engineers to reshape their designs, says Alan Pardoe, director of product marketing at Airbus. So during the design phase of modern aircraft, computational tools model the aerodynamics of the aeroplane to highlight areas of high airflow that are likely to increase cabin noise. One of the main sources of noise is wind. So what are engineers doing to tackle the problem? But it’s far from straightforward, because some noise reduction techniques – such as adding thick insulation to the cabin walls – can add weight, which increases fuel consumption. On older aircraft, or towards the back of a plane, noise levels can often get close to this threshold.Īircraft manufacturers and airlines recognise the issue, and try to reduce the noise inside cabins. ![]() And if noise goes higher than 90 dB for eight or more hours per day, it may lead to permanent hearing loss, warns the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA). “Many people notice tinnitus – ringing in the ear – following a long flight, an early symptom of noise damage,” says Mason. Long exposure to 85 dB can cause temporary hearing problems. At cruising altitudes, noise drops to around 85 dB, says Pamela Mason of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Take-off and landing are the loudest moments, when noise levels inside the cabin can reach 105 decibels (dB). The noise during a typical plane journey can vary significantly. Could new technology help? And are there any tricks passengers can use to avoid noise? Despite great advances in aviation, if the engines are whirring, the wind is whizzing and the air conditioning is pumping, it’s still pretty noisy inside passenger jets. “The droning, after a while, appeared to take the form of a tune, which mysteriously sounded like a church choir.” According to Gibb, it inspired one of the band’s most famous songs, I Started A Joke.įor most passengers though, aircraft noise is more likely to be a pain than a source of inspiration. ![]() “It was one of those old four-engine 'prop' jobs’ that seemed to drone the passenger into a sort of hypnotic trance, only with this it was different,” the late singer Robin Gibb once said in a BeeGees anthology. One day in 1968, members of the BeeGees were flying aboard a British Airways Vickers Viscount plane, listening closely to the aircraft noise inside the cabin. ![]()
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