Noise_Effects

FAA’s Noise Effects Article

Click on the following link for the entire article written by the FAA which analyzes aviation noise:

Section 3.0 ANNOYANCE AND AIRCRAFT NOISE is of particular relevance. The following is a sampling of the FAA’s analysis:

The FAA's charter is to assure safety and promote civil aviation which includes addressing the problems of aircraft noise annoyance.

Emotional Variables Influencing Annoyance - an individual's response is influenced by their attitudes, beliefs and values.

Preventability of Noise - people will feel more hostile if they perceive that they are being ignored. If the originators of the noise are doing what they can to mitigate the noise, people usually are more willing to be subjected to higher noise levels.
Perception of the value of the activity which is creating the noise - if the noise is produced by an activity which people judge is vital, they are not as annoyed versus activities considered superfluous.
Attitudes about Environment - undesirable noise in a person's residential environment will influence the way in which the person reacts to the intrusion.
General Sensitivity to Noise - people vary in their ability to hear sound, their physiological predisposition to noise and their emotional experience of annoyance.
Belief about the Effect of Aircraft Noise on Health - the extent to which people believe that exposure to aircraft noise will damage their health.
Feeling of Fear Associated with the Noise - the extent to which an individual fears physical harm from the source of the noise.

Type of Neighborhood - annoyance, disturbance and complaint from aircraft noise will be greatest in rural areas, followed by suburban and urban residential areas. The type of neighborhood affects a resident's expectations of noise. People expect rural neighborhoods to be quieter than cities therefore aircraft noise exposure may produce greater negative reaction in rural areas.
Time of Day - early evening and evening noise intrusions are considered more annoying than during the day.
Season - aircraft noise is considered more disturbing in the summer than in the winter due to the fact that windows are more likely to be open and people partake in more recreational activities outdoors.
Predictability of the Noise - research suggests that individuals exposed to unpredictable noise have a lower noise tolerance than those exposed to predictable noise.
Control over the Noise Source - Individuals who have no control over the noise source will be more annoyed than one who is able to exercise some control.
Length of Time an Individual Is Exposed to a Noise - under some circumstances, annoyance may increase the longer one is exposed to the intrusion.