Data-Driven Analysis of Departure Procedures for Aviation Noise Mitigation

The mitigation of aviation environmental effects is one of the key requirements for sustainable aviation growth. Among various mitigation strategies, Noise Abatement Departure Procedures (NADPs) are a popular and effective measure undertaken by several operators. However, a large variation in departure procedures is observed in real operations. This study demonstrates the use of OpenSky ADS-B departure data for comparison and quantification of the differences in trajectories and the resulting community noise impact between real-world operations and NADPs. Trajectory comparison is accomplished in order to gain insights into the similarity between NADPs and real-world procedures. Clustering algorithms are employed to identify representative departure procedures, enabling efficient high-fidelity noise modeling. Finally, noise results are compared in order to quantify the difference in environmental impacts arising from variability in real-world trajectories. The methodology developed enables more efficient and accurate environmental analyses, thereby laying the foundation for future impact assessment and mitigation efforts.

Scientific basis for the trainer aircraft anti-g equipment requirements

The design process of a new aircraft (AC) is always associated with the issue of choosing its basic technical parameters, or, in other words, the formation of its conceptual design. In case of a civil aircraft, the choice of these parameters is defined by the requirements for operational safety, market conditions, norms that specify the tolerable harmful impact of the aircraft on the environment, etc. In case of a military aircraft, its outlay mostly depends on the concept of potential military threats, ways of using the military aircraft in military conflicts. Some of these requirements are formulated in regulatory documents – the Aviation Requirements for Civil Aircraft and the General Tactical and Technical Requirements of the Air Force for Military Aircraft. For example, Part 25 of the Aviation Requirements for Civil Aircraft defines the Airworthiness Standards for transport aircraft. It should be noted that the stated above requirements are often a tool of competition, for example, when tightening the aircraft noise abatement procedures provides advantages for particular manufacturers, not admitting other manufacturers to enter the market, whose aircraft do not conform to the new standards. Thus, complying with the requirements virtually involves additional costs both in the aircraft development and during its operation. In addition, the implementation of the requirements stated above can lead to the deterioration of the aircraft’s performance, and hence, to the decrease of its competiveness and combat effectiveness. Therefore, each requirement of the regulatory documents should have a profound scientific rationale. This article analyzes one of the regulatory documents requirements referring to the necessity of anti-g system on board aircraft. The authors propose the approach to specify the existing criterion to provide the scientific basis for the anti-g system on board aircraft by assessing the actual level of pilot load when maneuvering. The subject under study is of particular importance for the Yak-152 trainer aircraft. The actual level of loads during pilotage of the Yak-152 trainer aircraft does not require the use of the anti-g system but if to be based on a formal criterion, namely, in terms of the maximum operational overload value, the aircraft should be fitted out with such a system.

Persistent, “Mysterious” Seismoacoustic Signals Reported in Oklahoma State during 2019

ABSTRACT We report on the source of seismoacoustic pulses that were observed across the state of Oklahoma (OK) during summer of 2019, and the subject of national media coverage and speculation. Seismic network data collected across four U.S. states and interviews with witnesses to the pulse’s effect on residential structures demonstrate that they were triggered by routine ammunition disposal operations conducted by McAlester Army Ammunition Plant (McAAP). During these operations, conventional explosives destroy obsolete munitions stored in pits through a controlled sequence of electronically timed shots that occur over tens of minutes. Despite noise-abatement efforts that reduce coupling of acoustic energy with air, some lower frequency, subaudible (infrasonic) sound radiates from these shots as discrete pulses. We use nine months of blast log documents, seismic network records, analyst picks, and physical modeling to demonstrate that seismic stations as far as 640 km from McAAP sample these pulses, which record seasonal patterns in stratospheric and tropospheric winds, as well as the dynamic formation of waveguides and shadow zones. Digital short-term average to long-term average detectors that we augment with dynamic thresholds and time-binning operations identify these pulses with a fair probability, when compared with visual observations. Our analyses thereby provide estimates of observation rates for both partial and full sequences of these pulses, as well as single shots. We suggest that disposal operations can exploit existing, composite seismic networks to predict where residents are likely to witness blasting. Crucially, our data also show that dense seismic networks can record multiscale atmospheric processes in the absence of infrasound arrays.

The lower emissions Brenner Corridor

The lower emissions Brenner Corridor The project is carried out with the aim of creating a concept of ‘lower emissions corridor’ (LEC) for the A22 motorway by implementing and validating a set of policies having the goal to provide clear environmental benefits in terms of air quality, climate protection and noise abatement, i.e. dynamic road capacity management, dynamic speed limits management and dynamic integrated traffic management.

Aircraft Noise Management

Several studies predict an increase up to 40% in traffic flights by the 2040. Airport noise control is a complicated procedure which creates an interesting blend of science, politics, and money. Accordingly, in many communities where airport noise is perceived as a significant problem, a noise control program is sometimes viewed as a continual process, rather than a discrete solution which will come to an end at some point in time.This work is an overview in the existing European low framework and the noise abatement procedure put in place to manage the aircraft noise.

Development of Fly Neighborly helicopter model specific operational noise abatement guidance from acoustic flight test data

Improved helicopter noise abatement guidance has been developed based on acoustic test data acquired by NASA, FAA and Volpe in support of the Helicopter Association International (HAI)'s Fly Neighborly Program. This higher fidelity material was developed to supplement previous training programs based on pilot and operator feedback. The manner of presentation allows pilots to readily interpret the directional noise emission of their vehicle at different operating conditions. Flight path, airspeed, approach descent rate, and deceleration rate can be assessed to optimize flight patterns both during the pre-flight planning stage and in real time during flight operations in response to local conditions and events. The resultant sound directivity would be displayed as colored noise exposure contours overlaid onto a map of the area in the vicinity of the helicopter. New Fly Neighborly training modules have been developed utilizing directional operational noise plots based on Volpe's Advanced Acoustic Model (AAM) modeling with empirical sound sphere data from dedicated US Government helicopter flight tests. This paper will describe the acoustic analyses and will present the updated noise guidance for the AS350, AS365, AW139, Bell 205, Bell 206, Bell 407, R-44, R-66 and S-76D helicopters.

Seafarers’ Perception and Attitudes towards Noise Emission on Board Ships

Noise has long been neglected as an environmental pollutant and impairment health factor in maritime transport. Recently, acoustic pollution indicates the highest growth in transport external cost unit values. In 2020, questionnaires were submitted to seafarers to examine their noise exposure and perception on board and attitudes towards noise abatement measures. Responses of 189 participants were processed using descriptive statistics and Likert scale valuation, while their consistency was tested with indirect indicators using linear regression and correlation test. Results show that more than 40% of respondents do not consider noise as a significant environmental problem. The negative perception among respondents with ≥10 years of work experience was much lower (23.53%). Most are aware of the onboard noise harmful effects that can influence their health. Despite that, they use personal protection equipment only sometimes. A higher positive perception was recorded in groups of respondents with a university degree (90%), work experience longer than ten years (82.35%), and monthly income higher than 4000 € (70%). Respondents are not strongly motivated to participate in funding noise mitigation measures, and such a viewpoint is not related to their monthly incomes. The low awareness and motivation regarding acoustic pollution generally shown by the surveyed seafarers should be watched as a threat by the company managers. Better education and awareness are likely to be crucial to change the current state of affairs.

Impact of Aircraft Noise on Communities Near Belgrade Airport

The aim of this research was to examine the impact of aircraft noise on communities near the Belgrade Airport by conducting short-term noise measurements. Apart from the noise abatement procedure published in the Aeronautical Information Publication for Belgrade Airport, there are still neither publicly available reports of the actual efforts made towards the aircraft noise reduction nor the description of the current noise situation. In order to estimate the current noise situation, eighteen aircraft overflight noise measurements were taken in two settlements in specific sound-sensitive community areas around the Belgrade Airport. The results showed that level differences between background noise and aircraft overflights were higher than 10 dB for each measurement and could be considered significant. Furthermore, preliminary compatibility analysis with acoustic zoning was performed. Average daily noise levels were estimated from these short-term measurements and were compared to legal noise limits for different acoustic zones. The results indicate that in some cases noise levels exceed the legal threshold, which should encourage land use planners to include the issue of Belgrade acoustic zoning on the agenda, but also prompt Belgrade Airport to implement continuous noise and flight tracks monitoring.

Modeling the Influence of Roundabout Deflection on Its Efficiency as a Noise Abatement Measure

Challenges that emerge in roundabout design are mostly related to space constrictions and provision of appropriate deflection around the central island. This can result in speed profiles on roundabouts that might reduce their potential as a noise abatement measure. Because of this, the impact of a roundabout on noise levels and its applicability as a traffic calming device and a noise abatement measure should be investigated in the early design stage, by modeling noise levels. In this paper, the following hypothesis is tested: vehicle movement trajectories, defined during the fastest path performance check in roundabout early design phase, can be used as the road traffic noise sources when modeling noise at roundabouts using static noise model. This procedure (1) simplifies the preparation of the noise model, (2) results in a model that is closer to the real-world in terms of traffic flow conditions, (3) allows the noise calculations in the early stages of roundabout design, and (4) includes the influence of roundabout deflection on calculated noise levels. The abovementioned simplifications of the road traffic noise modeling process should encourage the optimization of roundabout geometry in terms of its noise reduction capabilities in the preliminary design phase of these intersections.