ASSESSMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPATIBILITY OF DIFFERING HELICOPTER NOISE CERTIFICATION STANDARDS

Areas having the heaviest helicopter activity in the U.S. were visited and environmental noise measurement made in order to evaluate the impact of possible relaxed noise emission standards for helicopters restricted to remote regions. Measurement results showed that an average of 10 flyovers per hour produced a one-hour energy-averaged sound level (Leq) of 54.5 dBA, a level 2.5 dBA above ambient. An average of 34 events per hour adjacent to heliports produced a one-hour Leq of 63.1 dBA, which was 13.3 dBa above ambient. If emission levels were increased by 10 dBA, projected Leq values of 57.0 and 71.2 dBA resulted for the flyover and heliport conditions, respectively. Sixty-four percent of those responding to a questionnaire stated that they had not experienced a problem from helicopter noise. The degree to which the remaining respondents were bothered ranged from 'slightly' to 'very annoyed' with no significant preference for either category. (Author)

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Prepared in cooperation with Kentucky Univ., Lexington.
• Corporate Authors:

  Watkins and Associates, Incorporated

  Lexington, KY  United States 

  Federal Aviation Administration

  William J. Hughes Technical Center, Airport Technology Research and Development Branch
  Atlantic City International Airport
  Atlantic City, NJ  United States  08405
• Authors:
  • Edwards, R G
  • Broderson, A B
  • Barbour, R W
  • McCoy, D F
  • Johnson, C W
• Publication Date: 1979-6

Media Info

• Pagination: 67 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accessibility; Acoustic measuring instruments; Acoustics; Aircraft noise; Coasts; Helicopters; Questionnaires; Standards; Surveys; Wildlife
• Uncontrolled Terms: Coastal regions; Modifications; Observation; Remote areas
• Geographic Terms: Louisiana; Texas
• Old TRIS Terms: Acoustic measurement
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Data and Information Technology;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00313171
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: FAA-AEE-79-13
• Contract Numbers: DOT-FA78WA-4194
• Files: NTIS, USDOT
• Created Date: May 7 2002 12:00AM