BACKGROUND
Although the FAA has developed and continuously improved its Integrated Noise Model (INM) since the 1970s, the focus of these improvements has been on the sound level database for large commercial jets. Information from some general aviation (GA) airports suggests INM has over predicted GA noise impacts resulting in an inaccurate representation of noise contours. These disparities can lead to noise contours that do not reflect actual sound levels, which, in turn, may compromise compatible land use planning and result in unnecessary funding of noise mitigation. Research is needed to determine the accuracy of INM in predicting GA noise impacts, identify causes for these disparities, and identify potential solutions to improve the model and its use.
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this research are to: (1) assess the predictive accuracy of the INM for GA aircraft, (2) identify causes for deviations between actual and predicted values, (3) identify potential solutions to improve the model’s accuracy, and (4) describe the steps needed for their implementation.
STATUS
