Evaluation of Simulator and Flight Tested Noise Abatement Approach Procedures

Abstract

Short and middle term solutions are necessary to address the problem of aircraft noise in the vicinity of airports. Several approach procedures leading to noise abatement were designed based on performance calculations and fast time simulations. Two of them, namely the Low-Drag-Low-Power (LDLP) as a reference and the Segmented Continuous Descent Approach (SCDA) with a glide path intercept from above were analyzed on Airbus A320 and A330 full flight simulators with 44 pilots, evaluating pilot workload. Via flight tests two further procedures, a Continuous Descent with a late gear extension (LCDA) and an optimized LDLP procedure with a steep final segment (SLDLP), are investigated on an Airbus A319 aircraft. Noise measurements on ground were performed at 25 locations inside the departure and approach areas. The investigations indicate that consequent practice of flight procedures such as continuous-descent and steep-final-approaches provide adequate noise abatement.