Future Applications for Scientific Aircraft Noise Simulation Tools

Abstract

Aircraft noise is probably the most dominating contribution to community noise annoyance. The most effective way to reduce aircraft noise is 1) the reduction at the source and 2) the optimization of the actual flight operation of the aircraft. In order to identify promising concepts for such a noise reduction and to evaluate the impact on a system level, so-called scientific noise prediction tools have been developed. The overall aircraft noise is hereby described in a componential and parametric way, i.e. the major noise contributors are modelled individually under consideration of relevant parameters. The selected parameters reflect the influence of geometrical details and operational conditions on each modeled noise source and ultimately on the overall vehicle noise. The underlying models yield one-third-octave band SPL spectra for each emission angle. For typical applications this data is translated into time-level-histories on the ground and noise footprints. Obviously, much more information can be derived from the standard output, i.e. the spectral and directional SPL data. Access to this output data is very promising for new and unconventional application of the scientific aircraft noise simulation tools. Three exemplary applications are presented and discussed here. First example: noise-to-design activities. Parametric noise sources models of the scientific tools translate geometrical and operational input into noise levels. It seems promising to reverse this process, i.e. starting with some selected noise goals and then tracing it back to a required modification to the underlying geometry or flight operation.