A Multi-disciplinary Approach to Lower Community Aircraft Noise Annoyance

This paper presents the methods and tools of the 7th Framework European project COSMA (Community Oriented Solutions to Minimize aircraft noise Annoyance). COSMA aims to develop engineering criteria for aircraft design and operations in order to reduce the annoyance within airport communities due to aircraft exterior noise. By today, such criteria do not exist since aircraft noise engineering has historically focused on achieving ever lower noise levels for individual events and at close distance from the runway. Within the frame of a unique approach, COSMA will improve the understanding of noise annoyance effects due to aircraft in the airport surrounding community. The results from field studies and psychometric testing will be used for setting up optimised aircraft noise shapes. Special techniques for a realistic synthesis of aircraft noise around airports will be developed for the simulation and validation of optimised aircraft noise shapes. Associated engineering guidelines for the necessary optimisation processes will be established, which needs a profound knowledge management for aircraft design practices and scientific information on aircraft exterior noise annoyance effects. The scientific research results will help to reduce noise annoyance at the source in the future, by technological or operational means and through an improved understanding of the related effects of aircraft noise in the airport surrounding community.