FAA sets requirement for quieter aircraft

Beginning Jan. 1, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will require newly designed aircraft to be quieter which will help toward lowering noise around airports and surrounding communities. Called “Stage 5 Airplane Noise Standards,” this FAA rule ensures that the latest available noise reduction technology is incorporated into new aircraft designs. As a result, new airplane type designs in the subsonic jet airplanes and subsonic transport category large airplanes will operate at least seven decibels quieter than airplanes in the current fleet.

In 1975, there were about 200 million people flying in the United States, with about seven million people exposed to what is considered significant aircraft noise. Since then, an FAA study conducted in 2015 showed that the number of people flying in the United States had almost quadrupled yet the number of people exposed to aircraft noise had dropped to around 340,000, or a 94 percent reduction in aircraft noise exposure.

The FAA continues to meet its reduction in aircraft noise and other environmental aviation goals through the Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions and Noise (CLEEN) program.  CLEEN is the FAA’s principal Next Generation environmental effort to accelerate the development of new aircraft, engine technologies, and advance sustainable alternative jet fuels.