Noise levels of fighter jets.

[F-15 Eagle]

I don't know if there is already a post about this or not but I was woundering how load do all of the differnet kinds of fighters compaire with one another.

How load is say an F-15 vs an F-16 in noise levels.

What about the F-18, F-22, F-35, Mig-29/31 and SU-27 noise levels and so on.....

Correct me if I'm wrong but is the noise levels determind by the power of the jet engine like the thrust?

[Chrom]

I don't know if there is already a post about this or not but I was woundering how load do all of the differnet kinds of fighters compaire with one another.

How load is say an F-15 vs an F-16 in noise levels.

What about the F-18, F-22, F-35, Mig-29/31 and SU-27 noise levels and so on.....

Correct me if I'm wrong but is the noise levels determind by the power of the jet engine like the thrust?

Generally, no. Some case as with cars - the more powerful engine, the noisier it is. But 300 PS on Mercedes will be much quiter than 300 PS on Dodge.

[rattmuff]

I don't know if there is already a post about this or not but I was woundering how load do all of the differnet kinds of fighters compaire with one another.

How load is say an F-15 vs an F-16 in noise levels.

What about the F-18, F-22, F-35, Mig-29/31 and SU-27 noise levels and so on.....

Correct me if I'm wrong but is the noise levels determind by the power of the jet engine like the thrust?

Let me put it like this.. I don't know the actual sound levels of the SAAB 39 Gripen and the SAAB 37 Viggen.
When a Viggen is touching the trees while you are there trying to catch some fish in the remote forest lake.. it goes: (a rumbling yet light) BRAAAAAAAAM!! and you s*** your pants. The sound felt through the whole body and the ears rung.

When a Gripen is touching the trees at the same remote forest lake where you are fishing... it goes: (a deep) SQRUEEEEEEEM!!! and you s*** your pants. The sound felt through the body and it did hurt in the eardrums.
Close to this (gripen)

[F-15 Eagle]

Let me put it like this.. I don't know the actual sound levels of the SAAB 39 Gripen and the SAAB 37 Viggen.
When a Viggen is touching the trees while you are there trying to catch some fish in the remote forest lake.. it goes: (a rumbling yet light) BRAAAAAAAAM!! and you s*** your pants. The sound felt through the whole body and the ears rung.

When a Gripen is touching the trees at the same remote forest lake where you are fishing... it goes: (a deep) SQRUEEEEEEEM!!! and you s*** your pants. The sound felt through the body and it did hurt in the eardrums.
Close to this (gripen) (http://youtube.com/watch?v=TbzL3bYGmGs)

I take it you have a personal experance with an SAAB 39 Gripen flying no more than 20 feet above your head?:D

I also have an experance when I was at an airshow in the summer of 2004 in Portland, Oregon when 2 F-15s flew no more then 20 feet in front of the crowed that I was in when I heard a loud SQRUEEEEEEEM!!! and I could not hear for 30 seconds and than later an F-16 was flying around doing pretty manuevers and that was really cool....and LOUD!!! Then I wathed the Blue Angles with the F-18s and that was also very loud with a BRAAAAAAAAM!!

When I went to bed that night my ears were ringing so loud that I had trouble sleeping and I think there was some permanet damge to my ear drums and even today my ears still ring whenever its quiet enough.:onfloorl: But it was worth it still.

[energo]

I don't know if there is already a post about this or not but I was woundering how load do all of the differnet kinds of fighters compaire with one another.

How load is say an F-15 vs an F-16 in noise levels.

What about the F-18, F-22, F-35, Mig-29/31 and SU-27 noise levels and so on.....

Correct me if I'm wrong but is the noise levels determind by the power of the jet engine like the thrust?

Not power per se, but - someone correct me if I'm wrong - the speed of the jet exhaust relative to the surounding air and, depending on aspect, the turbine face of the engine.

Some figures on page 5/6:

http://www-nehc.med.navy.mil/downloads/occmed/hctoolbox/Toolbox_files/NAVAIR%20Advanced%20Hearing%20Protection.ppt


Regards
Bjørnar
Oslo

[ROCK45]

I saw a Harrier at a air show and thought it was the loudest jet to fly and land.

[F-15 Eagle]

Here is an article about that mentions the noise foot print of the F-35. It says "Goodyear Mayor James Cavanaugh noted that Luke's noise zones, which measure the "noise footprint" of a two-engine F-15, would likely fit the one-engine F-35."

The single engine F-35 will be just as loud as the two engine F-15!! Thats ok it just means the airshows will be just as cool.:D..... And more hearing loss for me.:onfloorl:

http://www.azcentral.com/specials/special40/articles/0918lplukejsf18Z5.html

[Lostfleet]

We know that it is quite loud at outside however how is the noise level inside the plane?

[F-15 Eagle]

We know that it is quite loud at outside however how is the noise level inside the plane?

You mean the noise level for the pilot? Well I'm sure its still pretty loud in the cockpit but not as loud as outside the jet.


On a different note that video of the JAS-39s was awesome!:D

[jaffo4011]

after 2 visits to the raf cosford air show and once to farnborough and after listening to f15,s,f18,s,typhoons, gripens and the rest,i can confirm that a gr4 tornado on a low level attack profile was the loudest by far......i was deaf for days!

[onslaught]

They've said that the Tu-95 is one of the loudest. It could even be heard from submarines underwater but I don't know at what depth. A lot of the Tu-95 pilots have had bad ear damage and hearling loss from flying the plane.

[Chrom]

They've said that the Tu-95 is one of the loudest. It could even be heard from submarines underwater but I don't know at what depth. A lot of the Tu-95 pilots have had bad ear damage and hearling loss from flying the plane.
These myths again... They just dont die...

[robsta83]

They've said that the Tu-95 is one of the loudest. It could even be heard from submarines underwater but I don't know at what depth. A lot of the Tu-95 pilots have had bad ear damage and hearling loss from flying the plane.

By they do you mean GF in this thread:
Russian Navy Head Calls for 5-6 Aircraft Carriers (http://www.defencetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7619)
in this post (http://www.defencetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?p=140998#post140998)

[windscorpion]

Is noise detection something that could be explored to detect stealth aircraft that are hidden from radar and IR sensors?

[Lostfleet]

Yes I meant inside the cockpit, for example if you were in double seater like F-14 or F-18F would the pilot able to communicate with each other verbally without the intercom?


Is noise detection something that could be explored to detect stealth aircraft that are hidden from radar and IR sensors?

Noise detection was actually used in WWII in Britain against approaching German Bombers. They used huge sound collectors ( shape like a concave shell) to amplify the noise. Of course it was replaced by more common Radar.

[windscorpion]

Yes i know, i just wonder with directional microphones and modern data processing whether multiple stations could triangulate the position of a warplane from it's noise.

[Sea Toby]

But the jet can break the sound barrier, and when they do, travel faster than sound. Sorry, sonar won't work.

And besides, although a fighter is very loud, and a sonic boom is even louder, you will notice that you really don't hear them far away, only when they surprise you at short notice.

[Salty Dog]

Yes i know, i just wonder with directional microphones and modern data processing whether multiple stations could triangulate the position of a warplane from it's noise.

I've not heard of search/tracking planes by noise (noise would alert the soldier/sailor of approaching aircraft) but I did read somewhere about searching for aircraft by their vorticies.

[kato]

I've not heard of search/tracking planes by noise (noise would alert the soldier/sailor of approaching aircraft)

They did that before radar, actually.

[windscorpion]

But the jet can break the sound barrier, and when they do, travel faster than sound. Sorry, sonar won't work.

And besides, although a fighter is very loud, and a sonic boom is even louder, you will notice that you really don't hear them far away, only when they surprise you at short notice.

Well not all aircraft can, but even if you couldn't track them i guess the noise would alert the defender that something was afoot.

[old faithful]

They did that before radar, actually.

Yes, in the UK during WW11, the English built concrete "shells" or dishes facing the English channel to pick up engine noise of approaching bombers. i think it gave them something like 5mins early warning,before the aircraft were sighted. better than nothing!

[F-15 Eagle]

Here is a really cool video of the B-1B doing a Flyby in Afghanistan. The B-1B is considered the loudest aircraft in U.S. Military service.

YouTube - B1 flyby Afghanistan

Here is another with a F-16 and this is really cool as well.

YouTube - F16 fly by

And here is one with 4 F-16s taking off with full AB for a training mission.

YouTube - F-16 Take-Off with full afterburner

[nevidimka]

I have an interesting question.

Like some1 said.. in the cockpit surely the pilot can hear the noise of the jet engines although its not as loud as being outside. But once the jetfighter goes past Mach 1 when it leaves the sound behind.. does it go suddenly quiet for the pilots inside?

And this question I read some1 ask b4.. not sure where n not sure what the answer was. Once the jetfighter goes supersonic.. can a pilot hear his co pilot as he is travelling faster than sound? LOL..

[F-15 Eagle]

I have an interesting question.

Like some1 said.. in the cockpit surely the pilot can hear the noise of the jet engines although its not as loud as being outside. But once the jetfighter goes past Mach 1 when it leaves the sound behind.. does it go suddenly quiet for the pilots inside?

And this question I read some1 ask b4.. not sure where n not sure what the answer was. Once the jetfighter goes supersonic.. can a pilot hear his co pilot as he is travelling faster than sound? LOL..

I honestly don't know. I've never even thought about that before. It is an interesting question though.

[Grand Danois]

I have an interesting question.

Like some1 said.. in the cockpit surely the pilot can hear the noise of the jet engines although its not as loud as being outside. But once the jetfighter goes past Mach 1 when it leaves the sound behind.. does it go suddenly quiet for the pilots inside?

It doesn't leave sound behind in that sense; the jet moves faster than the shockwave/sound from the movement through the air can propagate through the medium (atmosphere/air).

And this question I read some1 ask b4.. not sure where n not sure what the answer was. Once the jetfighter goes supersonic.. can a pilot hear his co pilot as he is travelling faster than sound? LOL..

Though air inside the cockpit does travel faster than sound, this is relative to the air outside the jet. Inside, and relative to the pilot, the air doesn't move as it travels with the pilot. So, yes.

That's my 0.02€ with my limited knowledge of physics.

[nevidimka]

Your 1st explanation , I dont understand. Why I came up with this is because I remember watching a tv miniseries on the Canadian Avro's Arrow. In 1 of its 1st test flight, when the jet makes it supersonic.. it suddenly goes quiet.. n when the co pilot asks, the pilot said that they have just went past the speed of sound.

Thingking about it, the noise of the jet engines shouldnt be heard by the pilot, coz he is traveling faster away from the source b4 the sound form that source can reach his ear.

On the second question.. ok.

But it would be nice if we can get a confirmation from a jetfighter pilot, preferable 1 who flies in a twin seater.

[Grand Danois]

Your 1st explanation , I dont understand. Why I came up with this is because I remember watching a tv miniseries on the Canadian Avro's Arrow. In 1 of its 1st test flight, when the jet makes it supersonic.. it suddenly goes quiet.. n when the co pilot asks, the pilot said that they have just went past the speed of sound.

Thingking about it, the noise of the jet engines shouldnt be heard by the pilot, coz he is traveling faster away from the source b4 the sound form that source can reach his ear.


I was perhaps a bit unclear - yes, it should get quieter as the jet moves faster than most of the noise it generates. Vibrations and such from the airframe could propagate to the cockpit, though.

But as you say, it would be nice if a pilot or like would comment.

[Salty Dog]

I was perhaps a bit unclear - yes, it should get quieter as the jet moves faster than most of the noise it generates. Vibrations and such from the airframe could propagate to the cockpit, though.

But as you say, it would be nice if a pilot or like would comment.

I suppose we could also query the thousands of folks that travelled on the Concorde.

[Grand Danois]

I suppose we could also query the thousands of folks that travelled on the Concorde.

Yup. That is also a possibility.

Just for the record: I'm not saying it's noisy or anything. It should be quiet - or quieter than in subsonic flight.

[jaffo4011]

i take it all back about the tornado being loud....i went to the raf cosford airshow last weekend and the typhoon almost made my ears bleed....absolutely fantastic...love to compare this to the sound of the bae lightening in its day!!

YouTube - Typhoon Take-off, RIAT 2007

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vjQe92-w_I

[F-15 Eagle]

I have an interesting question.

Like some1 said.. in the cockpit surely the pilot can hear the noise of the jet engines although its not as loud as being outside. But once the jetfighter goes past Mach 1 when it leaves the sound behind.. does it go suddenly quiet for the pilots inside?

And this question I read some1 ask b4.. not sure where n not sure what the answer was. Once the jetfighter goes supersonic.. can a pilot hear his co pilot as he is travelling faster than sound? LOL..

Perhaps this could help.

YouTube - F16 Take Off

[nevidimka]

Interesting, but I do not think this help in my question as the planes didnt go past Mach 1.

But a good video nonetheless n thanks.

[F-15 Eagle]

Does anyone know what is louder the F-15 or F-16? Are they the same in noise levels or is one louder than the other?

[energo]

Does anyone know what is louder the F-15 or F-16? Are they the same in noise levels or is one louder than the other?

Some figures on page 5 here:

http://www-nehc.med.navy.mil/downloads/occmed/hctoolbox/Toolbox_files/NAVAIR%20Advanced%20Hearing%20Protection.ppt


Regards,
Bjørnar

[F-15 Eagle]

According to http://www-nehc.med.navy.mil/downloa...Protection.ppt (http://www-nehc.med.navy.mil/downloads/occmed/hctoolbox/Toolbox_files/NAVAIR%20Advanced%20Hearing%20Protection.ppt) here is the sound levels of the following. Thanks energo this really helps.;)

EA-6B 148 dB
F-14 153 dB
F-16 150 dB
F-18F 150 dB
F-15C 149 dB
F-35 152 dB

So they all make about the same noise but the F-16/F-18 is louder than the F-15, but the F-14 and F-35 are both louder than everything else.

What about the F-22, what dB does it produce?

[Sea Toby]

I read a study of Alaskan noise levels at different heights, the F-22 matched the F/A-18. A link: http://www.elmendorf.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-061114-132.pdf

[F-15 Eagle]

I read a study of Alaskan noise levels at different heights, the F-22 matched the F/A-18. A link: http://www.elmendorf.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-061114-132.pdf

Now what if you have 2 jets, take the F-16 for example which makes 150 dB, does it mean there will be 300 db with 2 F-16s or is it still 150 dB?

[SlyDog]

Two aircraft placed closed to each other should have a sound level at 6 dB more..156 dB.

"dB-scale" are logarithmic scale - not linear.

300 dB is not possible to achieve. A-bomb blast with an est level at 190-200dB.

[F-15 Eagle]

Two aircraft placed closed to each other should have a sound level at 6 dB more..156 dB.

"dB-scale" are logarithmic scale - not linear.

300 dB is not possible to achieve. A-bomb blast with an est level at 190-200dB.

To the normal human ear 6 dB is not that big of a difference. I don't think I would be able to tell the difference between 150 dB and 156 dB or anyone else.

I bet a nuclear bomb could create 300 db.......

[Chrom]

To the normal human ear 6 dB is not that big of a difference. I don't think I would be able to tell the difference between 150 dB and 156 dB or anyone else.

I bet a nuclear bomb could create 300 db.......

No, it is wrong. Normal human ear possible cant hear 6dB, but 6 dB DIFFERENCE is very easy to notice. Remember, 6 dB difference is ~2 times stronger sound. I'll bet everyone can hear that...

[F-15 Eagle]

No, it is wrong. Normal human ear possible cant hear 6dB, but 6 dB DIFFERENCE is very easy to notice. Remember, 6 dB difference is ~2 times stronger sound. I'll bet everyone can hear that...

Well it just goes to show that i don't know much about dB and noise levels.:rolleyes:

[SlyDog]

Well...its a bit tricky.

Physically are an increase of 6 dB of sound level 2 times stronger.

The ear perceive 6-10 dB as 2 times stronger - depending on frequency, individual difference and sound level. The human hearing are somewhat "compressed" so to speak.

[F-15 Eagle]

I was a little surprised that the F-15 does not make as much noise as the F-16, F-18 and F-35 do. I've seen F-15s fly close to me in person before and their very very loud. It does make me wounder how much louder a F-35 will be if it is 3 dB louder than the F-15.