Aircraft noise

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Member for

12 years 3 months

Posts: 299

Watching the documentary "Inside Gatwick" this gentleman was complaining about noise from aircraft flying over his house. He then went on to say he moved there 10 years ago for "peace" in the country. When he looked at the house 10 years ago, would he not have known that Gatwick was there. I would have thought that 10 years ago with BAC1-11, B727, Tu154 etc it might have been a bit louder than more modern jets . As for back in the 1960s well I would buy his house for the sounds !!

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Member for

15 years 9 months

Posts: 652

I know what you mean..they've moved there since the airport and in noisier times. INn this case, I would have thought most of the One-Elevens and 727's etc. were gone by 2004?

Member for

16 years

Posts: 1,059

These people annoy me.

There seems, in Kent, to be a whole army of wealthy upper-middle-class people who will go to any length to preserve their wonderful, privileged lifestyle and to hell with anyone else.

I live in Tonbridge and can promise you that overflying aircraft are no problem. As has been stated, modern jets are so quiet that it is very difficult to notice their presence at all unless, of course, you have nothing else to do but search around for things to complain about...

Besides that, it has to be remembered that Gatwick does a fantastic job of getting the honest working man and his family off to two-week break that they've probably scrimped and saved for all year, an experience the gilded protesters have probably never met.

Another example: in Tonbridge, a special-needs school - which appears to do a fantastic job helping its needy clientele - has been given permission to expand into a green field on the outskirts of the town and, what are the wealthy locals bothered about? You guessed it - their field.

So, all power to the special-needs children, their families, and the aircraft that overfly the area. As a matter of principle, long may it continue!

Member for

14 years

Posts: 4,996

I remember many years ago, a chap who worked at Southend airport moved close to the end of runway 024 (the railway end).
Then started a campaign group to complain about the noise.

Member for

15 years 10 months

Posts: 686

It would appear there are plant pots all over the country, local airfield is RAF Woodvale, just training aircraft there and little or no night flying, but until recently the local police helicopter was also based there, at the time one newly arrived oik was complaining bitterly that the police helicopter was breaking the rules by operating at night.

Didn't occur to this total twerp that just possibly the criminal fratenity also like to operate at night.

Member for

12 years 3 months

Posts: 299

Not aviation related, but we had a lady bought an apartment opposite a fire station that has been there since 1907 and complained about the noise of sirens, to make matters worse the council asked would it be possible to only use the sirens in an emergency !!!!!

Member for

16 years

Posts: 1,059

Mr Argonaut, I have some sympathy with the woman.

We have a constant problem with siren noise in this village and it is a dreadful nuisance.

Member for

12 years 3 months

Posts: 299

Then Mr.Totty I hope you try hard not to need a Fire Engine or Ambulance. However back to the original point, if you don't like aircraft noise don't buy a house on the approach to an existing airport.

Member for

12 years 3 months

Posts: 98

They should be glad they don't live in rural NZ, because when the Vollys turn out, *everyone* knows about it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDssA_C4B58&t=1m37s

(seriously, turn the volume on your speakers down or you'll terrify the cat)

A terrifying, haunting sound in the middle of the night when you're a wee fella!

ETA: apologies for thread drift, but these people are all over the world and have been for years. "Really, sir? You bought the farm downwind of the piggery, and now you want to complain about the smell?"

Member for

16 years

Posts: 1,059

Then Mr.Totty I hope you try hard not to need a Fire Engine or Ambulance. However back to the original point, if you don't like aircraft noise don't buy a house on the approach to an existing airport.

It's a certain organisation that uses the road through our village as a racetrack that is the problem - not fire engines or ambulances.

Around 1991 I took the CAA ATP exams at Gatwick which were over a period of a few days so I had to find accommodation near the airport. I stayed in a house which belonged to a retired pilot right next to the airport. What amazed me was how quiet it was after 8pm in the evening. (By 1991 stage 3 was already in force at Gatwick in the evenings). When living in Tamworth, far away from any airport I was kept awake one night by a police helicopter flying around at 500 feet agl obviously tracking suspects, albeit once only. From 2008 until the end of 2013 I lived 2 miles from the threshold of the runway in Libreville, Gabon. There are no noise restrictions there and the airplanes pass over at 600 feet, including noisy planes such as IL-76. I never had a problem with airplane noise however. Motor vehicle traffic noise is much more disturbing if you live close to a motorway or have delinquents racing up and down your road.

Member for

16 years

Posts: 1,059

I wish an IL-76, or any other old jet airliner with screaming turbofans, would pass over my house.

I used to hear the 1700 (...ish) Concorde flight come in over London from my office window and, what a tremendous noise that made: not a dreadful racket, but just a fantastic noise. It could be heard well before it could be seen. I also heard Air Force One going over the same part of South London once and, being an old B747-200, it made a right racket.

The aforementioned Gatwick protesters ought to count themselves lucky that modern aircraft are so much quieter. As I said before, I suspect they are just NIMBY members who think the world ought to arrange itself around them because they happen to be wealthy.

Here is one of the IL-76s Mr Totty, taken with no zoom...(earplugs necessary however)

http://i39.servimg.com/u/f39/17/29/29/41/img_0117.jpg

Member for

16 years

Posts: 1,059

Thank you very much Mr 27vet - a splendid aircraft.

Right now, looking out of my office window, I can see at Virgin B747-400 approaching Heathrow (which is cool enough, because the 747-400 will have practically disappeared in about five years) but how much better would it be if any of the old Soviet airliners screamed over?

As much as I admire the B787/A350 et al, having literally every single airliner a clean-looking twin gets a little predictable sometimes.

Member for

14 years 1 month

Posts: 2,163

Aircraft noise is largely* a solved problem... its just a matter of the fleet catching up with what the airframers can do now.

*While it won't decrease below background noise when situated near the runway for a few generations of aircraft yet, aircraft are now at the point where it will affect very few on the ascent/approach path. If they have an issue with the noise... then move.

Member for

16 years

Posts: 1,059

If they have an issue with the noise... then move.

Hear, hear.

Member for

20 years 8 months

Posts: 8,505

I remember many years ago, a chap who worked at Southend airport moved close to the end of runway 024 (the railway end).
Then started a campaign group to complain about the noise.
I wouldn't be surprised to find the railway is noisier than the aircraft. Like the sensible decision not to buy a house near a farm if you don't like the smell of manure it is sensible not to buy a house near an active airfield if you don't like aircraft noise.
How I agree with Amiga500. 1) If you don't like the noise don't buy a house in the area in the first place. 2) If you are fool enough to do so don't expect any sympathy when you complain about the noise.