Resident annoyance response to aircraft noise events

A study of the annoyance response of airport community residents to the noise of aircraft takeoff and landing operations was conducted in Salt Lake City, Utah in the fall of 1980. The objective of the study was to develop a single-event, dose-response relationship for aircraft noise and determine the dependence of the relationship on variables such as aircraft type, time of day, and ambient noise level. The test at each home involved measuring indoor and outdoor noise for each flyover while simultaneously obtaining annoyance reactions from the residents. These tests were conducted at three different times of the day (morning, afternoon, and evening) to provide information on time-of-day weightings for noise metrics. A total of 101 residents (61 male and 40 female) completed the tests. Outdoor measured A-weighted sound pressure level of the aircraft noise provided the single most accurate prediction of resident annoyance. However, increased accuracy was found by accounting for outdoor ambient noise and house attenuation. Annoyance response prediction was independent of aircraft type. Finally, time-of-day weightings derived from the results of the study, were smaller (≈6 dB) and shifted to the evening period as compared to the standard 10-dB nightime penalty.