Aircraft noise and vibration

Assessing aircrew noise exposures in flight

An EC135 police helicopter
ISVR Consulting has extensive expertise in the measurement, mathematical modelling and engineering noise control of flow-induced noise from aircraft wings and landing gears. We also advise on the prediction and control of noise and vibration in aircraft, including interior trim design.
We helped prepare the CAA specifications for passenger public address systems in aircraft and we have assisted aviation companies with the design of aircraft PA Systems and the intelligibility testing of PA systems in aeroplanes and helicopters.
We have measured and assessed crew noise exposures in civil aircraft for three airlines, in light aircraft used for pilot training, and in helicopters used by police air support units. Crew noise exposures are the result not only of ambient noise in the cockpit, but also noise of speech from the intercom and radio heard through headsets or flying helmets, with or without active noise reduction.
Other projects undertaken by ISVR Consulting include the design of entertainment systems for VIP aircraft and a number of unusual applied research projects on the general topic of aircraft internal noise and communications.
Further information
- M C Lower and M Bagshaw, 1996; Noise levels
and communications on the flight deck. 349 - 352, Proceedings of Internoise 96
(Dr Bagshaw was Head of Occupational and Aviation Medicine at British Airways at this time)
- M Bagshaw and M C Lower, 1998;
Hearing loss in flight crew of a major international
airline - the cause and solution. Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine, 69(3), 215. (Not available online)
- M Bagshaw and M C Lower, 2002; Hearing loss on the flight deck - origin and remedy The Aeronautical Journal, 106(1059), 277-289. (Abstract available to all, full paper available to registered visitors to the publisher’s website.)
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