Community impacts of aviation noise: a pilot survey

Abstract

Background: Aviation noise policy in the United States is decades old and has not kept up with the science on the adverse effects of chronic noise exposure. New aviation noise policies are needed for the 21^st century, respecting the lived experience of affected communities. Existing surveys have reported adverse impacts from aviation noise but more information is needed to understand the factors that contribute to those impacts.

Objective: To evaluate the impacts of current aircraft noise exposure on impacted communities and their determinants.

Methods: A 10-question online community pilot survey was distributed in May 2022 to an email list of groups and individuals in aviation-impacted communities. The survey was open for two weeks. Information on geographic location, frequency of exposure, and type of aircraft exposure were collected. Seven questions focused on the type and magnitude of health impacts, perceptions, and concerns.

Results: A total of 1452 surveys were completed within the 2-week period. Respondents report experiencing loud, repetitive, low-altitude aircraft noise - day and night - causing stress and negative effects on mental and physical health. For many, "annoyance" did not adequately describe their experience. Strong, consistent exposure-response patterns for weekly flight frequency (<100 to >1000 flights) were found for most health impacts, perceptions, and concerns. The likelihood of adverse impacts and heightened perceptions and concerns was greatest in respondents exposed mainly to military aircraft.

Significance: Current aviation noise policy is based on annoyance, and relies on a metric that exceeds safe levels and does not meaningfully convey community impact. Aviation-impacted communities are experiencing mental and physical health impacts that extend beyond annoyance. The magnitude of impact is influenced by flight frequency and aircraft type. Aviation noise policy should be updated to account for those factors and focus on reducing public health impacts and their human and economic costs.

Impact statement: Aviation noise policy in the United States is decades old and is based solely on the concept of annoyance without sufficient regard to the harms caused to health and well-being of people living in aviation-impacted communities. Efforts to amend the policy must be informed by the scientific evidence on the adverse effects of noise and health and by metrics that properly represent the lived experiences of communities. The results of this pilot survey highlight the importance of incorporating these aspects into policy for preventing and mitigating harms caused by aviation noise, especially as the industry grows.

Keywords: Aircraft; Aviation; Health impacts; Noise; Policy; Survey.