Noise monitoring report:

A380 v 747–400
Noise monitoring report: A380 v 747-400

The Airbus A380 operating from Sydney Airport is more than six decibels quieter on
departure than Boeing’s 747-400, noise monitoring data shows.

Noise recordings of the world’s first commercially operating A380 from Airservices
Australia’s Noise and Flight Path Monitoring System* show the Airbus is on average
between 2.3 and 6.7 decibels quieter than the 747-400 when departing Sydney.

At noise monitors about 1.7 kilometres north of Sydney Airport, the A380 was
between 4.4 and 6.7 decibels quieter than the 747-400 on departure, the recordings
show. About five kilometres to the north, the Airbus was between 3.9 and 5.5 decibels
quieter.

On arrival, the A380 is between 2.1 and 3.7 decibels quieter than the 747-400.

``Sydney was the first destination for a commercially-operating A380 flight and I felt
it was important to get a picture of the noise impact,’’ Airservices Chief Executive
Officer Greg Russell said.

The noise levels were recorded by Airservices Australia between 25 October 2007
and 15 June 2008. They are the most comprehensive noise monitoring figures yet
recorded for an Airbus A380 operated by an airline.

A three decibel reduction is regarded as a halving of an aircraft’s noise energy.

A table comparing the A380 and the 747-400 and a map showing the location of
Airservices’ noise monitors is attached.

Further information: Airservices Australia (02) 6257 2828

*The NFPMS is the world's largest, most geographically-spread system of its type.
The complete system is operated or controlled from either Airservices' Operations
Building at Sydney Airport or its Canberra Head Office.

Around each of the airports is a number of noise monitoring terminals (NMTs). The
NMT consists of a microphone atop a 6m mast and an electronics box.

The noise level to which the microphone is exposed over the range of 30 to 130
dB(A) is continuously measured and transmitted via a data line to the NFPMS central
computer where it is processed and stored for later analysis.
Movements and correlated noise events of Airbus 380 and B747-400
operations for the period 25 October 07 to 15 June 08 at Sydney
Airport

Table 1: Airbus 380 movements and noise parameters recorded at various NMTs
in Sydney during the period 25 October 2007 to 15 June 2008.

Location Operation Runway Movements Correlated Average

Noise LAmax
Events dB(A)*
NMT 1 D 16R 125 106 90.8
NMT 1 A 34L 115 73 87.2
NMT 6 D 34L 101 100 87.7
NMT 6 A 16R 112 108 93.9
NMT 7 D 34L 101 46 81.7
NMT 7 A 16R 112 107 84.4
NMT 12 D 34L 101 12 71.5
NMT 13 D 34L 101 55 73.6
NMT 15 D 34L 101 38 76.7

Table 2: Boeing 747-400 movements and noise parameters recorded at various

NMTs in Sydney during the period 25 October 2007 to 15 June 2008.

Location Operation Runway Movements Correlated Average

Noise LAmax
Events dB(A)
NMT 1 D 16R 3148 2682 94.6
NMT 1 A 34L 2485 1492 90.9
NMT 6 D 34L 2128 1917 92.1
NMT 6 A 16R 2425 2374 96.5
NMT 7 D 34L 2128 1027 85.6
NMT 7 A 16R 2425 2348 86.5
NMT 12 D 34L 2128 450 77.0
NMT 13 D 34L 2128 900 80.3
NMT 15 D 34L 2128 554 79.0
Locations of NMTs around Sydney Airport.