Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
parallel with a computerized noise-monitoring system can provide very useful data
to explore the relationship between aircraft noise and community annoyance.
Aggregate data on complaints per 1000 air movements at Pearson International
Airport indicated that complaint activity increases with increased flights (Gillen and
Levesque, 1994).
Studies carried out at Manchester Airport (Hume et al, 2001a, 2001b, 2001c),
combining airport data on complaints with noise monitoring, found that:
•
As expected, the louder the noise the more complaints were generated, with twice
the complaints at 100L
max
decibel noise unit (dB(A)) compared with 65L
max
dB(A) (outdoor).
•
Media interest, such as that generated by proposed airport developments, corre-
lates with an increased level of complaints.
•
Clear weekly and monthly patterns of complaint exist when the variation in flight
densities is controlled for by calculating the complaints per 1000 flights (giving
a reflection of sensitivity).
•
There is a striking circadian pattern in the tendency to complain, with twice the
tendency to complain between 23.00 pm and 07.00 am, and with the most sensi-
tive time being between 24.00 pm and 01.00 am and the lowest between 14.00
pm and 15.00 pm.
•
Most people complained a few times, while a few individuals, termed serial com-
plainers, accounted for a considerable proportion of the complaints.
Sleep disturbance
Sleep disturbance is a common health issue in aviation. It is one of the main problems
associated with jet lag in long-haul passengers and aircrew. Major airports operate
over 24 hours, which requires night shifts with attendant sleep disturbance. Sleep
disturbance is one of the main causes of complaint from communities living close to
major airports who are subjected to aircraft noise at night.
A good night's sleep, in terms of adequate duration, depth and continuity, is a
prerequisite for human health and well-being. It is a common experience that loud
noise, such as over-flying aircraft, can disturb sleep. This is the basis of the recent judge-
ment of the European Court of Human Rights (subsequently appealed against by the
UK government) indicating that residents around Heathrow had a human right to a
good night's sleep (Strasbourg, 2001).
Sleep disturbance due to aircraft noise is possibly the greatest cause of annoyance
for residents near airports. This is not too surprising because insomnia, due to what-
ever cause, is a notable source of human misery. Studies have shown that noise causes
a reduction in total sleep time and the pattern of sleep stages during the night. Vallet
et al (1980) found that noisy conditions reduce sleep time and provoke brief EEG
(electroencephalography - recordings of the electrical activity of the brain) arousal dur-
ing all of the sleep stages. These findings are supported by the research of Wilkinson
(1984) and Griefahn and Muzet (1978), who concluded that noise at night can lead
to reduction of deep (slow-wave) sleep and possibly total sleep time.
It has been clearly established (Morrell et al, 1997) that high levels of aircraft
noise are associated with sleep problems including:
