How LOUD can a plane be?

Originally posted by matej

Originally posted by Shadowraven
The vulcan might have a higher exit velocity then what the B-1 but not the TU-160 because it has just a hell of alot of more thrust

Remember that the thrust alone does not mean nothing. An-225 has 6 x 229,5 kN engines what is some 309 280 lb of thrust. But the F-15C is compared to it clearly louder.

I'm a retired USAF Ammo troop who spent half his career delivering to the flightline.
I've been around all sorts of military aircraft, the F-15C is fairly loud but only for about 5 seconds at a time. The big cargo haulers at full power can be heard and felt for a much longer distance and time. I've been under the flight path of many an F4E, F-16C and F15C,D,E as they're taking off. You can barely hear them when they're at the opposite end of the runway. Even when they hit the afterburner for take off, you really won't feel them until they're about half way down the runway. When a C5A or B is at the opposite end of the runway, you can clearly hear it and feel it even at 3km distance. The F15 has a high shriek when compared to low roar of the C5. Once the C5 jockies hit the throttle, by golly you can feel the jet noise rumble 6-7 miles away. Which is why most of them are restricted to landing only at military bases in the US. Their turbulence wake is so big that other aircraft have to be at least 10 miles behind after it takes off. Noise is acoustic energy and the C5 and the ANT-225 have a lot more energy than anything but the space shuttle.

The only thing louder than a vulcan is 4 of them taking off in a scramble.

They would miles away after takeoff and the noise would still be shaking the base.

Originally posted by crgintx
I'm a retired USAF Ammo troop who spent half his career delivering to the flightline.
I've been around all sorts of military aircraft, the F-15C is fairly loud but only for about 5 seconds at a time. The big cargo haulers at full power can be heard and felt for a much longer distance and time. I've been under the flight path of many an F4E, F-16C and F15C,D,E as they're taking off. You can barely hear them when they're at the opposite end of the runway. Even when they hit the afterburner for take off, you really won't feel them until they're about half way down the runway. When a C5A or B is at the opposite end of the runway, you can clearly hear it and feel it even at 3km distance. The F15 has a high shriek when compared to low roar of the C5. Once the C5 jockies hit the throttle, by golly you can feel the jet noise rumble 6-7 miles away. Which is why most of them are restricted to landing only at military bases in the US. Their turbulence wake is so big that other aircraft have to be at least 10 miles behind after it takes off. Noise is acoustic energy and the C5 and the ANT-225 have a lot more energy than anything but the space shuttle.

Okay, I accept your opinion. But there are two different points of view caused by starting this discussion without any impartial criteria. You are explaining the word "loudest" as the longest distance, where you can hear the plane or the longest time during which you can hear it. I explain this word as the highest noise (dB), that is aircraft with its engines able to produce. Than we can have two planes:

1. First produces low frequency noise (some 300 Hz) that you can hear at 10 km distance, but its power is only some 100 dB.

2. Second produces high frequency noise (some 17 kHz) that has power of some 130 dB, but you can hear it only at 1 km distance.

So the question now is, which plane is louder? And thats the point. We do not established any impartial criteria at the beginnig of the discussion, so its all about feeling.

Originally posted by BigTrain

The funniest thing though, is that the loudest sound I have ever heard, is from a Top Fuel Dragster. Blows the B-1 out of the water.

Train

Absolute loudest for me was the F15 Mudhen on 2 missed approaches...by far the loudest aircraft I've ever heard!
BUT, as says BigTrain, a Top Fuel Dragster is UNbelievable!!!! These things shake your entire core of consciousness. It feels as if your atoms are being split apart..I highly suggest the experience to any and everybody!
Jets rock, no doubt about it...but not the loudest thing I have experienced yet!

-Peace, Mondo

English Electric Lightning with afterburneres - I remember my bones shaking as a kid. Recently the Eurofighter Typhoon was pretty loud.

SR-71 definately takes the cake for me, followed the yes, a C-17.

I had no earphones on at the time, standing pretty much at the edge of the runway and the C-17 was doing full reverse thrust, and the thing is, it lasted for 3 minutes.

Quietest plane for the size is easily the Boeing 717. It's whisper quiet, infact, some props are louder. If you ever get the change to fly on a 717, take it, even if it means paying some extra. They sound amazing, the ride quality is amazing, and the comfort level is amazing.


[edit on 5-12-2006 by PisTonZOR]

F-111's are very loud, especially on a low fast pass, as in this case. the organisers of a local car race last year asked for a flyover from an aussie airforce F-111 which came in errr...a little low. now that's loud.

I assume that you are sure about that this is the very poor photoshopped image.

Originally posted by matej
I assume that you are sure about that this is the very poor photoshopped image.

matej, I don't blame you for not thinking it's real. The photo was taken on October 23rd, 2005 at Gold Coast Indy Fever in Queensland, Australia. The F-111 is a little further away in the photo than it actually looks, as some professional photographers will tell you. The official aussie air force web site covered the event in the following link:

www.defence.gov.au...


[edit on 5-12-2006 by JamesinOz2]

The joint loudest I've heard is the B1B and Concorde. I nearly lost a filling the first time a saw a B1 take off!!

However has to be said that the kick from a Su22's burner is somewhat impressive. As anyone who's stood in the corner of the field at RAF Coltishall will testify. Actually as is a Tonka at that proximity.

JamesinOz2: Thank you for the additional info. Than it is the strangest photo that I ever saw.

What forced me to the conclusion that it is the fake was primarily the place under the left wing. If the F-111 is further, this object on stand or whatever it is should be under the fuselage, but it looks that it is behid it, further from photographer. Also the light is very strange. It seems from the gloss on people and building, that sunlight goes somewhere from right up corner. But then I am missig some additional gloss on the aircrafts fuselage, for example between the right wing and right horizontal tail surface. As I wrote, I never saw something similar before.

In my admittedly limited experience, I have to say that the Vulcan is far and away the loudest 'plane that I ever saw. The most remarkable, however, is the old F-104. The sound that they made was just scary, an unearthly howl that just goes right through you. Once heard - never forgotten!

Remember that the thrust alone does not mean nothing. An-225 has 6 x 229,5 kN engines what is some 309 280 lb of thrust. But the F-15C is compared to it clearly louder.

I was referring to the exit velocity which was higher.

In my experince it would have to be a C-5 doing emergency climbs at full throttle.

By this I mean when they are comming in for a landing and then have to gain altitude in an emergency situation.

Arcticnull

Originally posted by matej

Originally posted by crgintx
that other aircraft have to be at least 10 miles behind after it takes off. Noise is acoustic energy and the C5 and the ANT-225 have a lot more energy than anything but the space shuttle.

Okay, I accept your opinion. But there are two different points of view caused by starting this discussion without any impartial criteria. You are explaining the word "loudest" as the longest distance, where you can hear the plane or the longest time during which you can hear it. I explain this word as the highest noise (dB), that is aircraft with its engines able to produce. Than we can have two planes:

Usually, the frequencies of the sounds are weighted to produce the Effective Percieved Noise (in decibels) rating (EPNdB).

So both high and low frequency noise are accounted for in terms of both pure noise level (dB) and their irritation to humans.

If you want an impartial way of comparing aircraft, go for the EPNdB footprint of each aircraft at take-off. Although, I'm not sure where you will get data for that kind of stuff on fighter aircraft.

2 x F-15E making a fast low pass then pulling up overhead and dissapearing into the clouds.

ASTOUNDING!

Bit painful though but worth it. JIMC's experience on the first page sounds the best.

Originally posted by Snoogans
In my admittedly limited experience, I have to say that the Vulcan is far and away the loudest 'plane that I ever saw. The most remarkable, however, is the old F-104. The sound that they made was just scary, an unearthly howl that just goes right through you. Once heard - never forgotten!

Saw two CF-104's this past year or maybe 2 years ago at Toronto Airshow and Northbay. I must agree they sound like they really are screaming. So nice to still see them flying when so many have already been scrapped.

matej, JamesinOz2 is quite correct it is a real photo. And there is nothing unusual about the shot its just been taken with a really long wide angle telephoto lens. This causes the fore, mid and back ground to become compressed together. Go to any airshow and you will see heaps of guys walking around with these. There also often single and attend Star Trek conventions. (Just kidding, Im an old closet Trekkie myself!)

OHH.. and how loud can a plane be? As loud as it wants!!

[edit on 28-2-2007 by thebozeian]

[edit on 28-2-2007 by thebozeian]

Yeah, the aussie flyboys behind the wheels of the F-111s are a tad crazy. But they are all superb pilots
When they dump the fuel at night and the exhaust ignites it the 100 metre long flaming trail they leave is sure a sight to behold.

The loudest aircraft ever made is the Republic Aviation Combany XF-84H thunderstreek. Some info:

It was based off of the F-84 jet fighter
It was the first aircraft to carry a ram air turbine
It is prop powered
It holds the air speed record for prop powered aircraft
The tips of its prop traveled at Mach 1.18
It is uncomfortably audible 25 miles away.

Sorry I have to use wikipedia as a link, the other websites dont have as good articles on the aircraft.

en.wikipedia.org...