Flying Eurofighter noise mapped by Brüel & Kjær

Airbus Defence and Space and Brüel & Kjær have successfully completed noise measurements on the Eurofighter jet, to calculate its on-ground noise exposure under different thrust and flight configurations.

The noise measurements were made by repeatedly flying the jet over a Brüel & Kjær data acquisition system collecting data from a 29m diameter array of microphones laid out on the ground.

The researchers from the joint project will now use the data to build a complex software model of the fighter jet's acoustic emissions.

As Christian Waizmann, the Flight Test Conductor and Airbus Defence and Space Project Leader for the Eurofighter noise measurement campaign explains: “The analysis of the Eurofighter noise data by Brüel & Kjær supports the validation of the aircraft sound model, which could be used to optimize take-off and landing procedures to further minimize noise disturbance.”

The purpose of this sound model is to plan take-off and landing flight paths that generate minimal acoustic disturbance for the local communities around airports used by the Eurofighter.

For a wide variety of flight configurations and operating conditions, the sound model will support accurate estimation of the noise radiated in all directions. This will enable Airbus Defence and Space to design low-noise flight paths, where the jet emits noise away from populated areas.

During the tests at Neuburg Air Base in Germany, Brüel & Kjær's personnel contributed with specialist knowledge, data acquisition equipment and software.

Christian Waizmann says: “With their broad international scope and cutting edge technology offering integrated solutions in the demanding technological field of noise measurement, Brüel & Kjær is an excellent partner for Airbus Defence and Space. Due to the professional collaboration at every stage of the Eurofighter noise measurement campaign, it was possible to successfully gain data from the fly-overs in the most efficient way that is possible nowadays.”