For most communities, the answer is most likely no. Otherwise no one
would be able to mow their lawn as a lawn mower is listed at something
like ... 40 db or more.. No many low flying aircraft exceed the sound
of a lawn mower, unless they have a two blade prop, a big engine and
are just departing the active..

The 10 db is probably at a specified distance, similar to what a
neighbor would experience. Say 300 feet? While a lawnmower would in
time deafen its rider (I wear earmuffs), the noise level drops off
pretty fast. The same is true of chainsaws.

Because an aircraft overhead is often a direct line to the hearer,
with much less stuff to soak up the sound, it's apt to be very loud at
500 or even 1000 feet. I live under the traffic pattern of a
"tradeport" so I hear a lot of airplane noise, mostly heavy jets.

This is a university town, and therefore a loud-party town. The
residents often complain about student parties with the loud-hailers
going in the night, and the police department has a noise-meter
(whatever) which it will loan out to folks trying to make a case. Very
rarely do they succeed. I'll ask for more information about this if
anyone is interested.


all the best -- Dan Ford
email: www.danford.net/letters.htm#9

see the Warbird's Forum at http://www.danford.net/index.htm
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