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A.O.P.A. NOISE AWARENESS STEPS
- If practical, avoid overflying noise-sensitive areas. Make every effort
to fly at or above 2,000 feet AGL over such areas when overflight cannot
be avoided.
- Consider using a reduced power setting if flight must be low because of
cloud cover or overlying controlled airspace or when approaching the
airport of destination. Propellers generate more noise than engines;
flying with a lower RPM setting will reduce aircraft noise substantially.
- Perform stalls, spins, and other practice maneuvers over uninhabited
terrain.
- Familiarize yourself and comply with each airport’s noise abatement
procedures.
- Use PAPI/VASI whenever available. This will indicate a safe glidepath and
allow a smooth, quite descent to the runway.
- Retract the landing gear either as soon as a landing straight ahead on the
runway can no longer be accomplished or as soon as the aircraft achieves a
positive rate of climb. If practical, maintain best-angle-of-climb airspeed
until reaching 500' or an altitude that provides clearance from terrain or
obstacles. Then accelerate to best-rate-of-climb airspeed. If consistent with
safety, make the first power reduction at 500 feet.
- Fly a tight landing pattern to keep noise as close in to the airport as
possible. Practice descent to the runway at low power settings and with as few
power changes as possible.
- If possible, do not adjust the propeller control for flat pitch on the
downwind leg. Instead, wait until short final. This practice no only provides
a quieter approach, but it also reduces stress on the engine and propeller
governor.
- Avoid low-level, high-powered approaches, which not only create high noise
impacts, but also limit options in the event of engine failure.
NOTE: These are general recommendations; some may not be advisable for every
aircraft in every situation. No noise reduction procedures should be allowed to
compromise flight safety.
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