How loud is it on an airplane?
The noise during a typical plane journey can vary significantly. Take-off and landing are the loudest moments, when noise levels inside the cabin can reach 105 decibels (dB). At cruising altitudes, noise drops to around 85 dB, says Pamela Mason of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).
Car wash at 20 ft (89 dB); propeller plane flyover at 1000 ft (88 dB); diesel truck 40 mph at 50 ft (84 dB); diesel train at 45 mph at 100 ft (83 dB).
| Height | Descending | Climbing |
|---|---|---|
| Airbus A319 at 1,400ft 67.7 dBA | ||
| Airbus A319 at 1,400ft (with train noise included in clip for comparison) | ||
| 2000-3000 | Boeing B737-800 at 2,800ft 70.9 dBA | |
| 3000-4000 | Boeing B734 at 3,300ft 62.1 dBA | Boeing B737-800 at 3,700ft 70.8 dBA |
Researchers found that: "high speed turbulent flow over an aircraft fuselage is responsible for a substantial component of the interior noise, and is probably the most important source of cabin noise for jet powered passenger aircraft in steady cruise."
Seat closer to the front of the plane are slightly quieter than seats over the wing or in the back, depending on where the engines are located (on multi-engine planes, this under the wings). Finally, if you really want to avoid the sound of the drink cart and any in-aisle chatter, pick a window seat.
Various studies cited in the studies indicate that sitting in front the wings and engines is the quietest place in flight, with behind the wing and engines being the loudest.
How loud is a gunshot? Decibel levels for firearms average between 140 and 165 dB.
Human screams can be quite loud, possibly exceeding 100 dB (as of March 2019, the world record is 129 dB!) —but you probably want to avoid that because screams that loud can hurt your ears!
According to the Wall Street Journal, the toilet is essentially the loudest part of the flying experience, reporting that crew announcements typically come in between 92 and 95 decibels. In comparison, toilet flushes hit 100 decibels - along with forceful overhead bin door slams.
So, in terms of an aircraft, sound barriers keep any sound made within a cabin contained, while outside noise is drastically reduced for those inside the cabin. Sound barriers are typically made from dense, heavy materials and are always found within the walls of a plane.
Is plane too loud for baby?
Also, airplane cabin noise levels are loud, especially during takeoff. Consider using cotton balls, noise-canceling headphones or small earplugs to limit your baby's exposure to this noise. This may help make it easier for your baby to sleep. Your baby's breathing.
“We monitor the noise levels of all aircraft, and the new 737-8200 averages 70 decibels during take-off, which is over three decibels lower than the 737-800 aircraft they also use,” noted Duncan Smith, manager of Stansted's Flight Evaluation United.
The mean sound levels across all flight phases and aircraft groups were found to range from 37.6 dB(A) to greater than 110 dB(A), with a median value of 83.5 dB(A).
References
- https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20140226-tricks-for-a-peaceful-flight
- https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/science-with-a-smartphone-decibel-meter/
- https://tohear.com/shooting-for-safe-hearing/
- https://simpleflying.com/aircraft-toilets-loud/
- https://www.duracote.com/blog/sound-barriers-vs-sound-absorption/
- https://scottscheapflights.com/guides/how-to-get-the-best-seat-on-a-plane
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/expert-answers/air-travel-with-infant/faq-20058539
- https://thepointsguy.com/news/quietest-aircraft-in-the-sky/
- https://simpleflying.com/ryanair-quiet-boeing-737-max-stanted/
- https://www.nats.aero/environment/noise-and-emissions/measuring-noise/
- https://www.afr.com/life-and-luxury/travel/how-to-get-the-quietest-seat-on-a-plane-20191017-p531h2
- https://www.chem.purdue.edu/chemsafety/Training/PPETrain/dblevels.htm
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9074885/