A large part of annoyance due to aircraft noise is influenced by non-acoustical factors like attitude towards the noise source, trust and perceived fairness (Guski, 1999). Most of these factors can best be impacted with honest, transparent and communication and information. Up to now, communication and information on aircraft noise issues are mostly too technical and complex to be understood by lay residents. Understandable and comprehensible information has to be designed in accordance with the needs and expectations of affected airport residents.

We conducted research at 13 case study airports, including in-depth interviews with noise stakeholders, to develop rich, contextual case studies about how airports were implementing noise abatement interventions.

The results of the analysis will help to inform the development of a best practice portal for airports. You can access here the key findings.

The ANIMA project will be present at the Aerospace Europe Conference (AEC2020), an event which will feature 3AF 3rd Greener Aviation, CEAS 7th Air & Space Conference and the 8th edition of Aircraft Noise and Emissions Reduction Symposium (ANERS). The core theme of AEC2020 is GREENER Aerospace.

The project will have a stand at the exhibition for the promotion of results and for enhancing user engagement, while a number of project partners will disseminate their research in the conference. Feel free to pass by the ANIMA project stand at the AEC2020 exhibition to know more about the project itself as well as about other EU-funded aviation noise research projects.

The communication manager of the ANIMA project, Marius Nicolescu, contributed with an article to the International Airport Review magazine, about the adverse community reactions to aviation noise. He highlighted the ANIMA tools for noise mitigation, including a best practice portal and a virtual community tool. A central component of the ANIMA project is looking at how non-acoustical factors can be taken into account when designing intervention methods for airport noise. With the understanding that there are methods outside of direct noise reduction that can mitigate some of the adverse effects of noise, the ANIMA project is looking at which factors are most crucial. One of the most important is enhanced communication and engagement with affected communities. The project looked at how communication should be underpinned by a fair ‘common language’ that is comprehensible for all; access to expertise and underlying data should be available to all; and decision-making processes should be inclusive, transparent and allow the validity of claims to be challenged. The full article was published in the International Airport Review magazine. Please click here to access it.