THE VARIATION OF NOISE FOOTPRINT WITH PROPELLER CHARACTERISTICS

The potential for reducing the noise footprint area of general aviation aircraft through propeller and engine modifications while maintaining good aircraft performance is investigated. The analysis considers propeller changes on representative single and twin engine designs and the use of geared engines on the twin design. A reduced diameter, four-bladed propeller was attractive for both designs, and the potential exists for reducing footprint area by an order of magnitude for the geared engine twin.