Modelling as a Means to Assess Noise Impact

The Department of Transportation (DOT)/Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has developed a valuable noise-simulation computer-based tool for describing and defining the impact of aircraft noise around an airport. This tool, the Integrated Noise Model (INM), became available to the public in 1977, and is useful in assessing actual or predicted airport noise impacts. The INM takes into account all pertinent impact parameters including types and numbers of aircraft operating at the airport, flight tracks, operating procedures, and time of day of aircraft operations.

This paper will familiarize the reader with the capabilities and characteristics of the INM.