These findings come from peer-reviewed epidemiological studies conducted near airports across Europe and North America — not models or projections.
Residents in areas with frequent aircraft noise above 65 dBA show a 34% increased risk of hypertension compared to quieter neighborhoods. The effect persists after controlling for socioeconomic factors.
HYENA Study — Jarup et al. (2008), Environmental Health Perspectives 116(3):329–333Children attending schools near major airports score significantly lower on reading comprehension and memory tests. The effect scales with noise level and is not explained by traffic noise or socioeconomic status.
RANCH Study — Stansfeld et al. (2005), The Lancet 365(9475):1942–1949WHO recommends aircraft noise below 45 dBA Lnight to prevent sleep disturbance. Exposures above this level are associated with measurable increases in cardiovascular mortality.
WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region (2018)Each dot represents one inter-event interval from the most recent session. Cortisol — the primary stress hormone — requires at least 15 minutes to return to baseline after a noise event above 65 dBA.
Grouped by aircraft type and flight phase. Operator information is excluded from this view and is available in the full data download. Sharpness reflects high-frequency spectral content — higher values indicate more piercing, anxiety-inducing noise (DIN 45692).
| Aircraft type | Phase | Avg alt (ft) | Avg slant (mi) | Peak dBA | Avg loudness | Avg sharpness | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading aircraft data... | |||||||
Aircraft events by hour of day across all monitored sessions. Red bars indicate night hours (10pm–6am), where WHO guidelines are strictest and health impacts of sleep disruption are most severe.