Increase in Flights From Airport and Effects on Public
The articles on John Wayne Airport (Dec. 17 and Dec. 19) may create unnecessary confusion about jet aircraft noise.
They refer 10 times to jet aircraft as quiet, somewhat quieter, quieter, quietest, or ultra-quiet, but only five times do the articles refer to jet aircraft as noisy, noisier, or noisiest.
Jet aircraft are not quiet. Quiet means not noisy, silent, hushed, or the absence of noise. Some jet aircraft are less noisy than others--but none are quiet. Both grammatically and conceptually the proper words for comparing jet noise levels are less noisy or noisier, not quieter or less quiet.
The “new technology quiet jets” referred to in The Times’ articles are not quiet or “ultra-quiet”. As The Times reported during the past year, the measured noise levels for these jets flying over Santa Ana Heights and Newport Beach are in the 70- to 90-decibel(A) range.
In a “quiet” residential area the background sound levels are in the 30- to 50-decibel(A) range. The noise levels from the jet aircraft departing the airport are 30 to 50 decibels greater than the residential neighborhood background sound levels.
These jet noises are not only clearly audible and dominant, they constitute severe noise intrusion, according to internationally recognized community noise-rating standards.
SAM LANE
Costa Mesa
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