NTL Record

Title Acoustic flight test of the Piper Lance
Record ID 47913
Personal Name
Creator
Jones, K. E.
Source 106p. in various pagings
Corporate Creator United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. Office of Environment and Energy
Corporate
Contributor
John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.). Acoustics Facility
Publisher United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. Office of Environment and Energy
Publication Date 19861200
Language English
Abstract Research is being conducted to refine current noise regulation of propeller-driven small airplanes. Studies are examining the prospect of a substituting a takeoff procedure of equal stringency for the level flyover certification test presently required. It was initially assumed that equivalency could be established between the takeoff and level flyover procedures via adjustment equations involving propeller helical-tip Mach number and noise propagation distance to account for differences in airspeed and altitude repsectively. However, as test results became available, it was found that the propeller helical-tip Mach number adjustment equation did not adequately account for the measured noise level differences between the takeoff and level flyover procedures. After applying the adjustment equations, the takeoff noise levels were 3 to 4 decibels higher than the level flyover noise levels. The effect is believed to result form unsteady propeller blade loading when the aircraft is in a pitch-up position during a takeoff/climbout as opposted to level flight. The test aircraft was a Piper Cherokee Lance (PA-32R-300) equipped with a two-blade constant speed propeller. The objective required a series of flights ranging from level flyover to a takeoff/climbout performed Vx (speed for best angle climb). Noise level versus propeller inflow angle was addressed by a series-to-series variation of aircraft speed at constant power and RPM. Since airspeed is a component of the helical tip Mach number (Mb), and given the generally strong influence of M on noise levels, additional series of overflights were necessary to empirically relate M to the noise level actually produced by the Lance. The M issue was addressed through a series-to-series variation of propeller RPM at constant power and airspeed.
Rosap ID dot:10024
Rosap URL https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/10024
TRT Terms Aircraft noise; Small aircraft; Propeller blades; Cavitation noise; Airspeed; Takeoff; Flight tests
General Subjects Acoustic measurement; Propeller blades; Propeller noise; Overflights
Classification AGR - IMPACTS - Environment;
NTL - AVIATION - Aviation Energy and Environment;
NTL - ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT - Aviation Energy and Environment
Geographical
Coverage
United States
TRIS Online
Accession No
1496730
Report Number DOT/FAA/EE-86/9
Availability Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, Technical Reference Center
Resource type Tech Report
URL https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/47000/47900/47913/Piper_Lance.pdf
Format PDF
Database NTL Digital Repository