Reduce noise and keep your community happy
by Greg Hahn, Technical Director
The greatest threat to losing existing flying fields in the past 20 years is, of course, the noise or volume that we generate when flying our model aircraft. The second greatest threat is the proliferation of soccer, but we'll deal with that later.
Dealing with clubs' sound problems is roughly 25% of my job. This includes talking with club officers or the field's neighbors about ways to control, eliminate, or soften the impact of the noise.
I'm often chastised for not having an absolute set of rules or regulations pertaining to sound; the AMA is criticized for the same. Sound is regulated throughout the U.S. by the zoning ordinances of municipalities, cities, and towns. Each town or city can set its own sound limits, which leads to inconsistencies in limit numbers and how those limits are enforced.
If the AMA were to publish a single number as a guideline or rule, problems would arise. Clubs might assume the AMA guideline is the legal limit and act accordingly, only to discover that local limits are different.
Another problem with setting a single guideline is the difficulty of putting a number on perception. How a model sounds in the air is completely different from how it sounds on the ground. Many factors work together to create the sound you hear, including:
- propeller
- engine
- carburetor
- muffler
- airframe
- and other components or conditions
The AMA has a helpful document on understanding these issues and how to cope with them and local authorities: http://www.modelaircraft.org/files/927.pdf.
To be as helpful as possible, I always steer clubs to their local authorities to determine the decibel level that is allowed to cross the organization's property line. That level can usually be found in local zoning ordinances. Clubs should locate the boundaries of their flying sites and, as a reference, set up a simple decibel meter (for example, a Radio Shack unit) at the property line and take some readings.
This testing should be done several times, with several models, and under different atmospheric conditions. Sound can change depending on humidity, cloud cover, sun, and other factors.
Knowing whether a club is operating within the noise limits can give it a leg up in a dispute. But when it comes to politics, residents will most often win out over modelers, so maintaining good relations with neighbors and local officials can be invaluable when the going gets tough.
If your club does the testing and finds it has a problem, don't wait until the authorities contact you. Address the issues and get them under control now. Often, by the time law enforcement shows up, it's too late. It's always best to be proactive rather than reactive.
Steps clubs should take
- Check local zoning ordinances for allowable decibel levels at the property line.
- Locate and mark the boundaries of your flying site.
- Use a decibel meter at the property line to take reference readings.
- Test multiple models, multiple times, and under different atmospheric conditions.
- If readings exceed limits, take corrective action and communicate proactively with neighbors and authorities.
- Keep records of measurements and actions taken to support your club if a dispute arises.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
