Case Study

Noise Impact from Low Level Military Flying

About This Project

The Canadian Forces Base at Goose Bay, Newfoundland, is currently used by Canada as a training centre for low level military flying. Approximately 6,000 training flights per year were being conducted within a 100,000 km2 designated area and 90 percent of these flights were between 30 and 150 metres above ground level. In 1987, the Canadian Department of National Defence proposed that the annual number of training flights be gradually increased to a maximum of 18,000 with an increased percentage of night flights. Originally, there was also a proposal to establish a NATO Tactical Fighter Centre which would support large scale military exercises an training in Air Combat Maneuvering. Both of these activities would result in the occurrence of sonic booms. However, in the early 1990′s NATO decided that the Tactical Fighter Centre would not be required and that component of the project was dropped.

BKL was responsible for the prediction and assessment of noise impact from increased low level training. Prediction of noise from low level flying was particularly challenging since flight paths and altitudes are virtually unrestricted within the large low level flying areas. Historic records of flight tracks were available on a Geographic Information System and this information, together with known or estimated probability distributions for aircraft altitudes and speeds plus known noise emissions from the various aircraft types, permitted us to model and predict the probabilities of aircraft noise events of various noise levels occurring within any particular area.

For low level military overflights, the onset rate of the noise can be high enough to cause a “startle reaction” in humans and animals. Although the designated flying areas contained no permanent human settlements, the areas were used frequently by the Innu Nation for various purposes and wildlife was abundant. Hence, startle was a major concern. Therefore, a correction factor was applied to the predicted noise levels of those overflights with high onset rates in an attempt to account for the increased disturbance.

A detailed literature review was performed. The potential noise effects within the low level flying areas were quite different from the potential noise effects on the residents of Goose Bay so they were assessed independently. In order to adequately assess the potential effects of noise on residences, schools and hospitals adjacent to the air base, Noise Exposure Forecast (NEF) contours were produced. Aircraft noise was also assessed in terms of single events; for example, a single aircraft departure or the ground run-ups typically performed by fighter aircraft immediately prior to take-off.

Public hearings were held by the Federal Government after completion of the Environmental Impact Statement and the many associated Technical Reports. BKL represented the Department of National Defence throughout these hearings on matters pertaining to aircraft noise and its potential effects. Ultimately, the project was approved subject to implementation of measures that had been proposed to mitigate noise and other adverse impacts.

The People Behind Our Work

Our Technical Leads
Our Team

Mark Bliss

P.Eng., INCE

President

Mark Bliss, P.Eng., INCE

President

Mark Bliss is a professional engineer and member of the Institute of Noise Control Engineering (INCE), with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of British Columbia. He has practiced as an acoustical consultant since 2003.

Mark specializes in environmental noise and vibration assessment, with extensive experience evaluating transportation, industrial, construction, entertainment, commercial and other noise impacts. He has worked with all levels of government on noise policy and planning, and has appeared as an expert witness before the British Columbia Supreme Court and at municipal council hearings.

His work includes field measurement, noise modelling, mitigation assessment and detailed reporting, using national and international standards and specialized software such as Cadna/A. He has prepared Environmental Assessment Certificate applications to BCEAA, CEAA and IFC requirements, and has conducted third-party reviews and training in noise and vibration measurement and assessment.

Mark also has extensive experience in building acoustics, working on new construction and renovations to address environmental and mechanical noise, improve speech intelligibility and room acoustics, and achieve effective airborne and impact sound isolation. His work draws on CSA, ISO, ASTM, ANSI, WHO, Health Canada and other recognized standards and guidelines.
Gary Mak

P.Eng., PMP

Technical Director, Environmental Noise and Vibration

Gary Mak, P.Eng., PMP

Technical Director, Environmental Noise and Vibration

Gary Mak graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and joined BKL the same year. Gary has since worked in the areas of environmental noise assessments, mechanical/industrial noise control, and architectural acoustics.

Gary’s experience in architectural acoustics includes hospitals, educational facilities, performance spaces, offices, and operations buildings. His contributions to these projects include reviewing project acoustical requirements and building designs for partition sound isolation, room acoustics, mechanical noise control, and environmental noise control. For performance venues, Gary has experience working with more advanced techniques and parameters to assess and improve acoustical conditions for performers and audiences.

Performing noise and vibration impact assessments for transportation, construction, industrial, and commercial projects, Gary has established baseline noise conditions, predicted future noise environments, rated noise impacts, and determined mitigation measures to meet project criteria. In particular, he has worked on mines, terminals, rail, transit centres, district energy centres, and other industrial and transportation projects.

Gary is proficient in performing noise and vibration measurements with a variety of specialized equipment for investigations, bylaw assessments, room acoustics, and Sound Transmission Class (STC), and Impact Insulation Class (IIC) testing. He is also very familiar with using acoustical software including Cadna/A, Samurai, Insul, EASERA, and ODEON for impact analysis and design.
Brigette Martin

P.Eng., WELL AP

Technical Director, Sound and Vibration Measurements

Brigette Martin, P.Eng., WELL AP

Technical Director, Sound and Vibration Measurements

Brigette Martin graduated from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 2009. Before joining BKL in 2015, Brigette worked as an acoustic consultant on various building and environmental projects throughout New Zealand and Australia.

Brigette has extensive experience with environmental noise including assessing noise impacts and designing noise mitigation for gas compressor and pump stations, power generation sites, port terminals, and transformers sites; modelling construction noise, and developing construction noise abatement and management plans; designing noise controls and preparing noise management plans for mines and quarries; and monitoring benchmark noise, developing 3-D noise models, and designing noise walls for road infrastructure projects.

In the area of building acoustics, Brigette has been involved in numerous projects and has consulted on sound insulation and mechanical services design, as well as controlling external noise intrusion and reverberation noise levels, and optimizing speech clarity for critical spaces.

Over her career, Brigette has gained experience with a wide range of technical equipment and software including Insul, SoundPLAN, Cadna/A, SONarchitect, Brüel & Kjær analyzers, and numerous other sound level meters.

Brigette has also developed and presented training courses for using acoustical software and sound level meters for acoustical engineers and clients throughout New Zealand and Australia.
Trevor Cheng

P.Eng., MIOA

Managing Specialist Acoustical Consultant

Trevor Cheng, P.Eng., MIOA

Managing Specialist Acoustical Consultant

Trevor Cheng holds a bachelor of applied science (engineering physics) from University of British Columbia and joined BKL in January 2016, with experience in environmental and architectural acoustics, as well as condition monitoring, and machine vibration analysis and diagnostics.

With BKL, Trevor has primarily been involved in transportation, commercial, industrial, and infrastructure projects. His work experience includes measuring baseline noise conditions, predicting future noise environments, assessing noise impact, and offering mitigation measures where appropriate.

Trevor also has experience in architectural acoustics, working on hospitals, performance spaces, and multipurpose buildings. He is proficient in measuring noise insulation performance, reviewing building designs, and predicting noise levels from HVAC equipment.

Prior to joining BKL, Trevor worked in London, UK, on a wide variety of projects ranging from large-scale architectural renovations to major airport improvement works. He has unique experience in measuring and assessing noise and vibration in buildings from underground rail sources.

He also has experience using sound level meters by Brüel & Kjær, Norsonic, and Larson Davis, and software tools such as Cadna/A. He is familiar with ASTC/AIIC testing and using acoustic software including Insul, SONarchitect, and EASE for indoor noise predictions.

Trevor is a member of the Institute of Acoustics (IOA) in the UK.