Propulsion Noise Reduction Concepts and Progress

Reducing aircraft noise emissions is an important part of the ongoing efforts to make commercial aviation more environmentally friendly. As a major contributor to the overall noise produced by an aircraft, reducing propulsion noise is a pivotal element of any strategy for developing the quiet aircraft of the future. To that end, the NASA Subsonic Fixed Wing project and the Environmentally Responsible Aviation project have been funding basic and system level research into low-noise propulsion technologies that can meet the challenging noise goals set for the future subsonic transport aircraft. This presentation will provide a brief overview of the current research undertaken by NASA in developing noise reduction technologies for both the ultra high bypass ratio turbofans and open rotor systems.