Noise-reduction Research Finds ‘Fantastic Solution to the Wrong Problem’

Working on reducing high-frequency cabin noise produced by air passing over the fuselage skin, UK-based Ultra Electronics and QinetiQ found what a spokesman described as “a fantastic solution to the wrong problem.” After flight tests of new-generation hybrid active/passive cabin shell mounts, researchers concluded that the system works extremely well, reducing noise transmitted through the mounts by as much as 30 dBA. Unfortunately, said Rob McDonald, Ultra Electronics v-p of marketing and support, “We discovered that the mounts are not the primary transmission paths for the noise of air passing over the fuselage. This noise enters the cabin from virtually everywhere–the floor, the side panels, everywhere.” The good news, he said, is that “we’ve now identified the real problem, and that makes finding a solution more feasible.”