As some of you know I also work for US Airways Express here at the Charlottesville Airport. While working outside we have to always wear hearing protection because of how loud jet engines and propellers can be. Trust me these things get loud. Long term and even short term exposure can cause hearing damage. So just how loud are jet engines?
First of all, sound pressure and noise can be measure in decibles. A decible is a logarithmic unit of measure of the raito between two numbers. Click to find out the exact definition of a decible. So where do we start? Well picture yourself in a common library with people whispering from about 6 feet away. That can be right around 30dB (30 Decibles). A normal conversation from about 3 feet away jumps up to 60-65dB. Quite a jump right? We still have a ways to go.
Ok lets jump up to about 90-95dB. Here we can expect things like a jackhammer from 50 feet away, a train whistle at 500 feet, or even a subway train at around 200 feet. Sustained exposure to sounds or noise of this level may result in hearing loss. It's probably a good idea to start wearing hearing protection at levels this high.
*Quick Fact* Did you know something as simple as driving with your window down can cause hearing loss?
95-110dB could include any type of engine from about 3 feet away or any type of power tool from only a couple feet. I still haven't mentioned jet engines have I? Nope because next on the list is your typical rock concert. You know the ones where you have to yell to the person next to you. You are actually trying to yell over 115dB of sound. So with 115dB of music blasting along with you screaming into your friends ear, your friend is experiencing hearing damage along with you. It hurts when things are too loud right? The threshold of pain is around 125dB. Anything around or over this should cause some sort of pain to your ears.
Jet engines.....finally. Jet engines around 100 feet away can be as loud as 140dB!! With our perception of loudness, a jet engine is about 4 times as loud as a rock concert. As a rule of thumb, an increase of 10dB SPL (sound pressure level) is perceived to be twice as loud. So even if Spinal Tap were to "turn in up to 11" they still wouldn't be as loud....or would they?
Hopefully this makes you more aware of how loud things can be and that everyone is wearing hearing protection when around really, REALLY loud things.
