787 Cabin Quieter than the A380?
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Sound level meters are cheap. Takes the guess work out of comparisons. I always measure the dB level in aircraft. Many seats are subject to sound levels that would be illegal in a place of work in my country.
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Hi EmadIV, this is my personal account having flown on the 757, 787 and A380.
I found the 787 quieter than the A380 on take-off. Having also flown on the A346, I found the A380 slightly quieter than the A346 during take-off but the 787 is the quietest aircraft that I have flown to date during take-off. While on A346 and less on A380 you hear the engines spool up but the sounds makes it feel that "they're not quite there yet so when will they be" and before you know it you're rotating, on the 787 you'd have to really concentrate to hear the engines spool up. It was really impressive!
However, the comparison isn't like for like since:
- On both the 787 and the A346 I was sat near the leading edge (seat 10K on a QTR 787 and 20A on a VIR A346).
- On the SIA A380 I was sat halfway the rearmost lower deck area in seat 56K.
- The Qatar 787 was flying flight crew familiarisation sorties between DOH and DXB so it was a very lightly loaded.
- The A346 and A380 were flying full (at least in all the cabins) from LHR to JFK and SIN respectively.
However, during cruise I found that the 787 became significantly louder than the A380 and probably more than the A346. Remember I was sat near the leading edge so I wonder whether the ram air intakes had something to do with that. I recall getting very surprised by the noise! John Ostrower said that he found that in the entrance archway which I couldn't check because I was flying economy and you have to go through business to get there. Also, I didn't check further back in the 787 cabin to see how the sound changed.
However, I did that on the A380 and can definitely confirm that if you want the quietest flight of your life then fly as much as possible towards the centre on the lower deck. People say that they enjoy the engine noise lull as it helps put them to sleep. I say I'd rather be able to listen to some music at whatever noise level I wish without having to blast my ears at high volume to be able to make out the music.
As for how powerful the 787 vs 757 take-off feels question, this is a thrust vs weight vs drag question and so the 757 will always be a rocket whereas my assumption is that the 787 will feel more like the 767 that it replaced. Having said that, I've flown on the 757 several times but never on the 767 and definitely remember the 757 feeling a lot more powerful than other aircraft at take-off.
I found the 787 quieter than the A380 on take-off. Having also flown on the A346, I found the A380 slightly quieter than the A346 during take-off but the 787 is the quietest aircraft that I have flown to date during take-off. While on A346 and less on A380 you hear the engines spool up but the sounds makes it feel that "they're not quite there yet so when will they be" and before you know it you're rotating, on the 787 you'd have to really concentrate to hear the engines spool up. It was really impressive!
However, the comparison isn't like for like since:
- On both the 787 and the A346 I was sat near the leading edge (seat 10K on a QTR 787 and 20A on a VIR A346).
- On the SIA A380 I was sat halfway the rearmost lower deck area in seat 56K.
- The Qatar 787 was flying flight crew familiarisation sorties between DOH and DXB so it was a very lightly loaded.
- The A346 and A380 were flying full (at least in all the cabins) from LHR to JFK and SIN respectively.
However, during cruise I found that the 787 became significantly louder than the A380 and probably more than the A346. Remember I was sat near the leading edge so I wonder whether the ram air intakes had something to do with that. I recall getting very surprised by the noise! John Ostrower said that he found that in the entrance archway which I couldn't check because I was flying economy and you have to go through business to get there. Also, I didn't check further back in the 787 cabin to see how the sound changed.
However, I did that on the A380 and can definitely confirm that if you want the quietest flight of your life then fly as much as possible towards the centre on the lower deck. People say that they enjoy the engine noise lull as it helps put them to sleep. I say I'd rather be able to listen to some music at whatever noise level I wish without having to blast my ears at high volume to be able to make out the music.
As for how powerful the 787 vs 757 take-off feels question, this is a thrust vs weight vs drag question and so the 757 will always be a rocket whereas my assumption is that the 787 will feel more like the 767 that it replaced. Having said that, I've flown on the 757 several times but never on the 767 and definitely remember the 757 feeling a lot more powerful than other aircraft at take-off.
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Emad 1v
Have flown 330/340/380/787 and would rate 380 as the quietest. All flown in Business class with airlines being EK330/340/380 SQ 380/340 ANA 787 Lufty 330/340. The take off on 380 seems effortless in comparison with the others with regards to the noise issue, and cruise also I found better. Having said that as a passenger on the routes I do, and times of depp I spend most of my time in the air on 777. I do have a soft spot for 340 but that is just because the way she looks, as all my LH flights as a young man/boy were predominantly on 707 / DC8 !.
Regards
Mr Mac
Have flown 330/340/380/787 and would rate 380 as the quietest. All flown in Business class with airlines being EK330/340/380 SQ 380/340 ANA 787 Lufty 330/340. The take off on 380 seems effortless in comparison with the others with regards to the noise issue, and cruise also I found better. Having said that as a passenger on the routes I do, and times of depp I spend most of my time in the air on 777. I do have a soft spot for 340 but that is just because the way she looks, as all my LH flights as a young man/boy were predominantly on 707 / DC8 !.
Regards
Mr Mac
Last edited by Mr Mac; 2nd Jul 2014 at 07:07.
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330 is a noisy clunker especially when the landing gear is lowered. All airbuses have a squealing sound post landing related to some hydraulic pump. 787 and 380 both very quiet.....i could hear myself pass gas, though for some reason 787 made me have less flatulence. I still like the sound of the 747
