| Air transportation, while having many benefits, has raised numerous environmental concerns, one of the most contentious being aircraft noise. Thus, the national and international communities have been forced to take measures to cope with this problem, seeking to balance the needs of all interested parties.; The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the aircraft noise problem on the national and international levels. Each chapter highlights a distinct area of the problem. Chapter 1 covers the technical aspects of aircraft noise measurement, as well as recounts the general history, sources and effects of aircraft noise. Chapter 2 focuses specifically on the noise certification standards developed by the United States and the International Civil Aviation Organization. Chapter 3 discusses the liability issues of aircraft noise on the international level, concentrating primarily on the 1952 Rome Convention and on attempts to formulate an international instrument dealing with Liability for Damage Caused by Noise and Sonic Boom. Chapter 4 examines liability issues in the United States, defining various legal theories available. Finally, Chapter 5 articulates some methods that have helped to reduce or to mitigate the effects of aircraft noise in noise-sensitive areas. |
