The US Air Force has completed a series of ground and flight acoustic tests for its F-15EX fighter aircraft at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
The trial was the first for the air force’s F-15 with the GE-129 engine.
Test administrators aimed to establish a baseline of sound data to update the information on noise level predictions and models where the aircraft will be deployed.
The F-15EX was subjected to ground-based examinations with the plane in both idle and active modes.
The aircraft was also flown at various heights and in various configurations.
Capturing Ground and Flight Sound
To capture the sound data, experts from Blue Ridge Research and Consulting placed over 100 microphones strategically around the aircraft.
Separately, 45 microphones were spread 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) laterally and 1,000 feet (305 feet) horizontally across the test field to capture sound from more than 70 Eagle II flyovers.
The US Air Force’s Operational Flight Program Combined Test Force (OFP CTF) F-15 Section coordinated requirements to make the trials possible.
“As the lead developmental test organization, the OFP CTF enabled DOD to meet their deadlines for the environmental impact study and we are now one step closer to getting this new aircraft into the hands of the warfighter,” Deputy Mission Support Section Chief 1st Lt. Zachary Arns explained.