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Silence is Golden

CREATING THE WORLD’S QUIETEST SUPER-MIDSIZE CABIN

Sometimes, your favorite aircraft feature is the one you can’t see.

A quiet aircraft creates a more comfortable cabin environment that makes it easier to rest and remain productive during a flight. Even low and mid frequency noise levels — often sourced from wind and whirling engines —  can contribute to passenger and pilot fatigue, and affect cabin comfort and in-flight productivity.

But how do you reduce an aircraft’s sound profile to deliver a cabin quiet enough for a peaceful break between destinations, or an effortless conversation with the person sitting across from you?

Leveraging methods used to optimize cabin sound levels in other Citation® aircraft, the Textron Aviation acoustics team worked directly with design engineers to ensure every aspect of the Citation Longitude® jet resulted in a quiet interior.

Through aerodynamic engineering and one-of-a-kind research and development, the team developed new sound proofing methods to create the world’s quietest super-midsize cabin.

“Often, aircraft are designed to be quiet mainly during long range cruise,” said Gonzalo Mendoza, Textron Aviation’s chief acoustics engineer. “The Longitude is very quiet there, but it's also quiet during climb, high speed flight and descent. It was made to be quiet from the the outset, not modified to be quieter after it was designed.”

How they did it

• Step 1Identify the noise sourceEngineers identified all potential noise sources within various zones of the Longitude interior and exterior — from the cockpit and forward cabin, to the lavatory and the aft walk-in baggage compartment.
• Step 2Isolate the noise sourcesEngineers measured, tracked and calculated noise levels from every seat of the Longitude using computer models validated by flight data. The process targeted and isolated specific noise-inducing areas like windows and the cabin door.
• Step 3Treat and sound-proofAfter locating noise-producing locations within the interior and exterior of the aircraft, engineers used state-of-the-art treatment and dampening techniques and materials to sound proof the Longitude and its components.

Comparing cabin sound levels

Throughout the Longitude development program, the cabin acoustics team measured sound from other super-midsize and large-cabin business aircraft using the same process. And while certain materials can affect cabin sound levels — everything from glassware, woodwork and fabrics plays a role in cabin noise levels — all aircraft were tested in comparable conditions, Mendoza said.

With sound levels averaging 67 decibels, the Longitude cabin is among the quietest you'll find. The quiet interior also complements other comfort features of the aircraft, from extra legroom and fully flat-laying seats, to lighting and interior design.

“The goal was to make the Longitude cabin feel like your office or a conference room, not just an aircraft.” Mendoza said. “Sound plays a major role in in creating that type of environment.”

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