Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP)

During Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP), pilots perform repetitive “touch and go” landings at airfields, which simulate landing on an aircraft carrier. FCLP is required flight training that precedes carrier landing operations and simulates, as near as practicable, the conditions encountered during carrier landing operations. 

The skills required to complete carrier landings must be routinely practiced by pilots of all experience levels to maintain the requisite level of proficiency.

  • Night landing video An actual night time carrier landing, with informational cues.
  • FCLP video Field Carrier Landing Practice at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility.



 

Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP) Pattern

Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP) Pattern 
Aircraft Noise Modeling ​

Aircraft Noise Modeling is defined as unwanted sound that interferes with normal activities such as sleep or conversation or when it 
is subjectively judged to be annoying. Noise analysis requires a combination of physical description of sound and potential responses to it. Ambient background noise in metropolitan, urbanized areas typically varies from 60 to 70 dB and can be as high as 80 dB or greater; quiet suburban neighborhoods experience ambient background noise levels of approximately 45 to 50 dB (EPA 1978). Our response to noise depends on many factors: loudness, number and duration of events, time of day, ambient background noise levels, interference with certain activities (such as sleep or conversation) and previous experiences.

The Navy prepares comprehensive noise studies to understand the noise associated with airfield operations at a specific airfield location. Primarily, aircraft noise is associated with aircraft takeoffs and landings, and during engine maintenance operations (or engine run-ups). Takeoffs and landings are intermittent sounds which occur in short duration; while, engine run-ups are continuous sounds which occur for longer durations for maintenance actions and engine testing. Noise from aircraft operations, which exceed ambient background sound levels, typically occurs: beneath the arrival and departure flight tracks, or in aircraft flight patterns around the airfield, or in areas immediately adjacent to aircraft parking ramps, aircraft staging areas and engine maintenance areas. As an aircraft in-flight gains altitude, its noise contribution drops to lower levels, often becoming indistinguishable from ambient background sound levels. ​


The Navy prepares comprehensive noise studies to understand the noise associated with airfield operations at a specific airfield location. Primarily, aircraft noise is associated with aircraft takeoffs and landings, and during engine maintenance operations (or engine run-ups). Takeoffs and landings are intermittent sounds which occur in short duration; while, engine run-ups are continuous sounds which occur for longer durations for maintenance actions and engine testing. Noise from aircraft operations, which exceed ambient background sound levels, typically occurs: beneath the arrival and departure flight tracks, or in aircraft flight patterns around the airfield, or in areas immediately adjacent to aircraft parking ramps, aircraft staging areas and engine maintenance areas. As an aircraft in-flight gains altitude, its noise contribution drops to lower levels, often becoming indistinguishable from ambient background sound levels. ​

How Is Noise Assessed? 

The U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Department of Defense (DoD) measure aircraft operational noise levels in decibels (dB) using two common metrics: 
Day-Night Average Sound Level (DNL) and Sound Exposure Level (SEL).

DNL is the federal standard for determining community noise impacts. DNL represents the average sound energy of events over a 24-hour period, with a 10-dB penalty added to night-time (10:00 pm to 7:00 am) operations. This 10-dB penalty accounts for the added intrusiveness of noise when ambient background noise levels are low and noise-sensitive activities such as sleep take place. 

DNL is depicted as a continuous line around a noise source (i.e., a noise contour line) and is usually shown in 5-DNL increments (e.g. 65 DNL, 70 DNL, and 75 DNL). DNL takes all of those factors that influence our perception of noise – loudness, number and duration of events, and time of day – and includes them in one metric that is used to identify land uses that are compatible with specific noise zones.


SEL represents the total noise energy of a single event, such as an aircraft flyover, as if it occurred in one second. This metric combines the loudness and duration of the event.

A comprehensive noise study may include supplemental analyses and metrics to improve public understanding of noise exposure and compatible land uses around installations, and to evaluate a specific concern such as annoyance, sleep disturbance, classroom speech interference, noise-induced hearing impairment and non-auditory health effects of noise.

How Is Noise Modeled? 

Noise is modeled using a computer program called NOISEMAP, which considers the number and type of flight operations planned over the course of a year to establish noise contours for all types of aircraft operating at a specific airfield location. Input includes: types of aircraft, number of operations, flight tracks, altitude, engine power settings, aircraft speed, terrain, temperature and relative humidity. Engine maintenance operations and testing are also included. Results are presented on installation land use maps in the form of noise contours.

Computer modeling is most accurate and useful for comparing “before-and-after” noise levels and evaluating different scenarios and ensuring consistent calculations and results.


A military range is defined in the Title 10 U.S. Code as a designated land or water area that is set aside, managed and used for a range of activities of the Department of Defense (DoD). 

Range activities mean research, development, testing, and evaluation of military munitions, other ordnance and weapon systems, and the training of members of the armed forces in the use and handling of military munitions, other ordnance, and weapons systems.

Maintaining operational readiness of naval aviation units requires that aircrews use and train with future and current aviation weapon systems to increase proficiency and certify in advanced tactical skills prior to deployment. One of the primary missions for naval aviation units is the air-to-ground attack (or strike) mission, which requires robust air-to-ground training ranges. 

As range users and operators, naval forces' main concerns include our neighbors' health, safety and welfare, as well as, overall range safety while being able to continue our critical training missions.

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