The disturbance due to aircraft noise which is being experienced in residential areas around the world's major airports is generally recognised as a serious problem. Indeed, the problem has reached the stage where public reaction is already influencing the development of future aircraft. Such influence may be seen in current international intention to include noise limitations in the certification of aircraft.

Limits imposed on the noise generated by aircraft engines should serve to prevent the problem from becoming catastrophic, but cannot be expected to provide a final solution. Aircraft manufacturers may seem confident that further improvements in performance could be achieved without corresponding increase in noise, but further increases in air traffic could cancel out these gains and still leave communities near airports excessively disturbed.