The app to register aviation noise
If you use our app, please use it outdoors. This gives you the best quality measurement of aviation noise.
If you use it inside your home, the real noise of the plane is lowered with at least 10 to 15 dB.
Please remember that the app cannot detect if you measure inside or outside your home. Every measurement that you send us will be part of the open access database we are building.
For best results it is important to measure the real noise of airplanes, not the muted level inside your home.
Erik Solheim, chief of the United Nations Environment Programme UNEP, resigns after British newspaper The Guardian revealed he spent almost $500,000 on air travel and hotels in just 22 months.
Contributing countries were so unhappy with his conduct that they are holding tens of millions of dollars. A financial crisis looms at the body.
An internal audit of UNEP says Solheims conduct is a “reputation risk” for an organisation dedicated to improve the environment.
The UN accepted Solheim’s resignation yesterday, says The Guardian.
The Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden are countries that have publicly stated to be halting funding for the organization until the issues around Solheim are solved. In total around $50 million could be at stake.
The Dutch government researches possibilities to move Amsterdam Schiphol Airport at least partially into the North Sea.
This follows upon a proposal composed by entrepreneurs and residents living around the airport. Noise will not cause any inconvenience there. A runway at sea will bring relief to the entire Amsterdam region.
“Air traffic continues to grow, reducing flights is not an option”, says researcher Eef Haverkort to daily newspaper De Telegraaf. “Runways can be located in the sea.”
The other alternative to reduce the pressure on Schiphol is Lelystad Airport. Due to mistakes made in decision making the opening of this airport is yet again postponed for another year. Building an airport in the sea is the only viable option left if Schiphol continues to grow.
Version 1.1 of the Explane-app to register aviation noise is now available at Google Play. Update your apps or visit https://explane.org to download the newest version.
V1.1 is based on the feedback we have received since the introduction of the initial app.
Enhancements are:
Yesterday Dutch parliament voted yes to have taxes on aviation fuel. Government is now obligated to research if it can get support from other countries united under the ICAO lobby club.
Aviation industry doesn’t pay any taxes on fuel following an international agreement stemming from 1944. The agreement was made to reconstruct aviation industry after WW2.
Earlier this year the Dutch confirmed to introduce a passenger airfare tax. Preferably in cooperation with other European countries, but if this support can not be found, they will introduce it nationally.
Aviation industry not paying taxes on fuel gives it an unfair advantage over other forms of transportation. Dutch parliament wants to end this preferential position.
Too much residents of The Netherlands experience noise nuisance, part of them from aviation. The reason is simple: one thirth of all houses is built on a noisy location, says research from Dutch news tv RTL Nieuws. Too much noise makes people ill.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has published new guidelines for environmental noise. Road traffic can produce a maximum of 53 decibels, trains 54 dB, but aviation noise may not exceed 45 decibels.
RTL Nieuws has compared the new guildelines with data from the Dutch health institute RIVM and from the governmental basic registration database for addresses and buildings. From this analyses they learned that 37 percent of houses experience a noise level of more than 55 dB. This counts up to 3 million houses.
At https://reports.explane.org you will find all registrations made with the app. You can zoom in on the data that is important for your community.
We hope you will use the information to show your local, regional or national governments what impact aviation noise has on your communities. Take screenshots and publish them in your local news paper, on your social media or share them via Whatsapp or e-mail.
Also you can use the Explane data to provide journalists and other opinion leaders with information about aviation noise. Please share the website address as much as possible!
Users of Explane work together to show how much impact aviation has on our lifes. Please keep on making registrations so we can have a real impact!