How loud is an aircraft carrier flight deck?
A review of military noise reports that noise on aircraft carrier decks can range from 130 to 160 dBA, the loudest of any naval setting. Deck crews wear double hearing protection because levels easily exceed the 104 dBA point at which the US Navy requires it.
- Level
- 130–160 dBAA-weighted sound level
- Daily limit
- No safe unprotected exposureNIOSH, at the loud end
- Versus conversation
- 1.8e+2 million× energyabout 304.4× as loud
What the numbers mean
How it was measured. Range reported in a 2015 review of military noise, citing earlier work; measurement method and metric not described in the review.
The review describes carrier decks as the loudest noise in the Navy, ranging from 130 to 160 dBA, compared with 98 to 103 dBA in landing ship tanks and patrol vessels and 120 dBA in missile gun boats. Flight deck crews work metres from jet engines at full power during launches.
The US Navy treats 85 dBA as the threshold for single hearing protection and 104 dBA for double protection (earplugs under earmuffs) in steady noise, and the review notes that flight deck levels during flight and some maintenance work easily exceed the 104 dBA threshold. The figures are a summary from earlier studies rather than a new measurement, so treat the upper end with some caution.
How long is safe?
At 160 dB the level is above 140 dB, where harm can be immediate.
| Level | NIOSH limit (85 dBA, 3 dB rule) | OSHA limit (90 dBA, 5 dB rule) | UK/EU 80 dB(A) action value reached after | UK/EU 85 dB(A) action value reached after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 130 dBA | under 1 s | 1 min 53 s | under 1 s | under 1 s |
| 160 dBA | under 1 s | 2 s | under 1 s | under 1 s |
Times are for a whole day’s exposure, with the rest of the day quiet. The workplace limits were written for adults at work, not for children. Work out a mixed day with the noise dose calculator.
Protecting your hearing
Only trained crew go on an active flight deck, and they wear earplugs under earmuffs or helmets with built-in protection. Visitors on carrier tours are kept off the deck during flight operations.
Earplug and earmuff ratings (NRR in the US, SNR in the UK and EU) are lab figures; real-world protection is usually lower. How to read the ratings.
Compared with sounds nearby
Using midpoints of each range. Energy multiplies by 10 every 10 dB; perceived loudness roughly doubles (why).
- Jackhammer (130 dBA): this has about 32× its sound energy and sounds about 2.8× as loud.
- Stadium crowd (record) (142.2 dBA max): this has about 1.9× its sound energy and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- LRAD sound cannon (160 dBA max): it has about 32× the sound energy of this and sounds about 2.8× as loud.
- Normal conversation (55–70 dBA): this has about 1.8e+2 million× its energy and sounds about 304.4× as loud.
Questions
How loud is it on an aircraft carrier deck?
A military noise review reports 130 to 160 dBA on carrier decks.
What hearing protection do deck crews use?
The US Navy requires double protection above 104 dBA in steady noise, and flight deck levels easily exceed that.
Sources
- Impact of noise on hearing in the military, Military Medical Research (2015). Supports: dB_low 130 and dB_high 160 dBA.
The loudest noise generated is on the carrier decks that can range from 130 to 160 dBA
Checked 2026-11-03. - Impact of noise on hearing in the military, Military Medical Research (2015). Supports: 104 dBA double-protection threshold.
Noise levels on the flight deck during flight and some aircraft maintenance operations are intense and can easily exceed the 104 dBA threshold for double hearing protection
Checked 2026-11-03.
This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have ringing in your ears, muffled hearing or any change in your hearing, see an audiologist or your doctor.