THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, May 14, 1995                   TAG: 9505120218
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN              PAGE: 03   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY SUSIE STOUGHTON, STAFF WRITER 
                                             LENGTH: Medium:   55 lines

RESEARCHERS WANT TO TEST SIMULATED SOUNDS OF JETS. NASA IS LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD EARS FOR STUDY ON THE EFFECTS OF AIRCRAFT NOISE

Researchers at NASA Langley Research Center needed quiet, peaceful communities not too far from the Peninsula research facility for one of their latest projects.

After some research, they found just what they wanted in Windsor, Holland and in the rural sections of Suffolk between them.

Now they're looking for eight people in those areas to participate in a test this summer to study the effects of aircraft noise on people living near airports.

The roar of jets, however, will be simulated - blasted into the participants' homes through a computer controlled stereo. The researchers don't want actual airplane noises to interfere.

``That's why we chose these areas,'' said Sherilyn Brown, one of the NASA researchers. ``If we were in a flight path for a lot of military traffic or airport paths, we would hear a lot of competing noise.''

So Brown asked the Federal Aviation Administration to suggest areas not in heavy flight paths.

The controlled study will be done in the participants' homes rather than in the laboratory.

NASA officials will bring the stereos and large speakers to their houses.

They are looking for people who are 18 or older who are normally home during the day and who don't have children under eight in the house.

They must live in a single-family dwelling, either a one- or two-story house.

Participants would be paid, but researchers said they have not yet determined what the compensation would be.

Participants would continue their daily routine, such as going to the grocery store, Brown said.

``We don't want to change their lifestyle,'' she said. ``They can do what they normally do. We don't want them to focus on what we're doing.''

The stereo will blast out the simulated sounds at unannounced times during the day.

``There will be random sounds,'' Brown said. ``There will be no warnings. Every day will be different.''

Lockheed Martin has been contracted to recruit the test participants during May.

They will be interviewed in June, and the test will be conducted from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. for four weeks during July and August.

To apply, call Regina Johns at Lockheed Martin, 804-766-9615 or 1-800-766-9690 Monday through Thursday between 8:30 and 11:30 a.m. by CNB