Why Do Airbus Planes Sound Like They're Barking? - You Don't Need to Open the Emergency Exits...

You've probably heard it, that peculiar barking sound from an Airbus A320 (flown by easyJet, Jet2 BA, etc), usually just as you've settled in for a pleasant flight. It sounds rather like an indignant dog has taken up residence in the cabin. Rest assured, there is no dog. The noise is perfectly normal, though that may or may not be comforting depending on your attitude towards strange noises onboard aircraft.

What I would say though, is don't be like this passenger who wanted to open the emergency exits because of the noise.

The culprit is hydraulics. Airbus planes are essentially complicated plumbing systems with wings attached. The hydraulic systems that power the landing gear, flaps, and brakes (this is called the Power Transfer Unit) work under considerable pressure, and when fluid rushes through valves, it produces mechanical noises that vaguely resemble a rather opinionated dog. This is not a design flaw, it's simply what happens when you pressurise the hydraulic fluid to several thousand pounds per square inch.

Are you following us social media? If not, why not! Go drop us a follow on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok so that you never miss any of your favourite content!

The sound is loudest either on the ground as the pilots manipulate their control surfaces, as well as during the approach/landing, when the landing gear descends, the flaps extend, and the air brakes deploy all at once. It's rather like the aircraft is announcing its arrival with all the grace of a teenager slamming the front door. But here's the thing: this is entirely deliberate and extensively tested. Commercial aviation is perhaps the most regulated industry on Earth, so that barking is not a harbinger of doom.

"ARF ARF"

Saying that, I do completely understand why some less than frequent travellers may be unnerved by these noises. easyJet understand this too, they operate frequent "Fearless Flying" courses across the country aimed at explaining, demystifying, and calming passengers so that they can travel without worrying.

The real takeaway is this: Airbus planes bark because they contain complex systems operating under extreme conditions, and these complex systems tend to make noise.

The next time you hear that characteristic yelp, consider it not a cause for alarm but rather a reminder that you're currently in a sealed metal tube defying gravity, and the barking is simply the sound of engineering keeping you safely there. Which, when you think about it, is rather amazing.

Sam

Points Well Made is a passion project of Sam and Helena with a loyal following. If you like what we do, and wish to help us continue to create the content you love, please consider buying us a Kofi, or subscribing monthly. Your help is greatly appreciated. Thank you.