How many decibels does an F-18 make with full afterburner?

Question

I just went to an air show put on by the air force, and the F-18 was ear-splittingly loud! I didn't cover my ears during one pass with full afterburners on, and it broke the sound barrier, creating a massive sonic boom. I'm hoping that my, along with everyone else at the show's ears aren't damaged. Does anyone have an estimate on how loud these things are, and should I be concerned?

Answer 1

It's close to the ear damage point, but it depends on just how close you were.

All you can do is hope the show's organizers took that into account when they setup the flyover.

.

Answer 2

I could be wrong.... but I don't think you heard a sonic boom. Unless you are out there in the world somewhere that allows that...  here in the USA... nope. You may have heard a BOOM which is the afterburner cutting in... Now, if you saw the windows blown out of buildings and every car alarm for 50 miles go off... that would be a boomer...

   as to how loud it is...  loud enough to do damage to your ears YOU betcha...... that's for sure. That is one of the things that makes working on a ramp full of aircraft with jet engines running so dangerous because you can't tell which engines are running it is so loud... so you treat EVERY engine as if it were running.  You could always tell when FINE AIR or one of the other operators of older large jet equipment took off out of Miami heading South because they would set off every car alarm in the employee parking lot with just noise/vibration from take off thrust.

Answer 3

In Marine Corps terms, a "shitload", and they can blow out your eardrums easily. One of my friends who worked on them is deaf in one ear because his ear protection didnt make a clean seal with his head for just a second. It blew it right out.