BaseOps User's Guide, Chapter 1: Introduction

What is BaseOps?

BaseOps is a graphical user interface for the Noisemap suite of aircraft noise models. This Microsoft Windows application guides you through the steps in performing an airport noise analysis: entering the aircraft operational data, running the noise models, and creating noise contours using NMPlot.

The Noisemap suite of noise models includes:

• NMap, the US Department of Defense's model of aircraft flight and run-up noise near air bases

• RNM, the Rotorcraft Noise Model, NASA Langley's model of helicopter and tilt-wing aircraft noise

What Can BaseOps Do?

Using BaseOps, you can:

• Edit all data associated with a noise analysis case, including runways, flight tracks, flight profiles, and static profiles

• Display and edit noise analysis data using both text-based forms and graphical maps

• Open and import select data from BaseOps .baseops files, NMap .bps files, and NMap/RNM .ops/.opx operations files

• Import information from Integrated Noise Model (INM) cases

• Import information from DAFIF (Defense Aeronautical Flight Information File)

• Export/Import flight operations data to/from Microsoft Excel

• Check a noise analysis case for errors

• Create scenarios, which represent alternate noise analysis cases created by modifying an existing case (for example, increasing all F-16 operations by 50% over the baseline case)

• Run Omega10 and Omega11 (the United States Department of Defense's models for extrapolating measured noise data) and create Noisemap OPX files

• Run the NMap and RNM noise models

• Create noise contours using the NMPlot plotting application

• Create customized reports that can include tables and maps

• Maintain a history of the major events that occur while editing a noise analysis case

• Display background maps stored in any of the following formats:

  • ARC/INFO Shapefile (SHP)

  • Digital Line Graph (DLG)

  • AutoCAD Data Exchange Format (DXF)

  • Georeferenced Bitmap (BMP, TIF, JPG, PNG)

  • Compressed ARC Digitized Raster Graphics (CADRG)

• Export maps to either the clipboard or bitmap image files

Assumptions About Users

It is assumed that you are familiar with the terms and concepts necessary to use the Noisemap suite of aircraft noise models. The BaseOps User's Guide is not a manual for conducting a noise analysis; its scope is limited to BaseOps' role as a tool in the noise analysis process.

Distribution License

BaseOps is distributed as acknowledgement-ware: it may be freely used and distributed, provided that Wasmer Consulting is acknowledged as the author.