In 1997 the Netherlands Court of Audit looked at how the Ministry of Defence's policy to curb military noise nuisance was being put into effect.
Air traffic ranks third after 'neighbours' and 'road traffic' as the main source of noise nuisance.
More than half of this is caused by military aircraft. Air-based noise nuisance is largely caused by military aircraft and helicopters flying at low altitude. Ground-based noise nuisance, on the other hand, is caused by shooting practice, the use of vehicles and the testing of engines. In other words the target did not provide the Army with a foundation on which to base a policy whose implementation and impact could subsequently be assessed. When translating the aim into practice, the Navy and the Air Force restricted themselves to statutory measures, namely the insulation programme and the zoning of military airfields.