Four credited real recordings covering RB211 engines from a cabin window and GEnx-2B engines during a departure and go-around.
The same aircraft sounds very different through a cabin window and beside a runway. These real recordings keep their original speed, pitch and recording levels. Play them individually or switch between two selections.
The sound of four engines
Listen to the jumbo
Four real recordings, two engine families. Choose a cabin rumble, a departure or a go-around. Every clip is hosted here and plays only when you request it.
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Compare two recordings
Switch between A and B. Each starts at the beginning and pauses the other player.
These are different microphones, positions and flight conditions. Compare the character of the recordings; playback volume cannot tell you which engine is louder in a measured noise test.
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In flight0:05
RB211 from a cabin window
Rolls-Royce RB211
A steady cabin rumble. The window and aircraft structure alter the sound reaching the microphone.
Aircraft
British Airways 747-436, G-CIVT
Location
BA284, San Francisco to London Heathrow
Recorded
20 March 2013
Microphone
Inside the passenger cabin
Source, identification and reuse
The recording names the RB211 engines and identifies the aircraft and flight.
Audio extracted and encoded as MP3; full recording. Original speed and pitch; no loudness normalisation.
Waveforms show relative peaks within each clip, scaled separately for readability. They do not compare absolute noise levels. Source and licence checked 3 October 2026.
Audio extracted and encoded as MP3; full recording. Original speed and pitch; no loudness normalisation.
Waveforms show relative peaks within each clip, scaled separately for readability. They do not compare absolute noise levels. Source and licence checked 3 October 2026.
Audio extracted and encoded as MP3; full recording. Original speed and pitch; no loudness normalisation.
Waveforms show relative peaks within each clip, scaled separately for readability. They do not compare absolute noise levels. Source and licence checked 3 October 2026.
Audio extracted and encoded as MP3; source interval 15–60 seconds. Original speed and pitch; no loudness normalisation.
Waveforms show relative peaks within each clip, scaled separately for readability. They do not compare absolute noise levels. Source and licence checked 3 October 2026.
The RB211 recordings were made aboard British Airways 747-436 G-CIVT on flight BA284 in March 2013. The recorder identifies both the aircraft and engine family. Cabin insulation, airflow and the window all contribute to the result.
The GEnx-2B clips show a 747-8F departing Paine Field and another performing a go-around. GE lists the GEnx-2B as the engine application for the 747-8. The Paine Field source identifies LX-VCE; the go-around clip does not establish a registration.
Listen with context
These are field recordings, not a controlled acoustic comparison. A microphone's position, wind, cabin insulation, background activity and distance change the result. The audio controls set playback volume on your device. They do not show sound pressure levels at the aircraft.
This edition covers two engine families and three flight phases. It does not yet include verified startup or ground-idle clips, or recordings identified as JT9D, CF6 or PW4000. A candidate NASA Shuttle Carrier Aircraft film was silent, and a slow-motion film was unsuitable for an original-speed sound comparison.
Share a recording
Have a clear 747 startup, taxi or takeoff recording? Contact the editor with the aircraft registration, engine identification, date and location. Include your name, a source link and an explicit reuse licence. Recordings need review before inclusion.
Every clip above lists its creator, source, licence and any edits. The two Reedy audio adaptations retain CC BY-SA 3.0; the small Jia excerpt retains CC BY 3.0; John Veit's recording is CC0 1.0. These audio licences apply separately from the site's text.
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