Plane noises explained: every sound from gate to landing
By the Fly with Pip team · Published 2026-10-16 · Updated 2026-10-16
Facts checked against FAA, EASA, NTSB and NHS sources. Pilot review by our airline captain: pending.
At the gate
Thumps and whirrs from under the floor are bags being loaded, and the fuel truck and catering finishing up. On warm, humid days the cabin air may even look misty. That's the air conditioning cooling moist air, not smoke.
Engine start and taxi
The engines start one at a time, and the cabin lights and air may flicker or pause as the power supply switches over from the ground or the small auxiliary engine in the tail.
On Airbus A320-family jets you may hear a dog-like barking noise, often while only one engine is running. It's a normal part of the hydraulic system called the power transfer unit (PTU).
Take-off
The engines spool up to a roar, you're pressed into your seat, and the runway rumbles under the wheels. As the nose lifts, the wings take the weight. A few seconds later you'll hear a clunk and a whirr: that's the landing gear folding away and the doors closing over it.
Just after take-off: why it goes quiet
A minute or two after take-off the engines often get noticeably quieter. That's a planned reduction from take-off power to climb power, and it's often part of a noise-reduction procedure (FAA Airplane Flying Handbook). Nothing has gone wrong.
Then the flaps (the panels at the back of the wing) tuck away with a whirr. The climb becomes gentler, and you may feel a slight sinking sensation. The plane is still climbing.
Climb and cruise
Chimes are simple signals between the pilots and the cabin crew, and each airline uses them in its own way. They're routine. In cruise the autopilot flies precisely while the pilots monitor the systems, the weather and the fuel, and talk to air traffic control.
Descent and approach
Your ears may feel full as the cabin pressure slowly rises. Swallowing, yawning or chewing helps. The engines may sound quieter at first, then louder as the pilots set power for the approach.
You'll hear whirrs as the flaps extend in stages, then a rumble and a clunk as the landing gear comes down and locks. The extra wind noise from the wheels is normal.
Before landing at night, the cabin lights are often dimmed. This helps your eyes adjust to the dark outside, just in case the crew ever needed to get everyone off quickly.
Landing
A firm touchdown is often deliberate, especially on a wet runway, because it helps the tyres grip. Then panels pop up on top of the wings and the engines roar briefly. That's the aircraft slowing down.
What if the engines roar and we climb away?
That's a go-around: a normal, practised manoeuvre. Pilots go around if, for example, the runway isn't clear yet or the approach isn't perfectly stable. You'll circle and land a few minutes later (FAA Airplane Flying Handbook).
Know every sound before you fly
The Anxious Flyer's Guide explains every bump, beep and whoosh, with calm-down tools you can print.
See the guide ($15)Sources
Educational content only, not medical advice. If your fear of flying is severe, please talk to your GP or doctor.