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Helicopters to Fly Over West Campus Today

Flight paths a part of training exercise

Duke community members may look to the sky and hear loud noises over West Campus this afternoon.

At around 3 p.m. today, the National Guard will fly Apache helicopters over Wallace Wade Stadium as part of a training exercise for the Dec. 14 Army-Navy football game. The event, which is expected to last about eight minutes, will feature helicopters flying two flight patterns at about 500 feet over West Campus.

The exercise has received approval by both the Federal Aviation Administration and Duke administrators.

According to the American Tinnitus Association, a non-profit organization that works to fund research for the auditory dysfunction, Apache helicopters produce a noise level of about 100 decibels. That level is equivalent to noises like hearing a power saw three feet away or a nearby motorcycle. Noise levels for those on campus will vary, depending on location, surrounding area and whether they're indoors, among other environmental aspects.