RNP 07 | Sonic Journal
The introduction of the RNP 07 flight paths in northern Brussels transforms residential neighborhoods and mixed-use areas into what Boucsein et al. (2017) call a ‘noise landscape.’ Through field recordings, annotated observations, and small data traces (events, peaks, intervals), I document how the RNP 07 pattern solidifies: silence becomes scarce, interruption the norm. A situated sonic field journal in audio-essay form, art- and data-informed, I trace and interpret how routing changes redefine the conditions of everyday urban environments and lived sonic UX in Brussels North.
March 19, 2026
NEW LIVED SONIC UX
The frequency of descending aircraft follows an approximate four-minute interval, forming sequences that have become an unanticipated phenomenon, subtly rewiring urban living into an infrastructural logic.
This is not mere noise. RNP 07 operates as a vibrational force, propagating through roofs, walls, and windows of domestic spaces. Sleep and everyday life become structured by its ‘rhythmic anarchitecture’ (Goodman, 2009) and the hyper-awareness it imposes.
RNP 07 refers to a GPS-driven Required Navigation Performance (RNP) procedure, enabling aircraft to follow precise, repeatable three-dimensional routes. This system replaces traditional flight paths with predictable, consistent corridors (Eurocontrol, n.d.).
APRIL 08, 2026
ROOFTOP RECORDING
19:30 – 19:39
22° ☼ ༄ 5km/h
40 – 75 dB
APRIL 22, 2026
INTERIOR RECORDING
9:05 - 9:10
8° ☼ ༄ 12km/h ONO
30 - 75 dB (Peak: 81 dB)
Thermic insulation (2021)
Open window / side room
April 29, 2026
INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING
The implementation of RNP 07 demonstrates how transport infrastructure planning, presented as a technological solution for air navigation efficiency, may concentrate negative externalities in urban areas already marked by deprivation.
The routing of RNP 07 over densely populated inner-city neighborhoods in Brussels installs a time-space configuration that concentrates and intensifies disruptive effects, such as reduced domestic comfort and sleep disruption. Residents of neighborhoods characterized by socio-economic challenges and precarious housing conditions have voiced concerns online about the impact on their daily lives (Free Air Brussels North [collectif citoyen] and Collectif Stop Survol Bxl Nord et RNP 07L, n.d.).
While framed by efficiency, safety, and environmental objectives, the deployment of this technology-driven innovation risks producing unequal socio-spatial effects.
MARCH 14, 2013
Field Recording
15:24 - 15:30
West Vernor Highway
MEXICANTOWN
Detroit, US
Bibliography:
Boucsein, B., Christiaanse, K., Kasioumi, E., & Salewski, C. (2017). The noise landscape: A spatial exploration of airports and cities. nai010 uitgevers.
Goodman, S. (2009). Sonic warfare: Sound, affect, and the ecology of fear. MIT Press.
Eurocontrol. (n.d.). Required navigation performance approach (RNP). https://www.eurocontrol.int/product/required-navigation-performance-approach
Free Air Brussels North (collectif citoyen) & Collectif Stop Survol Bxl Nord et RNP 07L. (n.d.). Free Air Brussels North & Collectif Stop Survol Bxl Nord et RNP 07L [Facebook pages].
Citation:
Claus, C. (2026). RNP 07 Sonic Journal. https://clauscaroline.be/rnp-07/
© Caroline Claus 2026