There are multiple ways to file a complaint, and they all give the same result:
Click the Airnoise button
Tap one of the buttons on your Airnoise Dashboard page
Send an SMS text message to Airnoise
If you subscribed to a free account you can't use an Airnoise button or SMS text message but the Dashboard page and mobile apps are always free to use.
When you click your Airnoise button or one of the buttons on the Dashboard page, or when you send a text message to Airnoise, the system will instantly start searching for aircraft near the street address in your account. All complaints are assumed to be occurring at that address, so if you're out and about and hear a loud aircraft, sending a text message is going to trigger a search for aircraft over your house, not where you are at that moment.
Airnoise Button Complaints
The Airnoise button is a battery-powered, WiFi-enabled physical device based on Amazon's Dash button technology. It's a simple device that enables you to quickly click a button and start the aircraft search and complaint generation process. The battery lasts for about 2000-2400 clicks but it isn't rechargeable or designed to be easily replaceable (though it can be done).
If you single-click your Airnoise button, the system will typically look for commercial aircraft and business jets near you. If you double-click it, Airnoise will look for small general aviation aircraft and helicopters. Pressing the button for 2-3 seconds and releasing it will simply generate a test email from Airnoise letting you know your button is working. You can do this anytime to check that your button is working.
Dashboard Complaints
The Dashboard page has a series of "buttons" that allow you to tell the system to look for a specific type of aircraft -- see the image below.
Each of the buttons tells the system to look for one particular type of aircraft:
Any Aircraft Search (airplane icon): see below for a description of this button
Airline: commercial jetliners and large commuter airplanes, including large turboprops
Biz Jet: business jets, such as a Gulfstream or Learjet
GA (General Aviation): small, single- or multi-engine prop airplanes, typically private planes like a Cessna 172
Heli (Helicopter): any type of helicopter
If you use one of these buttons the system will only look for that type of aircraft. This is handy when you know what's flying past or you see the aircraft you want to report. It can be challenging, though, especially at night or if you can't see an aircraft, to know what's flying past.
Any Aircraft Search
We realize it's a challenge to know what's flying overhead. To solve that, we provide the "Any Aircraft Search" button. It's the first button you'll see on the Dashboard and has a little airplane icon.
When you click this button the system will look for any aircraft near you, and it will file a complaint on the closest one it finds. You don't have to know what's up there making noise -- just click this button and the system will sort it out. If the system still can't find an aircraft near you, you'll see "Any Aircraft" listed in the complaint that it tried to create but no other details. This tells you that, despite our best efforts, we were unable to identify what was overhead at the time.
If you have an Airnoise button and "Any Aircraft Search" is enabled, you can trigger it with a single-click of your button.
Text (SMS) Message Complaints
With a paid account you can register one or more mobile phone numbers from which to generate Airnoise complaints. When you register your phone the system will send you simple instructions on how to trigger noise complaints with very short text messages. With "Any Aircraft Search" enabled you can text "any" or just an "x" to trigger that search.