Flight vehicle fairing having vibration-damping blankets

Vibration - damping blankets (36) are attached to the back surfaces of fairing panels (12) of a flight vehicle (e.g., an aircraft or spacecraft) to reduce vibration, fatigue, structure and airborne transmitted energy, and cabin noise. In one case, the flight vehicle fairing has an exterior comprising exterior surfaces of a multiplicity of removable panels. A method of retrofitting the flight vehicle with vibration - damping blankets comprises: removing a panel from the flight vehicle exterior; attaching a vibration - damping blanket to a back surface of the removed panel; and installing the panel with attached vibration - damping blanket on the flight vehicle with the exterior surface of the panel forming part of the flight vehicle exterior. In one embodiment, the vibration - damping blanket comprises polymeric (e.g., aromatic polyamide) fibers in a nonwoven structure.