NEF contours for aircraft noise have generally been computed assuming three or four well‐defined flight paths from a given runway. In fact, a whole continuum of flight paths normally exists. In this paper, methods are developed to treat this continuum of flight paths. Simplifications are also suggested which provide realistic approximations and which allow preliminary calculation of NEF values without the need for major computer programming. These have the form NEF = NEFC + correction, where NEFC assumes all flights are overhead, and a (negative) correction term is added for the splayout. Results of the conventional discrete path computations are contours shaped like fingers. Using a continuous spread of paths results in a single fanned‐out contour. We feel the latter is more realistic.