SUPERSONIC holiday flights over land are one step closer after an experimental “quiet” supersonic Nasa jet took flight.
Late last month, Nasa‘s so-called “Flying Swordfish” blasted off from California – promising 925mph flights without a sonic boom – and aviation experts say that it could change the face of holiday travel.
Concorde famously offered high-speed flights across the Atlantic.
But the sound of the sonic boom has always been a major block to allowing commercial supersonic flights over land.
To combat this problem, Nasa and Lockheed Martin have been developing an experimental X-59 aircraft that doesn’t create a sonic boom.
Instead it creates a sonic “thump”, which is 75PLdB (perceived decibel level) – or “about as loud as a car door closing”.
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“From takeoff at our Skunk Works’ Palmdale facility to landing at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center, everything performed exactly as planned,” Lockheed Martin said.
“The X-59 moved with the kind of confidence that comes from years of innovation, teamwork and cutting-edge solutions.
“This flight isn’t just a milestone – it’s momentum.
“We’re proving that the future of flight can be faster and quieter than ever before. And we’re proud to be leading the charge.”
The jet is just shy of 100 feet long, and is capable of reaching Mac 1.4 speeds of 925mph.
And it cruises at around 55,000 feet, which is far higher than a typical jet that would fly at altitudes of between 30,000 and 45,000 feet.
It has a wingspan of roughly 30 feet, stands about 14 feet tall, and has been branded the “Flying Swordfish” in science media due to its shape.
And that design is no accident: it’s specifically designed to allow for “quiet supersonic” flight.
“In collaboration with NASA’s Quesst Mission, the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works team is solving one of the most persistent challenges of supersonic flight – the sonic boom,” Lockheed Martin explained.
“The X-59 will be used to collect community response data on the acceptability of a quiet sonic boom generated by the unique design of the aircraft.
“The data will help NASA provide regulators with the information needed to establish an acceptable commercial supersonic noise standard to lift the ban on commercial supersonic travel over land.
“This breakthrough would open the door to an entirely new global market for aircraft manufacturers, enabling passengers to travel anywhere in the world in half the time it takes today.”
Lockheed Martin wants to fly the plane over populated areas to prove to “US and international regulators” that supersonic flight over land doesn’t need to be a major disturbence.
And the aerospace giant says that it “could bring us one step closer to quiet supersonic travel for passengers around the globe”.
The shape of the aircraft is designed to reduce the loudness of a sonic boom to a “gentle thump” – at least as you hear it on the ground.
The X-plane does this by separating the shock waves that produce the sonic booms to make them quieter.
“The resulting supersonic ‘heartbeat’ is dramatically quieter than the disruptive N-wave boom generated by today’s supersonic aircraft”, Lockheed Martin said.
Sadly, it’s still unclear how long it will take for over-land supersonic commercial flights to become a reality.
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Nasa and Lockheed Martin will need to conduct more tests to give flight watchdogs enough info to make a decision on their regulations.
And once those types of flights are approved, it will still take time for commercial aircraft to be built using a quiet supersonic design and then adopted by airlines.
