Can X-planes solve the sonic boom problem? - BBC News

Rocket-powered and shrouded in secrecy, X-planes helped pave the way for the US space programme.

But in 1973, the US government banned commercial supersonic flights over land in the United States – and with it went the business case for supersonic flight.

But could a new generation of planes take the boom out of supersonic travel?

#Flight #Science #BBCNews

[EdwardChan.]

It's the fuel prices that's the biggest problem with supersonic aircrafts...

[titteryenot]

Apparently the X-planes are to be
reserved for the mile-high clubbers; the rest of us will have to make do with 12A, PG and U-planes.

[portwest]

I lived in Cornwall as a child and I remember the windows in our kitchen cracking once as it was going really fast by the time it was over Cornwall on the way to NY (early 90's)

[PenDragonsPig]

when concorde went boomboom, at least in my part of cornwall, pheasants went cacklecackle in reply. i don't remember if it was every pheasant or every male pheasant, but twice a day i knew where the nearest 15-20 cacklers were. that was very useful information- a growing lad has to eat. the booms were probably useful for other pheasant predators was well.

[robinandersson]

Doesn't seem like there's much space for any passengers in that design.

[fjuvo]

The rich will fly and the poor will just hear the noise

[nealparry]

And here's me thinking this was about X-Plane 12...

[seanarmstrong]

There won't be another SST (supersonic transport) for several reasons.
1) hub to hub travel is fading as it's easier go direct. Where hubs do work massive planes with 350 to 500 seats are needed.
2) in the old days It made sense to get to new York in 3 hours. Now you can use zoom or enjoy 7 hours in luxury in business class, with WiFi and lots of food.
3)too much fuel. The biggest cost is fuel and Concorde bearly worked in the 80s let alone 2020s.

[ItalMiser]

We literally heard two sonic booms 1 hour ago in Hanover Germany

[SikanderG]

I recognize Riyadh from YouTube! That's cool that's he's got a gig at BBC.

[jameslevy]

It's still sad that Concorde retired because of Air France.

[TurtleBDM]

Can someone please answer this? Why not just go supersonic when over oceans or in unpopulated areas?

[phantomapprentice]

What's with the weird retro 80's style frames?

[twolessba]

Breaking the sound barrier requires significantly more fuel than flying subsonic. engineers should be focusing efforts on saving our environment rather than building jets for the super rich to destroy our home.

[engchoontan]

Missiles fuselarge
Plane wings
Throw air backwards, to a point where the shockwaves are behind. Controlled release snobs cannot understand. After use is not-discard but controlled-release for multiplier-effects and direction of shockwaves.

Sonic-boom is sound(air vibration) from shockwaves which is practiced to remove roofs of beach-squattlers... and other irritants... the purpose of making an old plane like hawker-hunter go supersonic is to remove roofs...

[DTailorUK]

They try and try again! Even if they succeed in supersonic flight, people would be afraid to use it, like the last time!

[nathangregory_]

Even if they do design a plane that lessens the "Boom" factor (Mach 1-2), what percentage of the general public will be able to afford the flight fare for these new planes? I would venture to guess 5% of the general public.

[-_-O]

I think they've managed to fix it in X-Plane 12

[Rjgxxx]

While an exciting idea, unless we can make air flight electric or carbon neutral without offsetting then there isn't a place for it if we want a future 😩

[tonyb]

The guy asking the questions sounds like he is a GCSE student