Silence, Please: Lockheed Aims to Build a Quieter Supersonic Airplane

airspacemag ^

[BenLurkin]

Lockheed will build the airplane at its Palmdale, California Skunk Works facility, which is well known for building risky and high-technology airplanes. Lockheed was previously awarded a design contract, and were the only bidders for the $247.5m construction award. The company expects to reach Critical Design Review—after which the design is fixed and construction begins—in September 2019, with first flights anticipated in 2021.

The first year or two will be devoted to baseline testing: Proving the new airplane can fly, carefully measuring its subsonic noise, and comparing it to a NASA F/A-18’s noise levels. Starting in 2022, the demonstrator will fly supersonic tests up to Mach 1.4, culminating in flights near cities and detailed surveys to ask people in the flight zones what they heard.

The new airplane (currently known as Low-Boom Flight Demonstrator—it will soon receive a formal X-plane designation)...has a new and unique shape, but incorporates as much as possible from existing airplanes in the name of cost and simplicity. The cockpit, for example, is from a T-38 trainer, the landing gear from an F-16. NASA’s aeronautics division, often overlooked compared to the agency’s spaceflight programs, is in the midst of rebuilding its portfolio, and another crewed X-plane, the electrically-powered X-57 Maxwell, is currently under construction. More designs are waiting in the wings should funding for NASA aeronautics remain steady.

[doorgunner69]

I dimly recall there was worry about clearing the F-104 "T" tail, hence the scary downward thing. Also something about "spurs" that pulled the pilot's legs back just before ejection.

Poor guys, flying a plane and having that sort of ejection in the back of your mind.

[Chode]

worry about clearing the F-104 “T” tail,

that’d do it

thank God for Martin Baker

[doorgunner69]

Think the early 104 was called a Widow Maker due to the pilots not making it out or other flight issues.

Looked for some X-3 stuff, and sure as hell, it had a downward ejection setup. Even had an electric seat lift to put the pilot in the cockpit from underneath!

Well, it WAS an "X plane" after all. A lot of wacky things got tried out.

[Paal Gulli]

"Sonic booms are created when an aircraft exceeds the speed of sound,..."

This is wrong. Sonic booms are created when the a/c exceeds the lower critical mach number, which often is more than 100 mph below the speed of sound.

[trebb]

I thought Bose was known for developing things with a higher “boom” factor...;-}

[Red Badger]

They are into the Science of Sound. They can make it big and they can make it small.................