137 replies to this topic

[CAski]

Sound may travel in every direction, but the boom does not. It trails behind the plane in a conical shape based distinctly on the form of the aircraft. If you change the configuration of the aircraft, you can distort this cone such that the portion sweeping across the ground is not nearly as intense. In essence, you are focusing the boom up away from the ground and into the sky. This does, however, lead to some rather funky aircraft...

And even sound can be focused into a particular direction... haven't you ever been into an accustically perfect ampitheatre, or to a science museum that has one of those sets of parabolic dishes? Or have you heard of the new speakers that emit a sound only a person standing in a certain position can hear?

Mach 1 is shooting rather low: have you heard of the SCRAMJET technology being developed? It is inoperable below speeds of mach 2 and easily goes above mach 10.

This post has been edited by CAski: 15 November 2003 - 09:30 PM

[CAski]

Or if you want to talk about speed, how about the VASIMR engines being developed at NASA? Appearently they would reduce the transit time to Mars to something like 1/2 - 1/4 of the current time necessesary (or at least they would reduce the time by some EXTREME amount).

This post has been edited by CAski: 15 November 2003 - 09:34 PM

[Kicking Horse]

Caski, You must a ton of time on your hands.

[CAski]

No, I just spend what little free time I have reading all the magazines at our school library.

And most of my peers are the same way.

This post has been edited by CAski: 15 November 2003 - 11:22 PM

[floridaskier]

Hmm...maybe it could be done...but not for a long time

[Bill]

That actually does make sense. But now the trick is to design something that redirects it up.

[SkiBachelor]

Sound waves. :)

[floridaskier]

Huh?

[SkiBachelor]

For example using sound waves could neutralize the sonic boom maybe, it's just a guess.

[floridaskier]

Hmm...anybpdy read the current issue of 'Popular science?' I saw it at the library today. feature for the month of the future of flight. Got a nice article about the enormous Airbus A380.

[SkiBachelor]

Do you mean Popular Mechanics? I have the magazine but haven't read it yet but on the cover it says 100 years of powered flight, special issue. Maybe both are the same for this month because it says special issue on mine.

[CAski]

You could not cancel out a sonic boom because it is not a sound wave, but a shockwave. It is a wave of pressure in a conical shape that trails the plane. Even assuming you could cancel it like a sound wave, it would take an uneconomical amount of energy to produce the inverse of a sonic boom.

[CAski]

You can't just add something onto a plane that redirects a sonic boom. The entire plane has to be designed around the shape of the sonic boom it will create. Also, there are ways to actually modify the pressure wave itself, making it less intense, through the modification of the aircraft.

[floridaskier]

No, it was Popular Science, but Mechanics had something about it too

[KZ]

Whoever makes the sonic boom less noticable will be a very happy person

[floridaskier]

Although at the moment it doesnt seem like any of the big companies are working on one. Boeing is working on the 7E7, Airbus, the A380, and Embraer is working on the new 170-190 family.

[CAski]

No; they are all working on prototypes.

[Whistler]

I heard that Boeing in Everet (Washington) is trying to win the contract to built that thing. I'll be in Washington this weekend, I can't wait to have some American 7-Up, (the stuff here is really nasty.) BC is finally getting a Krispy Kreme Donut place, They are sooooo good, Have you guys had one?

[floridaskier]

I love Krispy Kremes! we just got a Krispy Kreme store here. Does yours have that assembly line machine that you can see through the window? They give yoou free donuts hwen you're standing in line when they're making donuts. First time I had one was in the Charlotte Airport (to get this back to airplanes) after a US-Airways flight from West Palm Beach

[Whistler]

It's not open yet, the frame just started to go up. There is this big electronic ticker that counts down the days untill it opens I think there is like 90 days now.