When I was growing up in the 70s in Michigan, I could remember jets breaking the sound barrier all the time and our house shaking from the sonic boom. I used to really think it was interesting and fun. My family did too. Weird since it made some people angry. Since then (except when I happened to be in Orlando when a shuttle was landing) I have never heard this and my parents who still live in Michigan, say they don't hear them any more. Are jets restricted from breaking the sound barrier now or is a fuel cost thing or what? Thanks.
2006-10-09 05:53:03 · 5 answers · asked by bernie_bernoulli 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
I suspect it is a response to people's concern about noise. No doubt the exercises involving breaking the sound barrier still take place but over the ocean or thinly populated regions.
2006-10-09 06:02:33 · answer #1 · answered by Robert A 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Wow! I remember the same thing. We lived in St. Clair Shores near Selfridge AFB and would hear sonic booms quite frequently. The FAA now has noise restrictions and planes are prohibited from travelling faster then sound over the continental US. I now live in SW Florida and have heard the sonic boom from the shuttle. I guess that will disappear too in about 2010 when the shuttles fly their last flights.
Jim Reske
Englewood, FL
http://www.flwaterhomes.com
2006-10-09 15:22:29 · answer #2 · answered by Realtor Jim 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The FAA has set noise restrictions the prohibit sonic booms and low flying jets over populated areas. If you go out to the deserts or out at sea, you can still hear a sonic boom occasionally, created by military jets.
2006-10-09 06:03:01 · answer #3 · answered by rex_rrracefab 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They've all but done away with breaking the sound barrier over most states. They still do it out in Nevada/New Mexico/California and whatnot where they test as far as I know, but in order to do it over most of the rest of the US you need some level of government clearance.
2006-10-09 06:01:22 · answer #4 · answered by Jeremy 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
well it has a simple reason:
fighter planes which can cause soonic booms
are not allowed to fly in troposphere now-a-days so that they can not create soonic booms.
2006-10-09 06:08:53 · answer #5 · answered by sanjay b 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋