Is it illegal for the military to produce a sonic boom?

Question

I have heard four sonic booms in San Diego (possibly from Miramar?) in the last three days. It has shaken the house from the inside out and completely freaked the animals.
I thought it was illegal to do this?
And yes, I do know a sonic boom when I hear one, it is unmistakable. I grew up 1 mile from NAS Oceana, and they would do it occasionally and then deny it.

And of course there is always the people that take a question like this as an attack on our military..it's a simple question so chill pill..
I had read in more than one place that it was illegal for military planes to produce a sonic boom over civilian areas. That was simply my question to those who knew or were in the military.
In VA, sometimes they would do it so loud that it would crack house and store windows. Whenever people got upset and wanted some type of explanation as to why they had to replace their windows, the Navy Base would of course deny it and say that it was illegal, and therefore they didn't do it.

Answer 1

No doubt living where you do, you do know what a sonic boom is. And it is supposed to be illegal. You need to report it to the powers that are at Miramar, although, it may just be some fly jocky having fun from further north. They gotta be hauling the mail because it takes a speed of 600 mph to cause a sonic boom. When I was stationed at Camp Pendelton, we used to hear them all the time from 29 Palms.

Answer 2

Yes it is illegal to fly super sonic over populated areas, Why was the Concord Supersonic Jet plane only allowed to fly only over the ocean. Because unless in a case of National Security, a plane can't go supersonic over populated areas. I should know I live near Scott AFB in Illinois. I don't hear a sonic boom ever. Also The Concord was the ONLY supersonic passenger plane in the western world.

The Best answer is that you are close to the take off area. The Planes push their engines hard to get into the air and that what you could be hearing as well. Also why are most training airfields and Test fields are in deserts, no one is around and lets the pilots break the sound barrier at will and over the sea is all right to do it as well.

Answer 3

The sonic booms you hear aren't below the 3000 ft restriction the FAA has set as a regulation , nor are the aircraft doing it over a heavily populated region (NAS Miramar Doesnt count in this case). Sonic Booms are Classified under these retsrictions as an Air stunt.
While the military is subject to a great dealof FAA Regulations for Civilian Aircraft, they still have to abide by a few of them, to include conducting Air Operations over a Densely populated area.

Answer 4

No. A sonic boom is nothing more than a plane exceeding 600 miles per hour which is about the speed of sound. Some commercial airlines airlines do it also. Usually they wait until they are at a distance from a heavily populated area but depending on the wind or atmospheric conditions sometime sound carries.

Be thankful that the speed of sound isn't 50 mph and you get a sonic boom every time a car exceeds 50 mph.

Answer 5

I live near Warner Robins AFB and we get them every day. It is just the sound made by a plane breaking the sound barrier, that's hardly illegal. You just have to learn to live with it. It makes me jump every time, I thought I'd be used to it by now, every day for the past 2 and a half years and I grew up near NAS Pensacola.

I love your Bob Ross picture, I love his happy little trees, but it always ticked me off when he'd ruin an amazing picture with a dang shack for the "little man that might live there." You have brought back a flood of memories of me and my dad on Sunday mornings after church watching, him quickly create a whole new world.

Answer 6

I am surprised at your question. If you were raised in a military community and you live in a military community, you should be well aware of what it takes, to keep our pilots trained, and ready for defending our country. We (San Diego) are a major US Military location, this is something we must tolerate to enjoy the freedoms that we enjoy.

GO NAVY
GO ARMY
GO MARINE CORPS
GO COAST GUARD
GO AIR FORCE

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Did it ever occur to you that not only the military, but private jet owners, and large corporations, have the capability of producing sonic booms, but your first jump was accusing the military, sorry if I mis-understood your question.

I did not mean to offend you, but I have lived here for 34 years and have lived near NAS Norfolk, and NAS Belle Chase. It has always been kind of a good feeling knowing we have protection so close to us.
Raised a navy brat, will probably always be one.
My son is a navy brat.

Always ready to defend my freedoms, and yours.

Answer 7

Nas Oceana Legal

Answer 8

They aren't supposed to unless it is absolutely necessary. When we lived in Maine in the 1970's, we lived close to an air force base, and sometimes we would hear them when they would play war games or would actually scramble aircraft. It's impossible to make sure it never happens, except to move away. Sometimes we get them in WV, where I live now, and we don't have ANY active military installations here, just reserves.

Answer 9

First, military affairs and operations are not subject to local ordinances or laws, i.e. noise ordinances. Further, I'm not sure where you would ever get the idea that it would somehow be illegal for any military aircraft to carry out maneuvers at or beyond Mach 1.

Answer 10

It depends on the noise abatement rules of your community. We use to get them from the pilots flying along the coast up the Gulf of Mexico and of course the Shuttle coming in always gave us one.