Galveston, oh, Galveston! NASA Aeronautics is in this island city on the Gulf Coast of TX conducting quiet supersonic research flights to measure community response to this unique acoustic experience.
NASA facilities at Ellington Field are serving as the home base for our Quiet Supersonic Flights 2018, or QSF18.
But BEFORE flights begin Sonic Boom Unattended Data Acquisition Systems are set up to measure the sound of the sonic booms.
THEN weather balloons are used to send back info on atmospheric pressure, temperature & humidity–which can affect flights.
AND aircrew briefings are held to discuss safety, security and weather data – all an essential part of flight preparation.
This F/A-18 is flying over the Gulf of Mexico while researchers measure public response to noise in and around Galveston.
The pilot will fly a diving maneuver that will result in residents hearing a quiet sonic “thump” instead of a loud boom.
The F/A-18 will dive from approx 49K' and briefly go supersonic before recovering to level flight at approximately 30K'.
This type of dive produces a sonic boom in such a way that the sound is perceived in a specific area as a quieter “thump.”
Roger that! Communication between the pilot and field crew is crucial to assuring that everything is going smoothly.